source for trailer tounge material

[bob johnson]

I want to extend my trailer's tongue with a piece of rectangle tubing that will slide INSIDE my trailers 3 X 5 galvanized tongue. does anyone know a source for something that would work it has to SLIDE INSIDE my 3 x 5 tongue tube!!!!!!!!!!!

is want at least 2.5" X 4"...prefer 2.625" x 4.5" and id like it to be galvanized...but I would settle for reg steel as well

bob

 

[smokeonthewater]

To get a close fit you would likely have to shim the inside tubing by welding flat stock to it.

 

[Frank Acampora]

It sounds like you are looking for something semi-custom. Look up various welding shops and steel supply shops in your area. See what they can do.mm My question is: Why do you need to have the tubing slide inside the existing tongue? There are other options such as buying a whole length of steel tubing cut to the size you need, welding the addition on, or bolting it to the existing tongue with heavy fishplate inside, drilled and tapped for 1/2 inch bolts.

 

[Frank Acampora]

No Title

This is one I did on 3 X 3 square tubing. Since the load is upward, it doesn't need bolts on the top.

 

[gm280]

If you do find such metal, I really think you would have to purchase the entire stick. And an entire stick usually is 20 feet long. I know around where I live that is how you purchase such metals. So like Frank said above, just buy and cut and weld on an all new tongue and you will have zero problems with any add on then. That IS exactly what I did with my trailer tongue for a longer reach. JMHO!

 

[bob johnson]

well...... for one..... adding a small section is easier and cheaper and less work, that replaceing the whole bar of tongue steel!!! BUT MOSTLY because Id like to pin both bars once there is about 5 ft of over lap inside..., THEN if I want to get the trailer in the garage, I can pull the pins and slide the front section out, and close the garage door!!!! it wont be something ill do regularly, but once a or maybe twice a year if I want to work on the boat at night or in the rain..i can pull the big honking boat into the garage and do some work on it!!!! I cant if I have a 28 ft trailer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am thinking as well I may have to weld a few spacers on the top of the new bar to make the fit better....but MAYBE...JUST MAYBE someone knew of a source for an idea that has been though of hundreds of times before!!
bob

 

[jbcurt00]

Even if I knew a place, its likely to be local to me, and shipping it to you would likely offset any savings over having a shop local to you custom fab something for you.

As far as I know, no one has posted a similar removeable extension

If I ever get to it, i though of slipping a larger tube OVER the tongue and slip a matching (to the trailer tongue) tube inside the added larger tube. In fact, one of my trailers has a fairly long tongue that I could just cut halfway between the winch post and coupler and add the over tube there. Wouldnt make the tongue longer but would cut several feet off the front end...

Good luck however you proceed and by all means post some pix, that way it WILL be posted on iboats. Thanks

FYI: budski made his own break away tongue setup to accomplish the same thing: shorten a long trailer.

SEEMS A BIT MUCH TO USE CAPS SO OFTEN W SO MANY !!!!!!!!!! COMES OFF AS SHOUTING, which isnt necessary.

Ask a question on a public forum, you might get lots of comments, some asking for more info or making alternate suggestions.

 

[bob johnson]

well going over the current tube is out, because the new tube could not make it past the winch post .as well as the jack, which would still be needed to hold the trailer up inside the garage.

bob

 

[smokeonthewater]

Pinning is not an option unless you build up plates to pin through... A couple of pins just through the existing tube will crack, split, tear apart.

 

[thumpar]

Pinning is not an option unless you build up plates to pin through... A couple of pins just through the existing tube will crack, split, tear apart.

Mine is pinned from the factory. There is no plating on it at all. It is a tube within a tube.

I did have it extended last year because of the ramp here. You an get the tubing from an metal supply. Just make sure you get it welded properly.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Yours then would have thicker tubing than most trailers.

