Ball Mount Project

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I have a F-150 truck and with my new boat I don't like how the ball height is at. I have a 2" drop or 1 inch raise type and it's either to high or to low. So I'm going to make my own. I'm going to get the 2 inch 1/4 inch wall tubing and 3/4 x 2 1/2 inch flat and mill off the top of the tubing so it will be flush with the top of the tube. My question is should I used cold roll flat or hot roll steel? Do the make cold roll tube? I have some 2' tube here but the corners are rounded to much and is sloppy in the hitch. Any helpful thoughts would be nice. I don't need help from the hitch police]Lincoln PT 225 Tig
Reply:The store... they sell these... no thought, no engineering, no time. KISS....
Reply:Just buy the one that you need.Nobody will appreciate having your trailer in their windshield.Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:Originally Posted by Drich Any helpful thoughts would be nice. I don't need help from the hitch police
Reply:Buy one.  They're only $20-$30 in any drop you want.  You buy material and spend a little time on it and you've invested more than what the store wants.  You can get different height balls too if your 2" drop is real close.My name's not Jim....
Reply:I have three trailers that all have different heights and ended up buying one of these.This has eight height adjustments and has come in really handy.http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-1-...tch-95991.html
Reply:Even the guys that know what they're doing would rather buy one then build one. The only reason to build one is to make one that isn't currently made. and frankly that isn't the case for you. they make hitches in the height you're looking for.I shouldn't have to mention this, but a 3" swing in height, really isn't that big of a difference over a 21'+ span. I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill here.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Originally Posted by eastexanI have three trailers that all have different heights and ended up buying one of these.This has eight height adjustments and has come in really handy.http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-1-...tch-95991.html
Reply:Originally Posted by DrichI have a F-150 truck and with my new boat I don't like how the ball height is at. I have a 2" drop or 1 inch raise type and it's either to high or to low. Any helpful thoughts would be nice. I don't need help from the hitch police
Reply:Originally Posted by cd19If you trust a harborfreight weld more than your own...
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerI would trust the HF's welding to cover my bank account if it were to fail while under a load it was designed to carry. because if that were the case, I wouldn't be the one liable for damages.Now, since I don't overload trailers, or any components to a trailering system, I don't have to worry about the liability of that. The hitch shown is rated for 5000 lbs. which will handle the typical 17'-20' ski boat. now, if the boat is bigger, than getting a hitch that is rated for the load is very important. and doing it yourself puts you at risk for liability if it were to fail. Simply put, the risk easily out ways the cost of a premade hitch that has someone else's bank account to pay if it were to fail.
Reply:Originally Posted by cd19Would you rather buy a pre-made bolt together trailer to remove you from liability or weld together a nice solid trailer provided you have the skills and tools?  Passing the liability buck does not necessarily make the road a safer place.
Reply:Originally Posted by cd19Would you rather buy a pre-made bolt together trailer to remove you from liability or weld together a nice solid trailer provided you have the skills and tools?  Passing the liability buck does not necessarily make the road a safer place.
Reply:.I bought a bolt together HF 40 x 48" trailer used.  My buddy & I added 4' of deck and 2' of tongue.  It works great..
Reply:Originally Posted by JamesD.I bought a bolt together HF 40 x 48" trailer used.  My buddy & I added 4' of deck and 2' of tongue.  It works great..
Reply:Originally Posted by jamesd.I bought a bolt together hf 40 x 48" trailer used.  My buddy & i added 4' of deck and 2' of tongue.  It works great..
Reply:.What is 'face palm' ?I found a pic before I put the deck on:.I also upgraded to 5.3 x 12" wheels and tires since this pic.I even hauled a hot tub with it:..I eventually had to add a 'helper' tongue under the original as it wasn't fully boxed and started fatiguing.  Still use it all the time.  I'll have to take more detailed and recent pics..
Reply:i agree with both sides of the argument.no harm in making a hitch. if you know what your doing. but then you mine as well just buy one. if you want to make one, than all power to you.
Reply:Looks ready for a 1000 mile trip.
