Wrecked Trailer

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Here is a few pics of the wrecked trailer I am working on right now. I have not been able to get pics of the cut down of this trailer but tomorrow will post pics of the point of rebuild I have so far. Attached Images
Reply:a couple more Attached Images
Reply:Looks like a little carnage there. That one long bend down the inside on wreck05 pic,  you cut that out or straighten?
Reply:Question: Why bother? Did you get the trailer for free? If you work for the company that owns this trailer, it would make sense just to scrap it and let the insurance buy a new one...
Reply:Sandy all except the least damaged parts will be replaced including the rail you mentioned. Madman My company manufactures and repairs aluminum end dump trailers. The reason to bother is money. The customer that owns this trailer is insured for several thousand less than it would take to replace this trailer. His deductible that is quite large will be covered by us and to sum it up I will bring in an embarrassing amount of money fixing it. In the repair business totaled is a dirty word. I am posting the only pics of the rebuild I could get today before my batteries went dead on my camera. Attached Images
Reply:I am posting the only pics of the rebuild I could get today before my batteries went dead on my camera.
Reply:Sandy, they haul just about anything in dump trailers. The dump trailer is basically a dump truck's dump bed in a much longer trailer form. So much of what you would see hauled in a dump truck a dump trailer will haul. Sand and gravel are the two main materials also coal, ash, asphalt, rock, grain, etc. This trailer was hauling sand when it tipped over.
Reply:ok I got a few more pics today Attached Images
Reply:You guys work fast! Looks good. Looked to me like the weather is pretty good too.
Reply:Excellent job!  Why did she go over?  The loader operator or the driver?
Reply:I have the same type of trailer in my shop now. The cheap design in the dolly legs, is the reason I'm working on it. The hitch pin fell out of the main pin going down the highway and the dolly leg fell and got ripped off. Also in the rear of the trailer are 2 stress cracks that need to be repaired. They are from the lack of penetration for the M.I.G. process used by the factory. The welds looked pretty they just didn't run it hot enough, ie: lack of penetration.Brett B & B Fabrication and Welding Inc.Spalding, MI.
Reply:thanx guys, The looks of the welding on this trailer are not the best I have done but I was going pretty fast. the owner is putting on pressure to get it back. Digr, I don't know why this one went over a lot of different things contribute to a dump trailer tipping over while dumping. This trailer was hauling sand and when I removed the remaining load I noticed even after a few days in the yard in the sun The sand was very wet. The load could have stuck in the nose while dumping causing a mis balance in turn causing it to tip. Loader drivers can be a problem sometimes if they refuse to load evenly. Drivers can be a problem if they don't get out and walk around the dump site to look for problems or ignore wind direction. My old man who has worked on dumps forever says there are only two kinds, the ones that have turned over and the ones that will. UP BRET, only two cracks man that trailer must be new or your not looking good enough this type of aluminum trailer is notorious for cracking check under the lower rail on the ends of the cross members I bet you will find more. What is the manufacturer of this trailer I am curious. If the trailer came un-hooked from the truck while going down road then it is no surprise that the drop legs failed. Especially if loaded at the time legs on this  type of trailer are not load supporting unless specified. Any way I will post the finished pics after I complete it next week and have it washed and acidized.  Below is a preview of the next project. Attached ImagesLast edited by Robby T.; 10-15-2005 at 04:12 PM.
Reply:Robby the trailer is a Vantage it hauls grain. It didn't come unhooked from the truck, just the pin on the passenger side drop leg fell out while going down the highway. Thats tore the passenger side drop leg clean off also with the pipe that goes to the other leg. I'll take some pics when I buy a new camera my old one broke. As far a more cracks I haven't found any more. I went over this trailer with a fine inspection. Its a 2002 model year.Brett B & B Fabrication and Welding Inc.Spalding, MI.
Reply:It is surprising that there are not more cracks on a '02 model. I am familiar with vantage and worked for them for 5 years. What happens a lot is that the pin that holds the drop leg up gets lost and the driver or whoever replaces it with a bolt which eventually works loose. Good luck welding on them dirty old dumps. it's not exactly fun welding but will make you a better aluminum welder.
