trailer rehab

[redneck joe]

welded.


As I started to work the bolt out I notice the inside fin of the hanger was bent toward the outside, so probably had been hit/damaged. Good news is it was probably cracked already so needed to be replaced and had the bolt come out easily I would have left it.


Next thing on the block - the center hangar is almost 2 1/2" wide ID - my current equalizer is sloppy in the space and the new will be more so. So looks like I'm grinding off all the hangers and putting on new ones.


looking at etrailers info - they have a set all the same size, tall. Or you can get center tall and front/rear (as is current set up). Any thoughts on the differences?

My auto body guy welds and hit him up last night he'll come over but only has 12' cord on his welder so I'm going to go by and look at it and see if I can make a 20' extension for him.

 

[Saline Marina]

Just be really careful. A Mig welder used to repair auto body sheetmetal is a lot different story than what you need for structural parts of a trailer. Mig welders make beautiful welds that can just sit on the surface unless you use a lot of energy or back-bevel. Vertical welds are terrible with a Mig. Stick weld on a trailer or nothing for me...there are 3/32" electrodes out there for tube steel. Just saying...

 

[oldjeep]

Stick weld? I rather doubt that any oneis using a buzz box to build trailers.

 

[dingbat]

Stick weld? I rather doubt that any one is using a buzz box to build trailers.

muncipal
At least not in the past 30 years...lol

 

[oldjeep]

muncipal
At least not in the past 30 years...lol

LOL. I was thinking that even in 1991 that we were building helicopter decks on tanker trucks with MIG welders, only time I ever see a stick welder any more is at a garage sale or someone doing huge structural steel.

 

[redneck joe]

well crap now I have to learn about welding???

I think I get the gist of it that the weld needs to be 'deep' - that is what i've discovered in grinding off one hanger. I thought welds were just on the edge, like a caulk line. This thing appears to be solid all the way in (not off yet it's raining off and on)

 

[oldjeep]

well crap now I have to learn about welding???

I think I get the gist of it that the weld needs to be 'deep' - that is what i've discovered in grinding off one hanger. I thought welds were just on the edge, like a caulk line. This thing appears to be solid all the way in (not off yet it's raining off and on)

A good weld is not like caulk, a good weld will completely fuse the 2 pieces.

 

[redneck joe]

yeah rethinking griding them off. What if I just cut the fins and had welded to the plate that is left?

 

[oldjeep]

Ask whoever is fixing it. Hard to say without seeing it.

 

[redneck joe]

i did, he's ok, just making sure it was not unheard of.

 

[hungupthespikes]

yeah rethinking griding them off. What if I just cut the fins and had welded to the plate that is left?

Leaving the plates may actually be better...if he can weld horizontal rather than the more difficult overhead position. Getting penetration up, laying on your back, with hot metal falling down on you is never pleasant.

 

[redneck joe]

pretty scary equalizer bolts:






and note the pit where the spring meets the tube. About 3/16" pit.

 

[redneck joe]

ready now..

 

[mla2ofus]

If you use a mig don't use a boy to do a man's job.
Mike

 

[redneck joe]

ok so is MIG not to be used in any case? I found this but I think the hangers are 3/16" to 1/4"?



A general rule of thumb. Don't MIG weld anything thicker then 1/8" unless you have a machine with at least 250 amps.

It's a poorly known fact that MIG welding requires 50-100% more current to weld the same thickness as stick welding. For example, you can weld 1/4" material and up with 100-130 amps with a stick welder. You'd need. 190-250 amps with MIG to get good penetration on 1/4". Most manufacturers exaggerate the realistic thickness capabilities of their machines by 50% or more. they assume the current requirements for MIG and stick are the same. Don't pay any attention to manufacturers claims. Assume you won't be able to MIG weld over 1/8"

 

[oldjeep]

ok so is MIG not to be used in any case? I found this but I think the hangers are 3/16" to 1/4"?



A general rule of thumb. Don't MIG weld anything thicker then 1/8" unless you have a machine with at least 250 amps.

It's a poorly known fact that MIG welding requires 50-100% more current to weld the same thickness as stick welding. For example, you can weld 1/4" material and up with 100-130 amps with a stick welder. You'd need. 190-250 amps with MIG to get good penetration on 1/4". Most manufacturers exaggerate the realistic thickness capabilities of their machines by 50% or more. they assume the current requirements for MIG and stick are the same. Don't pay any attention to manufacturers claims. Assume you won't be able to MIG weld over 1/8"

That is the dumbest thing I have ever seen - where is that quote from?

Holy crap we were building class B truck beds with decks to land helicopters on with 200amp welders, and I've built trailers, truck frames and roll cages with a 180amp.

 

[bruceb58]

Just don't use a 110v welder. If you have never welded before, don't do this job yourself.

Do a search for mobile welders. This is an easy job for any decent welder.

 

[redneck joe]

jeep - found that on the internet. So it must be true....

Bruce - definitely wouldn't take something like that first time out just trying to understand to ensure my guy does know what he's doing.


I stopped by my autobody guy and he has a Lincoln 230 volt. He's also in the process of custom building a truck bed for his rat rod and from what I saw of good/bad welds in my surfing this morning he knows what he's doing.

 

[dingbat]

Carried a CWI and a 6G when I worked the trade. Welded many miles of 1/2" to 1" thk. pipe and plate using 115-125 amp. Guess we didn't know any better ...lol

General welding rule-of-thumb (GNAW) is 1 amp per 0.001 material thickness (single pass welds, full penetration) Obviously, this rules doesn't apply to connections not requiring 100% penetration (fillets) or multiple pass connections.

 

[redneck joe]

Just an update nothing exciting - ordered the new hangers today and in speaking with the dude @ etrailer he felt (and I have been feeling) that the C slipper was not the best solution for a tandem so ordered 4 new closed end 2500 lbs springs. Only 1/4" smaller than the original and since putting on new hangers no issue there. I'm travelling to St Louis in a couple weeks so can return others in person; already have RMA in my inbox so should be easy (and no return shipping)
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