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.......................................:d"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersamm.......................................Zee Next Project:d
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepYeah, that's a bad spot.Whatchs' thinkin' Samm?Maybe grass seed, fertilizer, soak it down good and and then cover it with straw for a week or so?Good Luck
Reply:i say a shot of primer an some paint an the bumper will look too. as for the grass give it fews days an it will hair over... mow as needed..guessin time for new hitch ?... reciever? look forward to the build Last edited by prop-doctor; 05-08-2012 at 02:22 PM.idealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:You gotta love these guys on this site 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:I was thinking he is going to remove the Texas emblems from the mud flaps seeing as he is from Oklahoma. jrw159Last edited by jrw159; 05-08-2012 at 04:47 PM.
Reply:The old hitch was removed.A new piece of 3x3 3/16" tubing was fitted.  I like tubing because it will resist torque from a drawbar to be mounted, and resist all other forces equally.  It's good stuff The centerline of the tubing was scribed to index it for drilling, then wear tabs were welded to top and bottom.  The wear tabs will give a little more meat for the pin to bite into without wallowing out the hole.  This is gonna be a pinned hitch allowing for any type of drawbar, or ball, to be mounted via a 7/8 pin thru the tubing.The heat from the tabs is equal on top and bottom, cancelling out any distortion from welding.The rest is going to have to wait on field work, it's planting time (I think  , what with the dry weather, who knows  )"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:BTW, YOU DOOOODS ARE A HOOT!!      "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Obviously it needed to be fixed. It fell off since your 1st post!     .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Sammy you can swing up here and take some rain had about 6" this weekMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Here's where it's at................  Lottsa pieces The shop is closed till further notice, pending the rain delay This is some of the detail.The drawbar (this particular attachment will be used to pull fertilizer spreaders in from COOP ) is made of two pieces of 1/2" plate welded together on the edges.  The edges were beveled, then welded.  This is 5/32 7018AC running at 175amps single pass.It works better when you backstep into the previous bead, it makes for a nicer transition.  Note that the very tip of the drawbar isn't beveled or welded, not really necessary here, the purists will argue though Now your ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS weld has to be ground off   Have to do this in order to machine the piece, it has to fit in the vise.  This is also a good time to see if your welding is any good.  You can see if there is any unfilled undercut at the edge of the bevels."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:In case anybody's interested in the machine setup....................The holes have to be pretty accurate where the hitch pins to the bumper, they have to align perfectly.I had a drill chuck mounted in the milling machine from another project so it was relatively simple.This is an edge finder thingy, a wobble pointer or whatever ya want to call it.  It's chucked up, lined up with the index mark on the vise, then a decent ruler is used to set the center of whatever you're machining from the fixed jaw of the vise.  You have a good center now.You've already scribed a line on the center of your workpiece, all ya gotta do is line up the scribe mark on the piece with the scribe mark index on the vise.  This works great when you have to machine/bore both sides of a larger piece, it all lines up perfectly when done.Then you lean on the feed handle whilst smoking a cigarette, and listening to Waylon All the holes are to be in 3" flat, so my setup is good for the entire project. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Got a bit more done.To start, I decided to up the amps on the 5/32 7018AC from 175 to 200.  It ran better, and I prefer a really hot weld on heavy stuff.This is another attachment for the bumper, not the one just completed, but you can see how much better the higher amps wet in, and how much better the rod runs.  It's why I always say to ignore the dial, or recommendations.....run it where it runs good.  All the rest of the welds were run at this higher setting.First the drawbar had to be bored out.  First hole was cut.Then the cutter was advanced to cut the rest of the oval.  The overlap was then smoothed out with a carbide burr later.The drawbar was then welded to the backer plate.  This is a beveled nearly full penetration butt weld with about a 1/8" land.  Finally a fillet was placed against the backer plate as good measure to top off the butt weld.  5/32 at 200amps"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:The drawbar and backing plate was then welded to the clevis ears.When welding, a piece of 16ga scrap was used as a spacer to seperate the ears just enough to make it easy to mount the attachment to the bumper without having to fight it.The drawbar attachment pins nicely to the bumper.The reason for the oversized oval hole is to allow the hitch pin to move in all directions to accomodate irregular ground/roadway.  You'd rather have a little slop than put it in a bind and rip the back off the truck "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:The bumper is finished, along with the two towing attachments.I like to mount D rings to a heavy piece of plate welded to the tubing, it prevents pullout and won't bend the tubing under a high shock load, the force is spread by the plate.  The mount for the D ring is beveled (cheap import crap available nowdays isn't beveled for a full penetration weld ) then welded.  I really don't like it when they're not done with a full penetration weld.The D rings will serve a dual purpose...... something to hook the breakaway chains to, and something to pull the truck outta the mud when I bog down whilst chasing cattle rustlers across the Southern Prairie.  "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Samm, I love your hitch design, but fill your divit.  I start at the edge and weld to the center and then do the same from the other edge.....no divit.  I may borrow your hitch design where the reciever hitch won't work.  Seems all I see nowadays is the box reciever style hitch.  I prefer your clevis style hitch to it for some applications specifically if you are running a pinned trailer like what you have or a pintel.
