How would you repair this.... Car hauler

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Hello everyone. Just looking to pick everyone's brains. I had a guy call me this morning asking to have some welding repairs done on his trailer(of course he says just a few small cracks) and I have him send me some pictures. I have my ideas on what to do or if I even want to deal with it. But let me know what you think. The guy sounds like a "just a few small tacks here and there" and "I think I have a few small scrap pieces you could use" kind of guy. So I'm still in the air about even wanting to do it.
Reply:Just needs a minor "tune up" and I can't afford to be out of service. I got 3 hours Sunday morning 5:00- 8:00. Fact is, there are sure to be other spots it's bad. It shouldn't be on the road.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BJust needs a minor "tune up" and I can't afford to be out of service. I got 3 hours Sunday morning 5:00- 8:00. Fact is, there are sure to be other spots it's bad. It shouldn't be on the road.
Reply:Give him this information, I would not touch this.Cottrell Trailers2125 Candler Rd, Gainesville, GA 30507(770) 532-7251They probably made this trailer.RegardsDave
Reply:I would think the State Police might have something to say about it if stopped. How far do you go ? That would be a no no for me unless he has unlimited funds . Once you get into it I think it's only gonna get worse. What do the brake lines look like ?
Reply:scrap yard and crush it............whole trailer is probably rotted out....Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:I really think I'm going to pass on this one. I haven't seen the whole trailer yet just those pictures. I would like to go see it just to see how bad the whole trailer is. I don't need the liability of this thing hanging over my head. There's no way in hell this thing passes DOT inspection
Reply:Quickest and easiest repair on this trailer is going to take a few gallons of gasoline, light it and leave.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerQuickest and easiest repair on this trailer is going to take a few gallons of gasoline, light it and leave.
Reply:Two Options: walk away, or tell him for the low cost $5150 you transform his rotted steel into a work of art with a sledghammer and smoke-wrench."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Take it back to the guy that did the previous hack jobs on it."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 Roosevelt
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyTake it back to the guy that did the previous hack jobs on it.
Reply:Are you sure it's not one of your friends messing with your mind?DanI hope that when i'm dead and gone, people will remember me and think; "Boy, that guy sure owed me a lot of money!"
Reply:not no ... but HELL NO.AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:I don't know how those things stay together when their not rotted out,  being that rotted out im amazed it stood there for the pictureVantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:I've had several of these pass through over the years. They are rarely worth patching when they are that rusted. The advice to walk away is great advice.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:Flip it over, it's done...M
Reply:The pics of the repairs need to go in weld fail and or trailer fail threads ...........Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:You do not want to be "It".........zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I hope he comes through CT. The CSP will impound that thing. This is scary to the public. Walk away but it should be reported.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:Everything is rusted where I live...for me it would depend on if the trailer can be made safe again or not.....and if he has the cash to make that happen Several times I've looked at stuff that has been previously "repaired" and told them all of it has to be cut off and redone.Often the cost is the deal breaker.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Contrary to what most are saying here most of the metal is still good on the trailer. I'm guessing you live in a area where they use salt to de ice the highways in winter? The rotted out areas like this are usually the areas where salt eats away at the steel when it's left un washed. Corrosion happens after long periods of time and it can rust out the metal from the inside out. The trailer can be repaired but it is going to take some time and money to do it.MNDave is on track and I've made lots of repairs like this on heavy equipment as my area is a salt the roads area in winter also.Last edited by snoeproe; 08-04-2015 at 07:45 AM.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:With enough time and enough money anything is repairable. Or in this case I guess I should say rebuild-able. Not by me of course, but it could be rebuilt by someone with the knowledge and capability.
Reply:Tell him to take it back to the manufacturer for a rebuild. You know he is a cheap *** if he just wants "a couple tacks". People like that are bad customers, and that job is a huge liability.IAMAW Local 330Airco 300 AC/DC HeliwelderAirco Dip-Pak 200 with Profax spool gunPowr-Kraft AC225Everlast PowerArc 200stBuffalo Forge No.21 drill pressSpeedglas 9100xxAirco, Oxweld, Purox, Victor torchesLincoln Ranger 8
Reply:For serious money, I would REBUILD to make it right! That is not a "couple of tacks" job!I just finished REBUILDING Dump Truck box that initially the guy said, "Lay a couple of pieces over the holes and tack them in". Won't do it that way! Cut it all out and fitted new steel sheets in! He didn't like paying, but now he is happy that its done right!Originally Posted by flashflood394Exactly, and I'm sure it will be loaded with cars. Some people I swear
Reply:I've done several jobs like this in the past. If he's willing to pay, and you have the skills and tools to do it, it can be done.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
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Reply:I went and looked at it yesterday just to see.  You guys should get a real kick outta this thing. Of course it was loaded full of cars. I'm not sure how it is still standing. Told the guy to get it unloaded, and to a trailer repair shop if he wants anything done to it if not he needs to scrap it. He was not happy about that.
Reply:Sometimes it takes ethical courage to do what is right.You did what was right.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:You did right. I've looked at a few of those and there is rarely enough left to fix. Those lower tubes were likely rusted near through as well. I've seen those where that bottom tube was open on the bottom so it looked like a channel.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:I have to say I am with Minnesota Dave on this.  We have lots of salt on our roads here as well and things rust out and need repair and that is what we as welder/fabricators do.  If you have the skill, time and equipment to repair this properly and if he has the money and will give you enough time to repair it properly then go for it.  After all, if you don't fix it properly, he will keep shopping the work around until he finds some hack to do a fast job like the previous repairs or worse.  Of course if your estimate exceeds the value of a replacement trailer in good condition then scrapping it is the way to go."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:I think the real crime was not using enough zip ties. How do you expect to hold a trailer together with only one zip tie? Let him know I have a great number of zip ties if he's interested. . . I'll just charge shipping.  I can even crap on that weld and paint over it again to make it look better if he'd like. No charge.
Reply:Originally Posted by iwreckalotI think the real crime was not using enough zip ties. How do you expect to hold a trailer together with only one zip tie? Let him know I have a great number of zip ties if he's interested. . . I'll just charge shipping.  I can even crap on that weld and paint over it again to make it look better if he'd like. No charge.
Reply:Throw my vote in the "no big deal, just-fix-it" category.Auto carriers are as close to a perfected self-destructing apparatus that has ever been conceived. Every trip takes another chink out of the armor.Pictured are  typical ho-hum connections needing repair.Vertical tubes that rotted out at their base - common.Nothing unusual or overly complex, or tough, about the needed repair.Cut, prep, section, sleeve. Oh... and leave a vent/drain pathGo back to post #1; folks are judging and speculating based on what the customer "sounds like" over the phone.Somebody is going to get the workI say get 'im in for a showNtell and try to work something out. He'll probably have plenty of future work too.