Weight Distributing Hitch Weld failure

[Furu]

Had a bit of a time trying to get a decent photo of the failure but I have a weight distribution hitch from a major named manufacturer of weight distribution hitches that had a weld fail on me this week.

The weld did not really penetrate the metal to any great degree. It was basically a surface weld (less than 1 mm penetration). Interestingly the two mated surfaces were not beveled before welding.
I have to clean up the joint and try to figure out what I want to do. It will take a good bit of heat to straight the metal. Then I would do a bevel and weld it. The other solution is if that joint failed what about the other joints on the hitch? Do they have welds waiting to fail?
How do you spell too little heat/amps/prep. Rather surprised but lack of penetration does not lie.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

How old is it? Even if out of warranty a reputable manufacturer may well replace it. For the purpose and stress applied to such a part I would not try to weld it. Too big a liability out there on the highway if you lose a trailer in traffic. This is one area where I would not trust something that did not have a certification with it to spread the risk in an accident case. That leaves out most of the overseas made stuff.

Ron

 

[Furu]

Well it is hard to see from my less than good photo but the part that is bent cracked is the little dog ear for the sway bar. The newer design uses a one piece plate that gives the sway bar attach point as well as the main part of the hitch. This older version (2003) had a dog ear welded onto the main body for the sway bar attach point.. I agree about the repair, but if I do not use the sway bar which I only do on the RV trailer, not the equipment trailers, it doesn't matter. My concern is as I said, the other joint welds that are integral to the hitch main structure. Those welds are trailer get away from tow vehicle type events. This weld failure only effect the sway bar part of the hitch not the tow or weight distribution part even though it is all integral to same unit.

Old style (the one that had the problem)



New Style design (one piece unit)

 

[LD1]

I wonder if it was supposed to be welded on the other side too and someone forgot?

 

[Shield Arc]

I would copy the design of the newer hitch. A bigger plate, instead of tabs welded on the side. If the threaded stud on the ball is not long enough, maybe cut the hole in the plate big enough to go over the ball, and still get some weld on the inside of the hole.

 

[orezok]

I would contact the manufacturer. Almost every one of them will give you a free replacement even if you are not the original owner. They would rather spend $100 for a replacement than spent $$$ defending a lawsuit that they have absolutely no responsibility for someone elses modification.

 

[Cord]

Went around and around with a weight distribution head that had cracked. The crack started at a sharp corner that concentrated the forces and then propagated through a very thick section of metal. Failure would have resulted in separation of the trailer from the vehicle. Not wanting to admit their defect, Reese gave me every excuse in the book: It was rusty (it wasn't), it was overloaded (it wasn't), it was oversized for the vehicle (it wasn't)... Up to the point that I filed a claim with NTSB, Reese didn't give a hoot.

 

[OkieDave]

I would copy the design of the newer hitch. A bigger plate, instead of tabs welded on the side. If the threaded stud on the ball is not long enough, maybe cut the hole in the plate big enough to go over the ball, and still get some weld on the inside of the hole.

I would run, not walk, away. Defective product is a strict liability tort in personal injury in most jurisdictions; you can be the best weldor in the world, do everything perfectly by-the-book, and if it fails again (say, due to a latent defect of which you have no knowledge--and you already know it was poorly made), you're on the hook for injury damages. Your performance just isn't a question: it failed, somebody was hurt, you pay. You already know it's lousy; why take that risk?

Let the manufacturer make good on it.

 

[OkieDave]

I would copy the design of the newer hitch. A bigger plate, instead of tabs welded on the side. If the threaded stud on the ball is not long enough, maybe cut the hole in the plate big enough to go over the ball, and still get some weld on the inside of the hole.

I would run, not walk, away. Defective product is a strict liability tort in personal injury in most jurisdictions; you can be the best weldor in the world, do everything perfectly by-the-book, and if it fails again (say, due to a latent defect of which you have no knowledge--and you already know it was poorly made), you're on the hook for injury damages. Your performance just isn't a question: it failed, somebody was hurt, you pay. You already know it's lousy; why take that risk? In fact, if you modify it, you may be acting to shield the original manufacturer from liability, shifting their risk onto yourself.

Let the manufacturer make good on it.

 

[Shield Arc]

Very solid advice OkieDave!
I try to pick my battles, also who I'll build something for. Over the years I have built several truck hitches, for my self, and friends.

 

[Sodo]

I wouldn't say no penetration, steel tears along a 45 degree shear line, it looks normal to me. Agree with LD it may have broken because the bottom weld was forgotten. And the corner wasn't "wrapped" very well (prob because it was unfinished) that's where it started. Poor welding job. That's all I can say from the pics, need more pics for a better diagnoses.

Steel is very repairable, pretty easy to make that much stronger than the one-peice and be done in less time than it takes to box it up and mail it. Thats for people with no welder.

What maneuver tore this tab off - jackknife?

 

[LD1]

Steel is very repairable, pretty easy to make that much stronger than the one-peice and be done in less time than it takes to box it up and mail it. Thats for people with no welder.

While I agree, and have made many hitches and inserts for the tractors and what-not....

For liability reasons I wouldnt use a repaired hitch on the road.

 

[Sodo]

Thats for people with no welder.

Sorry this is kind of a joke. Obviously any repair must be a quality repair.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Nothing is designed to last forever. Isn't it up to the end user to conduct regular inspection of equipment? Welds don't usually fail without warning. Most often it's a progressive event that is not noticed, starting with a hairline crack.

 

[Sodo]

IT, even though the pic is not so good, I can tell ya thats not a fatigue crack, its torn metal. Trailer hitches should have (basically) zero deflection during use, thus never fatigue, never start hairline cracks.

 

[Industrial Toys]

OK. Just sayin that unless welding is of some very high (and expensive) standard, cracking and weld failure are a common thing in demanding applications. The way I see it anyway.

 

[bspeedy]

Are you sure that the sway mount wasn't welded on by some previous owner? I've only seen the newer style. If I were the original owner and knew it was a factory weld, I would junk the whole thing. Not safe.

 

[Sodo]

OK. Just sayin that unless welding is of some very high (and expensive) standard, cracking and weld failure are a common thing in demanding applications. The way I see it anyway.

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

 

[bspeedy]

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

I'm with Sodo. Unless you bought it new and know differently, weld that sucker. No risk to towing safety (other than the possible loss of sway control, which is not critical).

 

[showcattle]

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

This is the best advice I've seen.