Reply:http://www.harborfreight.com/870-lb-...res-42708.html870 lbs rated trailerPlushttp://www.hotspring.com/shop-hot-tu...anguard#second750 lbs - 850 lbs (or more) hot tub (approximation using another hot tub with a synthetic exterior cabinet, not a wood cabinet. )Plus tongue box, 3/4" decking, 4x4s, and bike locks equalsOverloaded trailer, bent trailer tongue, and probably damaged springs and axle.which in turn equal my palm hitting my face aka face palm.Trailers built and sold by retail manufactures, are designed for a specific load, and a specific design. Modification of said design increases the risk of failure of any given component of said trailer.Just because you can modify something, doesn't mean you have the knowledge, and skill to do so. unless you're an engineer who has done the caculations of static, and dynamic load. You've got no business modifying a trailer beyond the original design.  this has been said innausium already.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Sorry I asked the question. All I wanted was a simple answer and the Hitch Police comes a Knocking. I'm not a idiot. I can weld just fine and would put the life of my family on it.]Lincoln PT 225 Tig
Reply:.An item that can be lugged around by hand like a draw bar could also be taken somewhere to be inspected. If you really wanted piece of mind or to prove yourself, you could take your completed piece to be inspected by an expert, or even X-rayed by the proper machine to verify penetration.Let us know what you end up doing.  Don't forget the pics!. Originally Posted by DrichSorry I asked the question. All I wanted was a simple answer and the Hitch Police comes a Knocking. I'm not a idiot. I can weld just fine and would put the life of my family on it.
Reply:.I hear ya Thor . . . .I'm not sure exactly what components of the original trailer were the weak link, or defining point.  If it was the axle . . .  then I'm guilty as charged . . . otherwise I have significantly increased the total gross weight.The hot tub didn't damage the trailer at all.  It towed great behind my car.  The tongue damage was an idiot move by me with the tongue jack combined with a cheap non boxed tongue.  No longer an issue.The most I ever put on this trailer is around 900 - 1000 lbs.  There has never been any visible flex in the frame or axle.  I do plan on pulling the deck and re-treating it so perhaps some more detailed pics and inspection is in order . . . .. Originally Posted by ThorsHammerhttp://www.harborfreight.com/870-lb-...res-42708.html870 lbs rated trailerPlushttp://www.hotspring.com/shop-hot-tu...anguard#second750 lbs - 850 lbs (or more) hot tub (approximation using another hot tub with a synthetic exterior cabinet, not a wood cabinet. )Plus tongue box, 3/4" decking, 4x4s, and bike locks equalsOverloaded trailer, bent trailer tongue, and probably damaged springs and axle.which in turn equal my palm hitting my face aka face palm.
Reply:Originally Posted by JamesD.What is 'face palm' ?I found a pic before I put the deck on:.I also upgraded to 5.3 x 12" wheels and tires since this pic.I even hauled a hot tub with it:..I eventually had to add a 'helper' tongue under the original as it wasn't fully boxed and started fatiguing.  Still use it all the time.  I'll have to take more detailed and recent pics..
Reply:I can weld just fine and would put the life of my family on it.F- Off you guys are dicks here]Lincoln PT 225 Tig
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWSo what you are saying is if someone has an opinion that doesn't agree with what you are going to do, you don't want to hear it. Why bother to ask then? You already know people are going to comment because this probably isn't safe ( if you knew what you were doing, you wouldn't need to ask), but you plan to ignore common sense and do it anyways.
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammer it's the family behind you that we're worried about. which could be ours. so we've got every right to be concerned.
Reply:.I see what you're saying Brucer, but I think it's an optical illusion due to the angle of the photo.That pic was taken before the trailer saw any real use.I will start a new thread with the mods done and more pics, and will pull the deck and inspect structural areas for fatigue or lack thereof.. Originally Posted by brucerthat trailer is already bent...  look at the rear axle and the trailer frame.
