adding length to trailer tongue

[JoshKeller84]

got a buddy whos boat trailer is about 18" too short for his jon boat. the tongue is made of 3 x 3 tube. i suggested maybe he should look into a fold away kit and just put the winch stand and jack between the coupler and the joint and leave it permanently locked - the kit is $70, plus $15 for a 3' piece of 3 x 3 tube which would be quite a bit cheaper than any other option we've looked in to. any reason this wouldnt work?

 

[alldodge]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

got a buddy whos boat trailer is about 18" too short for his jon boat. the tongue is made of 3 x 3 tube. i suggested maybe he should look into a fold away kit and just put the winch stand and jack between the coupler and the joint and leave it permanently locked - the kit is $70, plus $15 for a 3' piece of 3 x 3 tube which would be quite a bit cheaper than any other option we've looked in to. any reason this wouldnt work?

I see of no reason it would not work, but since your welding, why not just add a 3 foot piece of square tubing?

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

I see of no reason it would not work, but since your welding, why not just add a 3 foot piece of square tubing?

he was planning on getting the bolt on kit, not the weld kit.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

See about having the local high school or community college's welding class do the welding. I have had my nephews in high school weld a few things for me.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

got a buddy whos boat trailer is about 18" too short for his jon boat. the tongue is made of 3 x 3 tube. i suggested maybe he should look into a fold away kit and just put the winch stand and jack between the coupler and the joint and leave it permanently locked - the kit is $70, plus $15 for a 3' piece of 3 x 3 tube which would be quite a bit cheaper than any other option we've looked in to. any reason this wouldnt work?

What is the reason for him to want to lengthen the trailer tongue other then it being 18 inches to short? 18 inches isn't anything from some of the things i have seen.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

If you buy the 3 x 3 tubing and buy some 3/8 thick steel plates-- oh, about 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide, you can put it inside the tubing and drill, tap, and 1/2 inch bolt it. Two bolts on each side of the gap on both sides of the tube. A third plate on the bottom will add considerable strength to the assembly.

Think about it: Two 1/2 inch bolts hold the coupler onto the trailer so certainly six bolts on each piece of tube will be more than sufficient.

I did this mod and added 3 feet to a trailer.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

awesome! I need to do this very mod. Although, I think I'll only need about 18"-24" max. Where can I find the steel tube and plate? Should the hardware be stainless, or will galvanized work as well? Thanks.

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

believe we will go with the plate idea, then weld the joints together to be double sure - really think it needs 1/2" bolts on a setup thats less than 1,000 lbs including trailer? what about 1/4" plate since the tongue itself is only 1/8"? (just looking at metal i can get at tractor supply)


Steel Square Tubing 3"x 3"x 1 8"x 48" | eBay

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

What is the reason for him to want to lengthen the trailer tongue other then it being 18 inches to short? 18 inches isn't anything from some of the things i have seen.

the boat hangs off the back of the trailer approx 18"

 

[gilliac]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

believe we will go with the plate idea, then weld the joints together to be double sure - really think it needs 1/2" bolts on a setup thats less than 1,000 lbs including trailer? what about 1/4" plate since the tongue itself is only 1/8"? (just looking at metal i can get at tractor supply)


Steel Square Tubing 3"x 3"x 1 8"x 48" | eBay

The plate needs to be 1/2 inch thick for the threads. Roughly the thread length needs to equal the bolt diameter. A couple of less elegant alternatives would be to clamp two pieces of 1/4 inch plate on each side (clamp two pieces together to drill and tap the bolt hole). Or put the plates on the outside of the square tubing and just through bolt with regular nuts, just as strong but looks Mickey mouse.

Gil

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue



1/2 inch thick plate is good but 3/8 will do. It will get about 4 threads of a 1/2 inch bolt engaged and for this application that will withstand the necessary torque applied to the bolts. I used grade 5 bolts because that was what I had.

As you may notice, I re-used the original coupler mounting holes and drilled the others. There was a reason I only used three bolts on the bottom plate, but it was so long ago that I don't remember why.

Cheap, fast, easy, and safe.

1/4 inch plate is cutting it close as there will be only 3 threads engaged. HOWEVER: If you intend to weld also (overkill and un needed expense unless you do it yourself) then 1/4 plate and smaller bolts would be acceptable.

EDIT: DANG! I need to scrape and paint that trailer. ----Summer job.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

As long as your getting it welded skip the steel plate on the inside. Cut the tongue and the new piece at a 45 degree angle this will give you a much longer weld. Grind the welds smooth and weld a diamond shaped gusset over the weld for strength.

 

[gm280]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

Well if you can get it welded, why not replace the entire tongue from the start to finish? I had a short trailer tongue and it also had a crack in it that I didn't see when I bought it used (underneath). So I bought a 20' section of 3" X 3" X 1/4" steel square tubing (the shortest they would sell) and had them cut it in two 10' sections (no charge). I replace the entire old tongue and welded two gusset plates on the top and bottom for added strength where it intersected the trailer chassis and it is extremely strong now. The old tongue was merely two 1/8" channel sections welded together about every 8" or so to make a square tube tongue... Not nearly as strong... JMHO!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

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1/2 inch thick plate is good but 3/8 will do. It will get about 4 threads of a 1/2 inch bolt engaged and for this application that will withstand the necessary torque applied to the bolts. I used grade 5 bolts because that was what I had.

As you may notice, I re-used the original coupler mounting holes and drilled the others. There was a reason I only used three bolts on the bottom plate, but it was so long ago that I don't remember why.

Cheap, fast, easy, and safe.

1/4 inch plate is cutting it close as there will be only 3 threads engaged. HOWEVER: If you intend to weld also (overkill and un needed expense unless you do it yourself) then 1/4 plate and smaller bolts would be acceptable.

EDIT: DANG! I need to scrape and paint that trailer. ----Summer job.

Thank you good sir. I believe I shall be stealing this very mod in the near future The boat sits fine, but a bit more tongue would put a some more breathing room between my bow stop/wench and the tailgate on my truck. Sometimes the two like to "kiss" from time to time when I'm making a tight turn.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

Well if you can get it welded, why not replace the entire tongue from the start to finish?

That's exactly what I would do as well.

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

instead of tapping the 2.5" flat, can we just use bolts and nuts? i have some 24" needle nose pliars to hold the nuts on the inside while we torque them down. we are adding 20" to the tongue. or possibly predrill the flat and the tube, then tack weld the nuts on the inside side of the 2.5" flat, put the bolts through into the tacked nuts, and hit with impact?

 

[JoshKeller84]

Re: adding length to trailer tongue

As long as your getting it welded skip the steel plate on the inside. Cut the tongue and the new piece at a 45 degree angle this will give you a much longer weld. Grind the welds smooth and weld a diamond shaped gusset over the weld for strength.

this would be a good idea, but im not a professional welder. I can make a good weld, but for liability reasons, we want the backup of bolts in case a weld fails (i have had one fail, but dont want the first time to be deadly for someone).