m101a3 trailer tongue drop

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I bought this trailer to move firewood around my farm, the military saw fit to make the hitch heigth of 32 inches. So I tacked this new tongue together to lower the hitch to a reasonable 18 inches. After I tacked all this together my gut says redo it, this time out of 3/8 or 1/2 plate steel. I can only get one pic up as I'm doing this off my phone. The parts I did are 1/8 tread plate. This is more than likely never going to see road use, but I would rather do it correctly than have to fix it in the middle of a pasture. The front plate is 5.25x12", there are two side supports and another gusset in the center in the back. Normally I way over build but the trailer, welder, and this price of plate were all very close together. If needed I have other pieces of plate ranging from 1/4 - 1" thick in the scrape pile. Please don't flame me to hard, I know I'm asking for it.  Thanks matt
Reply:if you go look at new trailers they are made out of 1/8" wall square tubing or 4" channel with a 3/16" cross section but your issue is that trailer and axle will handle at least 8000 lbs. At least at once in its life you will need to load it that heavy or family will borrow it from you and overload it. Im not a pro trailer builder but that same design out of 3/8ths  should do fine a the i beam on gooseneck is only .250 and they seem to handle a weight well just my opinionDo not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Reply:The basic design is fine.The backer plate for the weld-on adjustable hitch plate could be heavier.  1/4" plate would be quite sufficient for this area because the actual weld/concentration of tearout force/bending moment, is close to the gusset, not centered in the backing plate.  To be honest, I don't see the world coming to a fiery end with the 3/16 you have now, but I'd upgrade it to add a little insurance.The most important welds will be on the backside of the gusset (inside corner).  Access is a PITA there, but doable.  Mine is set up the same way to some degree.  The main difference with mine is..........the backing plate for the weld-on adjustable hitch overlaps the gusset on the outside, thereby giving me two good welding surfaces, inside and out.Overlapping backing plate (in this case I used 3/8) allows for a nice hot weld all the way up.  Welding an outside corner is a PITA, this makes it a simple fillet.  This is 1/8 7018 at around 125amps, makes for a nice solid joint.  And it's also welded on the backside.You can see the overall configuration here.  The gussets are 1/4, but 3/16 would be fine.  I chose the 1/4 because it is thick enough to bevel for the full penetration horizontal weld between it, and the channel.  I wanted this to be flush, and transfer force to the channel in line with the structural shape of the channel......straight thru the web."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I agree with Samm, except for the front plate it looks good. Up the front plate to 3/16-1/4" flat and you will be good. You could even eliminate that plate and just get a good weld along the top with good gussets welded directly to the channel. I might up the gussets to 3/16" too. Diamond plate is lousy for the front piece because it doesn't give a good mating surface.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Outstanding. Thank you both of y'all for the quick replies. When I get home, weather permitting, I'll do what my gut and y'all have suggested and redo with thicker plate. As for the welds and welding after being tacked and ground, its all going to be 3/32 7018. And even though I prefer down hill, I'll run all of it up hill. I'll post pictures of the redo and welds when the weather allows me. Thank you     Matt
Reply:If you got the trailer as cheap as the cost of a small amount of Diamond plate, then I want one to!Actually always wanted one but now just don't really have a need for it.
Reply:I want to say I gave 275 for the trailer. I only bought it so I could move firewood around my farm and deer camp easer mainly for deer camp as its a swamp and my bumper pull trailer that I was going to use is just to low, long, and heavy to be used on soft ground.
Reply:You prefer 7018 downhill??Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:Something's are just old bad habits.
Reply:Looks like it will work out well.
Reply:Thats not an m101A3, its an M105 trailer. The six bolt deuce rims give it away. Thats a heavy trailer empty, what are you pulling it with?
Reply:Does the a-frame hinge at that front leaf spring mount?  If so it is a m101a1, usually m101a3 had 8 lug wheels but my m101a1 has the six bolt deuce wheels I pull mine with a 3/4 ton cumminsI just flipped loosened the pintle eye and rotated it downward sits pretty much perfectly level on my truck and has been a great trailer moved a lot of wood with it!  Mine was built in the 60's so for being over 50 years old its amazing how good of shape it was still in!
Reply:Let me also suggest that while welding the coupler channel you put the coupler in and bolt it tight in the center holes and add bolts to the other holes and snug them up. Those channels will spread while welding otherwise and are hard to pull back in after. You will strip off the stock bolts before you get it tight if you don't.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Normally it will be pulled with a tractor, other than that it will be my 08 f350. It may be a 105, I honestly know very little of ground pounder life and or their trailers. I was always above them laughing as I flew past. I cut the old 3/16 diamond of as was suggested and went to the scrap pile and found some 5/16 plate. Then it was cut, grind, tack, hide from rain, and repeat. Then grind and weld out with 3/32 7018, all was welded at about 90 amps uphill.  thanks for all the help and info,
Reply:Definitely M105 trailer.  The front dolly wheel gives it away.  I have a M101A3 and solved the height problem by going to 16" wheels and an adjustable height pintle hitch.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Like I said, I never was a ground guy so I guessed at what the trailer was. But now it's all final welded and its all finally over for this project, yeah right. Now its time to use it for its new purpose of fire wood and time to put NY attention to the m1101 trailer I bought with this one. But that's another thread and a new and growing headache, damn all aluminium frame. Thanks matt
Reply:Originally Posted by why165Like I said, I never was a ground guy so I guessed at what the trailer was. But now it's all final welded and its all finally over for this project, yeah right. Now its time to use it for its new purpose of fire wood and time to put NY attention to the m1101 trailer I bought with this one. But that's another thread and a new and growing headache, damn all aluminium frame. Thanks matt
Reply:I actually bought the m1101 because of the 37 inch tires. It should make the deck height comfortable to work on as a work bench without bending over. Hopefully.
Reply:Understand.  It will do that.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:Looks like it worked out well!
Reply:I hope it will  if this flipping rain will ever stop so I can go get some wood I'll test it. Heck who am I kidding, I'm going to load it till it or I can't take it and then tow it around the pasture to see if I can brake it. Sure hope it doesn't break. But if it does I've got more steel and more rods.
Reply:Still untested, but at least its painted.