Reply:Forgot to say anything about the bending that's always needed.The distortion, despite welding the piece to a strongback, was as it usually is after welding.It was heated, then straightenedThe heat is applied just past the outside edge of the weld, then the heated area was peened.  I used a 3lb sledge to do the peening.  It wasn't strictly heat and beat, I didn't use much force in the downswing, just let it drop on the steel from about 6-8".  The steel was heated to just approaching a dull red and allowed to drop to no color before peening.Another plus for using propane for high withdrawl rates, this wouldn't be possible using acetylene unless you had some manifolded tanks."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:The only thing i can fault you for is your hitch ball is a light duty unit with the small 7/8" threaded shank on it.Vantage 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:The pics probably make it look smaller than it is."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Anyways, it's mounted up and ready to deal death and dismemberment on the State Highway The uphill welds were.................well.............uphill welds   I don't do very much uphill, so ya's gets what ya gets This one in particular was a grind out, and redo.  I felt it wasn't uniform, you can see where I got too far ahead of the puddle in two places.  Anyhoo, it's done, and It's none too soon.  We may have some rain this Sunday, and will have to move fertilizer pronto before the ground dries out.  It's a delayed planting this year due to the dry spell"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Never mind.  I answered my own question.I take it you decided gussets similar to the original aren't warranted for any side-to-side forces?Last edited by duaneb55; 05-19-2012 at 11:57 AM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Never mind.  I answered my own question.I take it you decided gussets similar to the original aren't warranted for any side-to-side forces?
Reply:Apparently old rods and spatter have not helped that bald spot any. Might have to fertilize after all, and check the pH.  Maybe just keep it a parking lot??    Attached ImagesCity 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:great looking hitch, especially the lay flat D rings. The only thing I dont like is the same as the orginial; Too much drop without any bracing forward. Then again, I can't see the method of attachment to the trucks frame.... Not being critical, its just something I'd add myselfThermal Arc Fabricator 2101970 Lincoln RedfaceMiller 150 STLStill need a Syncrowave and a plasma and a milling machine and a lathe and a bigger shop and a....
Reply:First off, I don't see anything here as a criticism.  It's a forum after all.When in doubt, as here, on a one of a kind deal.....I usually look to industry standards.  In other words, what's out there on the road today, and on the road for many years.I've seen these mount-on beds for years, and the hitches they come with.  They all have roughly the same design.   A piece of channel dropping down from the bed, bolted to the frame, and terminating in the hitch.  It's common.  The one issue I've always had is using channel as the crossmember the ball is attached to, it's pretty weak.I snagged some pics off the net to show what's out there, in case nobody's familiar with these types of aftermarket beds.The main feature is a piece of channel used for a drop.  Usually between 5 and 6" in width.  It's pretty strong, believe it or not.I've mulled over this, as I usually do.  And I've come to the conclusion that given what's out there, and probably a lack of lawsuits, it's probably adequate.  I can hang a ton of steel on the back end of the flatbed, but you reach a point of no return.Another thing to remember is that trailers are rolling loads.  Huge difference.  It's not a static load being started with brute force.  Granted, a pothole can add huge stress to the arrangement.What I find most interesting is the focus on the "build" when I look at hitch or trailer threads.  I look at the average factory built things out there, and wonder what we're complaining about.  Obviously this stuff works.If anyone here actually looked at suspension components on any light, medium, or heavy duty trucks.............we'd be horrified.  Yet they work.  These are vehicles subject to loads, and possible lawsuits.  Take a look at the shackle on a leaf spring.I tend towards Bulldog hitches, I think they're about the best on the market. But once you go beyond the heavy casting, you're left with brake formed 3/16 metal.  It works.  But it's not awe inspiring My main bone of contention has been the receiver hitch.  I hate them, and I hate the way they're usually mounted.  I always comment on the torque weakness (see my past comments).  This was really the only thing I feel I accomplished here with this build, to relieve the stress from downward twisting.  It's been my pet peeve.Anyhow, the work stands as it is.  I feel it's adequate given what I've seen out there in everyday use.  I can't re-invent the wheel Comments are cool, and I don't mind them.  I respond in a friendly fashion unless they're stupid comments, or high fallutin comments.  I'm really not a pri@k."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/The only reason I like that little bit of forward bracing has nothing to do with towing but those rare off road uses. Dropping off into crick beds or backing into rock banks and such. Also like a bit of a smooth skid bottom surface there too. I know the forward bracing actually detracts from the appearance."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 farmersammFirst off, I don't see anything here as a criticism.  It's a forum after all.Cool, cuz here we go.....(just kidding) It's not a static load being started with brute force. unless you're being yanked out of a mudhole  I can't re-invent the wheel sure you can, just ask politicians for ASSistanceComments are cool, and I don't mind them.  I respond in a friendly fashion unless they're stupid comments, or high fallutin comments.  I'm really not a pri@k.