utility trailer C channel

admin

I just bought a trailer. It is  used 6 10:x12 It is made out of 3x2 channel. One of the channels is twisted.Can i use my a/c to heat it and stratin it out.without weaking the metal?
Reply:Twisted channel gets work-hardened. More twisting causes more hardening, until it fractures in the worst case scenario. Heating tends to draw out the hardness, but whatever the final result, the metal has gone through changes. Whether your frame is "weakened" or not is not the only question, a modest amount of straightening should yield an acceptable result. Post pictures of your frame, and you'll get better results from the members opinions.Welcome to the board!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:Thank you Tanglediver for your answere
Reply:Have a picture ? You maybe able to straighten by using some pipe pony clamps or bar clamps depending on location and twist. Pull it straight and tack steel from there to another to hold it. It real ''C'' channel or a formed ''C'' ?  3''x 2'' sounds formed to me.
Reply:Originally Posted by john michaelI just bought a trailer. It is  used 6 10:x12 It is made out of 3x2 channel. One of the channels is twisted.Can i use my a/c to heat it and stratin it out.without weaking the metal?
Reply:Im sorry. A/O. Im too dumb to know if its formed.Will try to down load a picture.
Reply:Originally Posted by john michaelIm sorry. A/O. Im too dumb to know if its formed.Will try to down load a picture.
Reply:thank you DB1
Reply:I thought you were wanting to try hooking up your A/C welder to it, heat up the whole thing, kind of like thawing pipes, and straighten it. Was going to go get some popcorn and watch.
Reply:Dear walker  even i know better than that.
Reply:To answer your question, yes you can heat the metal without affecting it's strength. A36 can be pretty messed up and still be brought into specs. The key is to get the structural member back into it the designed shape to load properly. Flame straightening is likely the correct method but pictures will tell. Is the entire member twisted or just a section? Can you tell if it hit something?If you'd like a good read with some basic methods take a look at this: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/steel/02.cfmLast edited by forhire; 07-15-2014 at 12:31 PM.
Reply:sOMETHING HIT IT| iT IS BENT
Reply:thank you forhire thats alot to diegest
Reply:Originally Posted by john michaelthank you forhire thats alot to diegest
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverYeah, but it's easy to learn. It'll only take a lifetime...I was trying to straighten out a gate from the yard at work yesterday....it got hit and needed a new lock. Now it is fixed, but sighting down the long edge, that sucker is coyote ugly.