Trailer straightening

[TexomaAv8r]

OK I have a trailer for a 16 runabout that was bent by the previous owners girlfriend..She assumed the trailer would lead the car in reverse and it didnt.<br /><br />It is usable and tows fine but doesnt "look right" if you know what I mean. There is a slight twist where the two channels come together which cause the jack to sit at an odd angle and the the tongue points off to the starboard a little bit.<br /><br />Is there any sugestions for straightening this, even if it is just a little, enough to be less objectionable looking?

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Trailer straightening

I've seen car frames straightened by chaining one side to a tree, and pulling on the other with a 'come-a-long' type winch atached to a truck trailer hitch. That might work for straightening the tongue--- if the welds don't crack in the process. I've done work like that with a winch and cable, but I pass the cable through a hole in a piece of plwood so if the cable parts- it won't whack my head off. <br /><br />You can probably roll the twist out with a big pipe wrench. Cinch it down on the high side and start rolling it over. <br /><br />Or, a trailer shop could heat it and move it around the right way.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Trailer straightening

I thought so too, one person said somthing about the metal softening and craking so i dont know..i will wait and read more replies if they come.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Trailer straightening

My trailer tongue acquired a slight twist when it liberated itself from the tow vehicle one day and the jack stand took the force of the impact. Now it and the bow stop list to port a bit. <br /><br />The advice I got was take it to a shop & have it straightened & reinforced, to compensate for being weakened by the bending.<br /><br />I been towing it like that for a few months. For me it's more of an inconvenience - adds challenge to hitting the bow stop when driving the boat on - but if your tongue isn't pointed straight ahead you might be wearing down the tires & maybe damaging other parts.<br /><br />If you take it to a shop, I'd be interested to learn what they have to say. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Trailer straightening

if your tongue isn't pointed straight ahead you might be wearing down the tires & maybe damaging other parts.<br />///////<br /><br /><br />Darn good point.<br /><br />I wonder if the trailer tires wouldn't pull straight, but the trailer itself would just move over in its lane a bit since its hinged on the hitch ball. <br /><br />Even then, it would seem they'd have a little drag on them like a car with the front end out of alignment. It that was true, then it would follow that the tires would run hotter, and wear out faster from the friction of being pressured to run, or being pulled more at a diagonal line than straight. Which in turn would put additional stress on the bearings/axles.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Trailer straightening

Originally posted by TexomaAv8r:<br /> metal softening and craking

The steel trailers are made from isn't tempered normally. Its fairly soft in the scheme of things. Plus, they're usually over-enginered to start with.<br /><br /> You can yang around on it some without getting into much trouble. But the area around a weld often acts a little brittle by comparison, and likes to crack when you get to bending on it much, depending on how well/properly it was welded and cooled origionaly.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Trailer straightening

Originally posted by Winger Ed.:<br /> <br />I wonder if the trailer tires wouldn't pull straight, but the trailer itself would just move over in its lane a bit since its hinged on the hitch ball.

Easy to check, run a tape measure from the extreme tip of the hitch to the tip of each axle stub, ideal would be an exact measurement both sides.<br /><br />Did that to mine 6 months ago, it was out by 1 and a half inches. I adjusted it by moving the rails that the springs are mounted to. Previously i was getting tyre wear and when I looked in the rear vision mirror I got the impression the trailer was 'crabing', now it looks and feels fine, no more unusual tyre wear.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Mark42]

Re: Trailer straightening

I would take it to a auto frame straightening shop and get an estimate. May be only an hour in labor to fix it.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Trailer straightening

Originally posted by Mark42:<br /> I would take it to a auto frame straightening shop and get an estimate. May be only an hour in labor to fix it.

I agree. You have your valuable boat on it, don't mess around. Get it fixed right.