Need help with jack-knifed trailer repair... (pics)

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It was a simple task. Really. Pull the dump truck out of the garage and put on the plow.Somehow the kid didn't immediately notice that he was hooked up to a trailer loaded with a Kubota, and took a hard turn out the door, on the ice. Jack-knife. And then he managed to do it again, in the other direction!And now I have to repair this....The boss thinks we can straighten it by attaching a heavy beam to the bent channel, applying heat, and then persuading the channel straight with C-clamps.maybeIf that doesn't work, he wants me to cut it out where it meets the bed of the trailer and weld in a new channel. I'm not too sure about this, as with most trailers, the two main C channels run the entire length of the trailer and are bent to form the hitch. I'm sure this is for a reason as EVERY equipment trailer I've seen is built this way.These trailers get ALOT of abuse and the asshats that use them are notorious for successfully pawning their failures off on anyone else. I do not want to be responsible for whatever happens down the road, but I do have to fix the trailer.Personally, I don't think we will be able to straighten it enough with heat and clamps. Even if we do manage to straighten the channel, I doubt the pintle will go back to where it was.I was thinking cut the channel just before the bed of the trailer, where the little compartment and spare tire are, and the channel is still straight. Weld in new channel, fish plate, and then fab a whole new front plate for the pintle, the plate that is there already is not even bent, it's just three flats welded together.Ideas? Suggestions? A good excuse not to go in tomorrow?
Reply:I would cut it at the cross member where the jack is mounted, I think that is where you suggested. Weld new C in and fish plate it, that's a lot easier than trying to bend it back into place.Leo
Reply:I think it could be bent back into a serviceably straight tongue if you had some good stout equipment to do it with. If it were me I'd try that first but it that don't work it could be fixed by cutting at attaching new extensions with fish plates like has already been mentioned. I do know of one dumba$$ that would be helping me! Good luck on however you decide to do it.StephenMillermatic 251Miller Syncrowave 200Miller 30A SpoolgunHypertherm Powermax 30Etc., etc., etc.............Cancer Sucks!
Reply:cut off the whole thing and build a new one. If your welds are good, your concern about "every other equipment trailer being this way" will be taken care of. Heating that much iron will take forever. I would be tacking in the new pieces by the time you guys are ready to start clamping the first side. good luck.
Reply:I think I see a crack in the web of the left channel...  I would think that would mean that part would have to go away ... so no straightening.
Reply:Flame ShrinkageThis technique which is well described in the Lincoln "Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding" will probably straighten that A frame out without cutting and welding anything.You need a couple of O/fuel torches with big rosebud tips and a water spray to do this.  You should be able to straighten it good as new, except for the paint "The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Originally Posted by tenpinscut off the whole thing and build a new one. If your welds are good, your concern about "every other equipment trailer being this way" will be taken care of. Heating that much iron will take forever. I would be tacking in the new pieces by the time you guys are ready to start clamping the first side. good luck.
Reply:i second adam's tube ideaDynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:You will never develop enough force with C-clamps.  Hard to imagine being able to do a good job of straightening with the pintle plate attached.  Maybe if you remove it first you  could have a chance BUT for my money I would flip this thing on its back and replace the entire tongue, front to back.Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:I agree with GOINSSR.Employees do not usually admit they beat up and abuse equipment.Why not have the kid help do the repair with supervision to teach him or her  what the result of their actions are?The way to stop this kind of thing is to do what the counties do now... Make each employe responsible for a piece of equipment and its maintenience so that someone is always responsible to that designated person in charge of that equipment if they use it.You seem to know exactly how this happened as if you were standing there watching.Anyway to repair this, the bad parts will have to be cut off and new sections will have to be welded in with fish plates.Last edited by Donald Branscom; 02-28-2011 at 08:47 AM.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Sorry double post.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Of course this cat could be skinned many ways, but since I'd have easy access to an arsenal of straightening equipment, I'd probably go that way.I believe I would anchor a heavy "H" or "I" to the somewhat straight side, to be used as back-up for hydraulic pushing. Except for possibly holding some weight, and not pushing force, C-clamps would have little to do with the rigging and anchoring.Once backed-up, I'd gear for a Porto-power push between the channels. Depending on what's available, I'd find something  heavy to use as angle-shaped saddles to "square" the cylinder for pushing. I possibly also would start pushing with a back-up on the badly bent side. Once straightened to an acceptable appearance showing no obvious bend or repair, I'd plate the inside and probably also tie the "V" together with plate. With careful pushing I don't believe that heavy heating would be required, possibly none, maybe some for shrinking. Also, maybe some heat would be required at the hitch plate; form here I can't see exactly if that's bent or not.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 02-28-2011 at 08:54 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by noriteFlame ShrinkageThis technique which is well described in the Lincoln "Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding" will probably straighten that A frame out without cutting and welding anything.You need a couple of O/fuel torches with big rosebud tips and a water spray to do this.  You should be able to straighten it good as new, except for the paint
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepOf course this cat could be skinned many ways, but since I'd have easy access to an arsenal of straightening equipment, I'd probably go that way.I believe I would anchor a heavy "H" or "I" to the somewhat straight side, to be used as back-up for hydraulic pushing. Except for possibly holding some weight, and not pushing force, C-clamps would have little to do with the rigging and anchoring.Once backed-up, I'd gear for a Porto-power push between the channels. Depending on what's available, I'd find something  heavy to use as angle-shaped saddles to "square" the cylinder for pushing. I possibly also would start pushing with a back-up on the badly bent side. Once straightened to an acceptable appearance showing no obvious bend or repair, I'd plate the inside and probably also tie the "V" together with plate. With careful pushing I don't believe that heavy heating would be required, possibly none, maybe some for shrinking. Also, maybe some heat would be required at the hitch plate; form here I can't see exactly if that's bent or not.Good Luck
Reply:I would cut it off at the crossmember and replace from the front of the bed forward using whats left of the original as backup and bracing. Just cut the ends of the beams in a V to distribute the bending force so they dont crack along the overlap.