Reply:A couple more pics this project is done just needs wash Attached Images
Reply:Looks good dude.
Reply:Thanx bro. I have the next one cut down and will post the in progress pics later this week. Its a extensive rebuild gonna be cool.
Reply:Very Nice Work, what are  you using to weld with?
Reply:Robby,Y'all are amazing.  That's all I have to say....Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Excellent work Robby.  Pics are great.Here in the Great White NorthMosquitoes can't fly at 40 below
Reply:I assume these trailers are made of aluminum rather than steel to save on fuel costs?  It's hard to believe that one could generate enough fuel savings over the life of the trailer to outweigh the initial cost of materials.  Of course, I'm not in the business, so I wouldn't know.-Heath
Reply:Very nice job, looks excellent!  Quick question, im not that familiar with welding aluminum but from what i have done, it gets very weak where the welds are.  Ive been told it has to be re-heat treated to compensate for this??  How is this accomplished with something like this trailer? Is it part of the anodizing process you mentioned?  Or am i just wrong all together?  You look to be very good at what you do .
Reply:Thank you guys for the complements. I have worked lots of welding jobs. I have welded atop chemical tanks, built auto lifts, cooling towers, welded inside tankers in August in Texas (talk about inhumane) and lots of others. None of the other jobs give me a sense of pride like the repair work I do. To take a trailer that is wrecked and nearly totaled and to bring it back to almost new condition and know that it is stouter than when it left the factory. That gives me a feeling of accomplishment that working on a jig table making the same part day after day or making some part for something that I don't know or care what it will be used on can't give me. Gnewby I use the Miller Deltaweld 452 with a Profax spool gun on all of my welding 3/64" wire size. Blownnova If you are having a problem with weak weld area you may have either a brittle type aluminum I have run into types of alloys that just wont weld for example aircraft aluminum. I think aircraft aluminum is made to be riveted and is a very brittle alloy when welded it tends to crack right down the seam almost instantly or the problem may be the wire alloy not matched for your work. Halbritt, fuel is a concern when talking about light weight trailers now more than ever with fuel prices what they are but the real concern is in payload. Truckers have a limit that the entire rig can weigh truck trailer and load. if the rig weighs less then you have more payload before your gross weight limit. They don't call it payload for nothing
Reply:Originally Posted by digrExcellent job!  Why did she go over?  The loader operator or the driver?
Reply:I have personally seen 8 dump trailers go over in the last 7 years,and one came within 8 feet of hitting me in the cab of my truck.I drive a Pete and pull a aluminum walking floor trailer hauling construction demolition into landfills.Sometimes it is the drivers fault,and sometimes there are situations where a load sticks in the nose,or the ground is softer on one side,and the trailer leans,or there is a mechanical failure and someting breaks.The frameless dumps are the worst,I have seen more of them go over than any other kind,they really sway a lot when they are at full extension if there is even a little bit of wind.I think Robby T's father hit it on the head when he said there are drivers who have tipped one over,and drivers who will tip one over.The last one I seen go over was a guy who drove dump trailers for over 20 years,it was a brand new Mack tractor,with a brand new frameless dump,hauling fly ash.The load stuck in the nose,it was windy,on soft ground and over she went before he had a chance to put the body down.Some companies use steel bodies that haul a lot of concrete demolition,it tears up aluminum bodies,but most companies use aluminum for the extra payload,on a walking floor it could be a difference of 10,000 lb,s per load,the difference between a steel body and aluminum,and at say $40 per ton,thats $200 more per load,over the course of one year it comes out to more than the cost of the trailer if you do 2 loads a day.I've seem quite a few trailers parked in a few lots that have gone over, some don't look to bad,  but on all of them the frame seems to be slightly twisted.  Can these be fixed ?  Or are they just good for parts?  Just curious.Here in the Great White NorthMosquitoes can't fly at 40 below
Reply:yes it can be fixed Snidley. We use 30 ton hydraulic rams. we chain the high side down to lugs cemented in the shop floor and place the ram under the low side of the chassis and push it back cold until something pops. Of course this is a over simplified example but basically we fix a lot of trailers others think should be totaled.