Reply:James, be prepared to hear it if you start your own thread. trailers are not taken lightly hear, as you can see by this thread just talking about the hitch. my personal oppinion on that trailer is it should be turned into a welding table, tool stand, BBQ stand, etc, anything that gets it off the road. If nothing else, it should at least be turned back to it's original configuration. The tongue didn't fail from fatigue. it failed because of the modifications you made to the trailer. you added 4' between the tongue and the axle. With no truss system to keep the deck ridged, it bent. simple as that. that trailer doesn't have the structure to be that long. the materials are to light for the job your asking it to do.I just went and looked at the online manual for that trailer. That has got to be the scariest axle setup I've ever seen. it's not even tubing, it's bent sheet metal. (yet another reason to never buy a bolt together trailer.) I'm going to have to say you're guilty as charged with overloading the trailer.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerI just went and looked at the online manual for that trailer. That has got to be the scariest axle setup I've ever seen. it's not even tubing, it's bent sheet metal. (yet another reason to never buy a bolt together trailer.) I'm going to have to say you're guilty as charged with overloading the trailer.
Reply:Originally Posted by JamesD.I bought a bolt together HF 40 x 48" trailer used.  My buddy & I added 4' of deck and 2' of tongue.  It works great..
Reply:I had one of those HF mini trailers once many moons ago. Given to me. Moving two garbage cans was about all it was good for. The tongue would bow with about 400 pounds on it. I used the title for a little one quad trailer I built, 4' x 6' ft plus or minus. It was great for dragging back in to where it got too tight for a truck then swap to the quad. Ha, that was before quads got so derned big tho. I kept some of the flimsy channel but never could find anything weeny enough to use it on. The rims are still around somewhere. Tires got turned inside out for planters."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:The ones we use on the forklift around the yard see more abuse than I would ever tolerate on my own truck. I have seen 3/4" plate bent under severe momentary loads. Mostly, the damage is done when there is operator error involved, however, we do wear out hitch balls on a regular basis. Yes, they wear out!! A few years ago, I made a set of three, just for the forklift. It was as much practice and credit for school projects as anything. The strongest ball mounts use solid 2" bar, such as for pintle mounts. But I chose to stick with .250 wall square tube, which I assume was hot rolled. For the mounting tabs, I picked the thickest bits of plate I could find laying around at work, or school. They are all 7/8" or 1" thick. I cut holes with the drill press and the appropriate sized hole saw and plenty of oil. Then, when I was ready to weld, they got pre-heated to 150* F. At the time, I was studying mig welding very fervently, so I used the MM200 with 75/25 gas, ER70S6 wire and probably a Low side - 5 or 6 setting on the tap switch if you are familiar with that machine. I made a small root pass around the beveled lap joints. Then cleaned for a second pass. Each one was welded all around with a minimum of two passes, but I used more where there was room. Actually, making the 5/8" hole accurately was the toughest part. They are still in good shape and working, however the 1 & 7/8" ball is ready to be replaced again. That small ball gets the most use on a daily basis.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:I switched the 1&7/8" ball today...gettin' kinda flat and bent. I know it is less than 5 years old. 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:Haven't used a 1 7/8" ball or hitch in 15 years.
Reply:.Even my 'beefed up' and 'extended' Harbor Freight trailer has a 2" coupler LOL.. Originally Posted by 72dusterI really thought this was sarcasm. I hope it still is.Steve
Reply:i think Drich just wants us to stroke his ego - sounds like he has started building stuff in his garage and wants to show how good he is....im sure you all have been to the offroad forums, pirate 4x4 is a good example, where most of those guys cant fab to save their lives - and these things are on the road. probably thought "oh il go to a forum where guys know what they are doing and show off" - i know when i first started building things that what i was trying to accomplish.Drich - what you need to take from here is not that these guys are dicks, or know-it-alls, its that they know way more than you do. This board is a place to come and get advice and knowledge from those who have decades of experience in everything from mechanics to welding to engineering and designing. People here are not trying to be dicks, they probably just come off that way - its called the real world. so grow a pair, and chalk this one up to experience -
Reply:Originally Posted by JamesD.What is 'face palm' ?I found a pic before I put the deck on:.I also upgraded to 5.3 x 12" wheels and tires since this pic.I even hauled a hot tub with it:..I eventually had to add a 'helper' tongue under the original as it wasn't fully boxed and started fatiguing.  Still use it all the time.  I'll have to take more detailed and recent pics..