 

[bob johnson]

Yours then would have thicker tubing than most trailers.

pinning should be fine...many couplers are just bolted on, and EVERY receiver hitch I ever saw used a single pin to hold the receiver to the hitch...this is nothing new...but I am sure the factories that make these type of trailer special order their stock...



bob

 

[gm280]

bob, yes there is a single pin at the hitch receiver, but that pin actually holds the coupler clamp that does the actual holding on the trailer hitch ball. So that single pin really isn't hold much of any force. It seems like you are trying to duplicate a collapsible tongue setup. You do know there are foldable trailer tongues on the market I'm sure. Why not install one of them? :noidea:

 

[bob johnson]

bob, yes there is a single pin at the hitch receiver, but that pin actually holds the coupler clamp that does the actual holding on the trailer hitch ball. So that single pin really isn't hold much of any force. It seems like you are trying to duplicate a collapsible tongue setup. You do know there are foldable trailer tongues on the market I'm sure. Why not install one of them? :noidea:

I think there is a limit on the length allowed past the hinged tongues... and I think one inside the other is simpler... and cheaper...

bob

 

[smokeonthewater]

The single pin in the receiver is in much thicker wall tubing than a typical trailer tongue... If you will have 3/16 or 1/4 wall thickness it may well be ok..

The bolted on couplers are not only held by the bolts in the holes, they are also held in place by the friction of the bolts drawing the coupler tightly against the outside of the tube.

Some are indeed through bolted and slightly crush the tubing when tightened but the strongest have bolts from the outside with nuts inside the tube...

Yes there is indeed a limit on length of a swing away tongue but there is a reasonable length limit to the tongue itself...

If you look at a typical boat trailer the tongue is often the same size (or smaller) as the trailer frame rails... If it is the same size then it is only 50% as strong as the rest of the trailer... As you lengthen the tongue you give it more leverage on the load and this require the load to be moved forward to maintain tongue weight at the coupler... This increases the load (bending force) on the back of the tongue near where it meets the trailer frame.

As tongue length increases, at first the trailer starts flexing and bouncing and eventually a point is reached that it is likely to bend or break.

Another thing to consider is making sure your joint will not deform or rust... Either one could make removing and replacing the tongue a miserable job.

Good luck with your venture.

 

[Scott Danforth]

well...... for one..... adding a small section is easier and cheaper and less work, that replaceing the whole bar of tongue steel!!! BUT MOSTLY because Id like to pin both bars once there is about 5 ft of over lap inside..., THEN if I want to get the trailer in the garage, I can pull the pins and slide the front section out, and close the garage door!!!! it wont be something ill do regularly, but once a or maybe twice a year if I want to work on the boat at night or in the rain..i can pull the big honking boat into the garage and do some work on it!!!! I cant if I have a 28 ft trailer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am thinking as well I may have to weld a few spacers on the top of the new bar to make the fit better....but MAYBE...JUST MAYBE someone knew of a source for an idea that has been though of hundreds of times before!!
bob

why not simply buy a folding tongue. most manufacturers have them for about $125

 

[bob johnson]

why not simply buy a folding tongue. most manufacturers have them for about $125

that's a possibility...but it only allows for 34" in front of the hinge....the tube in a tube allows for a lot more....but I am going to fit the rig in the garage and see what I actually need.... plus with the hinge...ill still have to buy the 34" piece.... in addition to the hinge!!

 

[smokeonthewater]

34" (36" including the swing adapter) is a LOT to add to an existing tongue

Think of the force that can be exerted with a 3' lever... Your trailer MAY not hold up to even that much

 

[smokeonthewater]

Example:
If your current tongue is 5' long and you have 300 lb of tongue weight you are currently putting 1500 lb-ft of torque on the point where the tongue meets the trailer... Multiply by at least 5 (may be much more) to account for bumps in the road at speed and you have 7500 lb-ft.... Now add a 3' extension and those numbers become 2400 and 12,000 lb-ft.

Things can get scary FAST!

 

[bob johnson]

I am not an engineering whizz...but my guess is that a tube in a tube with 4 foot of overlap is much stronger than that swing away casting..especially since its mounts are maybe 3 " wide!!!!! thanks for the help

bob