Reply:Originally Posted by jethroI think I see a crack in the web of the left channel...
Reply:I know that some factory frames... for instance my Ford pickup frame.. are made from very tough steel... I would worry that any special attributes which the original had would be compromised by heating enough to bend it back.. So I too would recommend replacing with new metal...Weldandpower Lincoln 225 AC,DC with Briggs 16hp gas engine.WW2 era Miller TIG.
Reply:Cut it off! Build a new better one. After the time you spend to fix that, you could build a new one.You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
Reply:In our fab/repair shop we would NEVER straiten something like that... just cut it off and replace it with new..I could cut all that off and replace it faster that you could straiten it.... and it would be stronger,safer, and would look better.Steve1946 Shorthood  -  1958 Blackface  -  1962 Redface  -  1967 Redface  -  1968 Redface -  1970 Blackface  -  2005 300D -  2008 Vantage 300  -and a ton of other welding stuff
Reply:Originally Posted by C6.7weldrigIn our fab/repair shop we would NEVER straiten something like that... just cut it off and replace it with new..I could cut all that off and replace it faster that you could straiten it.... and it would be stronger,safer, and would look better.
Reply:Nevermind.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomIf you have tried to repair a bent bumper you find out that cutting it off and straightening it in a hydraulic press, and then  rewelding is faster.
Reply:Sorry it took so long to post the fix, but it's been a busy week.Here's the trailer now...Boss wanted me to heat it and beat it, so I did. I only had a cutting torch to heat with, so it took some persuasion, but I managed. Original plate was 3/8", new is 1/2" reinforced with 1/4" plates top and bottom, and some angle tucked in there for good measure. I put in the 2"x2" angle with the kid's name welded into it "The Jake Bar" it says. Fully welded with some fresh 7018, I did get a piece of slag down my bra while I was knocking the slag off the underside. Ouch! Found a nice puffy blister when I got home. And now I've got a nice white dent on my.. uhh... you know. That's what I get for not buttoning up my leathers. Pintle is dead center, trailer tows just fine, boss happy. Now to find some chain for it, Fastenal guy happened to be there dropping off some stuff on Friday, "Sure I can get that." An hour later we get the quote for two 30" chains, $390!! OMFG. No thanks!
Reply:was that one inch chain or what?Dynasty 200DXPassport plus w/ spoolmate 100victor 315c oxy/(act and prop)Miller digital elitemilwaukee power tools
Reply:Looks pretty fancy now. New paint and the whole bit. Toughen it up too much and the kid will just bend (or tear up) the next weakest link. Probably the trucks a$$ end. "The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore RooseveltI don't even know, just got to the price and said, "No way Jose!"I even gave him one of the old chains to go by, I assumed it was the same. Somebody had pieced the one of them together with a 3/8" bolt and some washers, I think you can make it out in the first pictures I posted. Totally illegal and absolutely unsafe, but pretty typical unfortunately.
Reply:Originally Posted by ncfhSorry it took so long to post the fix, but it's been a busy week.Here's the trailer now...Boss wanted me to heat it and beat it, so I did. I only had a cutting torch to heat with, so it took some persuasion, but I managed. Original plate was 3/8", new is 1/2" reinforced with 1/4" plates top and bottom, and some angle tucked in there for good measure. I put in the 2"x2" angle with the kid's name welded into it "The Jake Bar" it says. Fully welded with some fresh 7018, I did get a piece of slag down my bra while I was knocking the slag off the underside. Ouch! Found a nice puffy blister when I got home. And now I've got a nice white dent on my.. uhh... you know. That's what I get for not buttoning up my leathers. Pintle is dead center, trailer tows just fine, boss happy. Now to find some chain for it, Fastenal guy happened to be there dropping off some stuff on Friday, "Sure I can get that." An hour later we get the quote for two 30" chains, $390!! OMFG. No thanks!
Reply:Nice job on the trailer, looks good as new.  Keep those before and after pics in a scapbook or portfolio and you will be able to show a future employer what you are capable of doing should you need to find a new job someday.  (I doubt your present boss will want to lose you, maybe now is a good time to ask for a raise)As far as the safety chain goes you can get a grade 70 3/8" double clevis link for a couple of bucks.  If the original chain is alloy, you can get a link for that as well for a few dollars more.  If you get the proper link for the type of chain, the strength of the chain will be as strong as one piece of chain."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Nice repair job. Very good. Did the kid get to see you doing any of this hard work?AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomNice repair job. Very good. Did the kid get to see you doing any of this hard work?