Thoughts on this trailer

superbenk

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Neighbor has this trailer and offered it to me for the $200 he paid for it. Has very little rust, but there's no plaques indicating capacity or make or anything like that I could find (looks like its been painted at least once. Needs some welds fixed & redone, but it seems to be in ok condition. What are the experts thoughts on this? It'd be fully restored for my 1980 Century 190 (18' bout in my sig). Looking to replace my tilt trailer with something I can drive on.

IMG_00015.jpg


IMG_00016.jpg


IMG_00017.jpg


It'll need a new axle or flanges welded on for brakes. I'd be transferring my existing tongue jack, winch, LED lights, hydraulic coupler & Kodiak surge disc brakes from my existing trailer.
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

Can u do the work yourself? or hiring someone? how's your welding?
 

superbenk

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

I'll do the work myself. I've done mig welding before, but I'll be borrowing an arc welder from a friend & learning how to use it on this project.
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

Use the mig welder, legally you can't use a arc welder on frames of cars/bikes so I would follow the same rules for trailers

as for buying the trailer looks like a fair deal to me.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

a mig welder IS an arc welder.... I'm curious (skeptical) about this legality issue with arc welding. Please explain this.

IMHO that is a $75-$100 trailer in that condition.... IE $275 in good condition and needs $200 worth to get it there.... the fact that you can do it yourself is irrelevant.... I think that your neighbor messed up and paid too much. I'd (NICELY) offer $75 and anything over $100 that you offer him is charity just cause you like the guy. .... again IMHO
 

LippCJ7

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

IMG_00015.1.JPG

I think I would pass on this trailer unless it was free, your looking at a home built trailer that wasn't thought through very well, its a U channel trailer not a box steel trailer, the previous user felt the need to brace it(red Circle) probably because the trailer was weak in the area of the yellow circle when in fact the problem is that he needed stronger mains made of either box steel or I beams. It is in need of a complete rewiring with much better cable management. I think it would make a poor project and your probably better off starting from scratch as its just a poorly designed trailer
IMG_00016.1.JPG

In this pic I blew it up to find these joints(red circle) are not connected on top and bottom only the vertical plane not either horizontal plane, granted the pic quality is poor when blown up but I think its worth another look if its nearby, your looking at a bunch of welding and in the end you would need the horizontal planes welded to give the trailer lateral strength and keep it firmly behind you, you should look at all the perpendicular cross braces and make sure both planes are welded at the mains, with out these welded properly your going to need a pace maker after you tow your boat on it.

If your still interested in doing this trailer let me know and I can tell you what I would suggest to strengthen it up, but I would still pass.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

I just looked closer.... yep that trailer poorly is built from too small of channel for it's size.... I'd still take it for $50 or less but no way in heck would I pay more... I'd build a little 5x7 utility with the materials.

Good catch lipp

ps thanks for backing me on that other thread
 

chriscraft254

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

I agree with not wasting your time on that trailer. No capacity plate! No go! I would put the $200 into a newer trailer. If you plan on keeping your boat , get yourself a new trailer. You can probably buy a new one for that size boat for 1200 to 1500 bucks. Good luck.
 

superbenk

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

Thanks for all the great replies. You guys are re-affirming a lot of my reservations. Lipp, your assessments are spot on & good eye on the corner welds. You're correct that they aren't welded on the horizontals. I think I'll go ahead and pass on it as suggested.
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

a mig welder IS an arc welder.... I'm curious (skeptical) about this legality issue with arc welding. Please explain this.

Am I seriously the only one that caught this? or no one cares I guess lol
 

LippCJ7

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

Am I seriously the only one that caught this? or no one cares I guess lol
No your not the only one who caught it, I've just been laughing and smoke caught it too.

Superbenk, I think its in your best interest, learning how to weld I would encourage anyone to do as its really one of the few things I enjoy very much but this is not the project to do it on trust me!LOL Check out Craigslist you can get a used Lincoln Arc welder for $100-$200 and get after it, once you learn to Arc you can do pretty much anything unless you dream of TIG like I do, maybe someday...

Smoke, If I thought you were wrong I would tell you, you know that and you know you can do the same in return, mutual respect is one of the things that is lost sometimes on the web but being rude and disrespectful I will not stand for especially when its directed towards someone I respect and consider my friend even though its on the internet and we have never met in the real world. One of the things I think we have all learned about the web is that everyones an expert, fortunately a persons inexperience is often exposed by their own words. Someday were going to have to hang out and work on some projects over a beer.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

a mig welder IS an arc welder.... I'm curious (skeptical) about this legality issue with arc welding. Please explain this.

"Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process in which a continuous and consumable wire electrode and a shielding gas are fed through a welding gun. A constant voltage, direct current power source is most commonly used with GMAW, but constant current systems, as well as alternating current, can be used. There are four primary methods of metal transfer in GMAW, called globular, short-circuiting, spray, and pulsed-spray, each of which has distinct properties and corresponding advantages and limitations............"
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

caught what? I asked you an honest question.

trying not to be rude here but here we go...

basically there are 3 types of welders mig/wire feed, tig, and arc. they are all very different, I use mig and arc at work but have yet to use TIG, sure wish I knew someone with one as I would love to try.

oh and I honestly don't know the legal thing but thats what I have been told by a few people, I never bothered to look into it. I know it's not a good idea on thin metals, allthough they do make adapters to so, they just don't work that great, the penetration vs heat isn't right for thin metals, the heat required produce a proper weld on thin metals penetrates too deep with an arc welder blowing holes or just not making it structurally sound. atleast that's what I got out of the few sites I just googled up lol
 

bowfisher8967

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

If you need any extra convincing, take a look at my posts regarding my trailer/boat restoration. It was my first project like it, and you may be more experienced than me, but i'd say it'd be a lotta time, money and effort for a person of any skill level. Put the effort into finding something more structurally sound and with a make, model, or ID so you can know how to order replacement parts should you need them. I probably heard this advice too and refused to listen to it..... so if your stubborn like me........ we'll get along great
:)
And impatico, smokeonthewater is saying that mig is an arc welding process. There is mig arc welding, and stick arc welding, which weld using an electrical arc. (tig is arc as well). Though the methods of shielding may be different as well as the weldable types and thicknesses of materials, they are all "FORMS" of arc welding. So saying that arc welding shouldnt be used on vehicle chassis is too broad/vague of a statement.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

no issue being rude... mig and tig are BOTH arc welding there are other methods as well what you are calling arc welding is SMAW and is often called stick welding



"Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), also known as tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by a shielding gas (usually an inert gas such as argon), and a filler metal is normally used, though some welds, known as autogenous welds, do not require it. A constant-current welding power supply produces energy which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma.

GTAW is most commonly used to weld thin sections of stainless steel and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys. The process grants the operator greater control over the weld than competing processes such as shielded metal arc welding and gas metal arc welding, allowing for stronger, higher quality welds. However, GTAW is comparatively more complex and difficult to master, and furthermore, it is significantly slower than most other welding techniques. A related process, plasma arc welding, uses a slightly different welding torch to create a more focused welding arc and as a result is often automated........"


"Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), also known as manual metal arc (MMA) welding, flux shielded arc welding[1] or informally as stick welding, is a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable electrode coated in flux to lay the weld. An electric current, in the form of either alternating current or direct current from a welding power supply, is used to form an electric arc between the electrode and the metals to be joined. As the weld is laid, the flux coating of the electrode disintegrates, giving off vapors that serve as a shielding gas and providing a layer of slag, both of which protect the weld area from atmospheric contamination.

Because of the versatility of the process and the simplicity of its equipment and operation, shielded metal arc welding is one of the world's most popular welding processes. It dominates other welding processes in the maintenance and repair industry, and though flux-cored arc welding is growing in popularity, SMAW continues to be used extensively in the construction of steel structures and in industrial fabrication. The process is used primarily to weld iron and steels (including stainless steel) but aluminium, nickel and copper alloys can also be welded with this method......."
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

ya he sneaked that post in while I was typing so I didn't get that he was being smart until after my last post lol

and he did it again lol
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

there are MANY more than 3 types of welding.


At this point I believe that you are mistaken about the legal issue you mentioned and that it is just hearsay BUT if you are able to back it up I (and I'm sure others also) would want to hear it.
 

smokeonthewater

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

ya he sneaked that post in while I was typing so I didn't get that he was being smart until after my last post lol

and he did it again lol

I am most certainly NOT kidding or trying to be funny or rude...... straight, factual, and nothing but friendly
 

impatico

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Re: Thoughts on this trailer

there are MANY more than 3 types of welding.


At this point I believe that you are mistaken about the legal issue you mentioned and that it is just hearsay BUT if you are able to back it up I (and I'm sure others also) would want to hear it.

BASICALLY there are 3 but many variants, and at this point I am assuming that you don't read my posts, so I'll say it again, I have been told the legal thing by a couple people and just went with it.
 
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