Trailer tongue hinge

[iggyw1]

The tongue on my trailer is 2-1/2" wide (side to side) and 2-1/2" top to bottom. The only folding hinge I can find that is close is a 3" X 3" hinge, which I am planning on adding 1/4" steel bar on top and bottom both to bring the top to bottom measurement to 3". The sides will remain at 2-1/2", leaving a 1/4" gap on both sides between the tongue and the hinge. The top and bottom will be screwed in tight, but not the sides. Will this work o.k. if the top & bottom are securely bolted or screwed in place, and do I really need to put steel on the two sides as well?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would weld it

 

[silverbul]

The tongue on my trailer is 2-1/2" wide (side to side) and 2-1/2" top to bottom. The only folding hinge I can find that is close is a 3" X 3" hinge, which I am planning on adding 1/4" steel bar on top and bottom both to bring the top to bottom measurement to 3". The sides will remain at 2-1/2", leaving a 1/4" gap on both sides between the tongue and the hinge. The top and bottom will be screwed in tight, but not the sides. Will this work o.k. if the top & bottom are securely bolted or screwed in place, and do I really need to put steel on the two sides as well?

I think i remember this from jr high and if i remember right, i think it takes johnny 15 minutes longer to get to school than dave. lol

 

[redneck joe]

I think i remember this from jr high and if i remember right, i think it takes johnny 15 minutes longer to get to school than dave. lol

Ok thank you for expressing what i was feeling. Just like in school i read it four times and still felt completely lost. Then again ive never seen a folding tounge. Seems sketchy to me but i guess they work.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Having owned factory folding tongues on various trailers, and looking at the retrofit tongues from companies like fulton with the small fasteners, or the weld-on version. I would replace the entire beam on the trailer with 3x3 or sleeve the 2.5 x 2.5 to get it up to 3.0 and use the weld-on kit. (the whole beam/hinge/coupler used to be available from UFP prior to them being sold to Dexter)

Here is a pic of the currently available bolt-on kit and the weld-on kit from the fulton website. and available here. https://www.iboats.com/shop/trailer...iler-mounts-brake-actuators-and-couplers.html

the smaller 2.5 x 2.5 tongue the OP has would be too close to the fasteners to get a large enough washer to spread out the clamp load, so I would be concerned with the bolts pulling out of the material and the boat and trailer passing the OP on the highway when the coupler lets loose.

To answer the OP's question.

do I really need to put steel on the two sides as well?

yes. trailer tongues get loading vertical and horizontal. you do not want any ability for movement.

 

[Lou C]

That sounds risky to me and no one can really tell you if it's going to be safe, or not. I would not do it. The tongue is one of the most stressed parts of a trailer. When I replaced mine I went the other way, adding a longer tongue to help with launching on the lousy ramps we have. It was a good deal thicker than the original one and I added a second cross brace to further stiffen the trailer like those used on bigger trailers.

 

[airshot]

How heavy is the load ? If only a tinnie under 1000 lbs not an issue, but if a 4000 lb boat and motor then don't skimp on strength. I am a firm believer in heavy duty, better to be safe than sorry, but...there is such a thing as overkill.

 

[harringtondav]

Square steel tubes are very strong, and apparently your 2.5x2.5 tongue is strong enough. But once you cut it, the forces get complicated.
I'm with the crowd above that says wrap all sides of both halves with 1/4 steel to rebuild a solid square tube.
And wrap means weld the shims and the hinge assembly. Fasteners are attractive if you don't own a welder, but they are risky. A weld shop can do this for a reasonable price. And you can sleep well after.

 

[iggyw1]

I think i remember this from jr high and if i remember right, i think it takes johnny 15 minutes longer to get to school than dave. lol

Thanks for your help!

 

[iggyw1]

How heavy is the load ? If only a tinnie under 1000 lbs not an issue, but if a 4000 lb boat and motor then don't skimp on strength. I am a firm believer in heavy duty, better to be safe than sorry, but...there is such a thing as overkill.

It is a 14 ft. V bottom boat that I believe weighs about 700 pounds, hence the 2-1/2" steel tube that the tongue is made of. Very light tongue weight too. I can pick it up with one arm. I have the bolt o type of hinge, not the weld type. I guess if I can put a piece of steel (1/4") on each of the 4 sides, that will be the way to go. Thanks.

 

[iggyw1]

Square steel tubes are very strong, and apparently your 2.5x2.5 tongue is strong enough. But once you cut it, the forces get complicated.
I'm with the crowd above that says wrap all sides of both halves with 1/4 steel to rebuild a solid square tube.
And wrap means weld the shims and the hinge assembly. Fasteners are attractive if you don't own a welder, but they are risky. A weld shop can do this for a reasonable price. And you can sleep well after.

I think I will do the 1/4" steel on all 4 sides. That will be the safest. I have the bolt on hinge already, but I think it can still be welded in place. Thanks.

 

[iggyw1]

I would weld it

I have the bolt on hinge already, but I think it can still be welded on instead of bolted. My son has a welder at his house, so free labor!!

 

[iggyw1]

Ok thank you for expressing what i was feeling. Just like in school i read it four times and still felt completely lost. Then again ive never seen a folding tounge. Seems sketchy to me but i guess they work.

Folding tongues on a boat trailer are quite common & are not sketchy at all, and you stated that you never have seen one? Had one on my old boat for many years and never had an issue with it.

 

[MNhunter1]

I have the bolt on hinge already, but I think it can still be welded on instead of bolted. My son has a welder at his house, so free labor!!

I may be mistaken, but I believe the bolt-on hinge is constructed of a different material than the weld-on, or at least have a zinc finish. I'm no metallurgist, but something to be mindful of.