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerface palm!
Reply:.You guys are too funny.I was just checking out the trailer yesterday.  It's in great shape.  It's been used for about 2 & a half years now and all of the components are true.  The axle isn't bent.  Also, this an older version trailer so both ends of the leaf spring are bolted to the frame.If you have anymore questions or comments please advise.James
Reply:JamesD,Just stick to two bikes on that thing, and no more heavy loads please. If not for the poeple you may injure when that thing comes appart, than for your own pocket book when your insurance wont cover the damages.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Iam not positive on your welding skills/backround? But its easy to do if your a proficient welder and know the correct process to attack these projects. They may seem simple and they are but must be done right. But i personally have always made my own, ive been a professional high pressure welder for many years and trust my welding over a 1/4" fillet mig weld done in some factory. For interest sake i cut up an 10" adjustable hitch with 2" solid bar versus the 2" x 1/4" tubing. The 2" solid bar wasnt even beveled and had a less than desireable mig weld around it. When i make mine my 2" solid bar is fully beveled, 6010 root, 7018 fill all the way out. 100% weld, over kill? pulling our 40,000$ walleye boat i dont mind a little over kill lol. The 2" solid bar is welded to 3" x 1 1/2" plate with holes drilled through for adjustability with a pinned mechanism that accepts the ball.
Reply:Pictures of the Walleye boat, or it didn't happen!!  Juss kiddin' man, don't shoot!  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:I CANNOT BELIEVE that no one had the 'SENSE' to give him an answer other than the what he got in this thread!I can understand the 'Obvious' reaction to the OP's post, but now that he's probably NO LONGER following this thread, he's quite probably just going to go ahead and build it anyway.  Shouldn't he deserve the same 'ADVICE' in regards to the PROPER way to make his ball mount?  I've been coming here for 'years' and I'm still surprised by threads that end like this....You can say all you want and Lecture all you want in regards to the OP's question, but all you EXPERTS did the WRONG thing by scaring him off...  You were all 'Concerned' that he was going to be pulling his trailer with his Home-Made Hitch!  WELL GUESS WHAT?...  Now he's ABSOLUTELY going to be pulling his trailer in front of some of YOU AND your FAMILY with a CRAP BALL MOUNT because none of you 'experienced' guys bothered to at least give him 'Good Information' just in case!  How do we know he isn't going to get AWFUL information from one of those Bloody 'Off-Road' Forums that you guys always mention??Should he have bought the Mount?  Of Course!  Is he going to make his own anyway?  You Bet!  Were there any people looking at this thread that could have helped him?  Definitely!  Are most going to use the 'Legal Thing' as a 'Cop Out'?  Oh yeah....  Brutal...Miller Diversion 165120 amp Buzz BoxVictor Oxy/Ace Oxy/LPGSmith "Little" Oxy/LPGHypertherm Powermax 30Lot's of Misc. tools n' crap....
Reply:All the good advice in the world won't guarantee good results.  It can however guarantee a false sense of confidence.  In some cases, that can be a lot more dangerous.  I'd much rather he know the risks.  Maybe know them well enough to scare him off the project.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by jmanI CANNOT BELIEVE that no one had the 'SENSE' to give him an answer other than the what he got in this thread!I can understand the 'Obvious' reaction to the OP's post, but now that he's probably NO LONGER following this thread, he's quite probably just going to go ahead and build it anyway.  Shouldn't he deserve the same 'ADVICE' in regards to the PROPER way to make his ball mount?  I've been coming here for 'years' and I'm still surprised by threads that end like this....You can say all you want and Lecture all you want in regards to the OP's question, but all you EXPERTS did the WRONG thing by scaring him off...  You were all 'Concerned' that he was going to be pulling his trailer with his Home-Made Hitch!  WELL GUESS WHAT?...  Now he's ABSOLUTELY going to be pulling his trailer in front of some of YOU AND your FAMILY with a CRAP BALL MOUNT because none of you 'experienced' guys bothered to at least give him 'Good Information' just in case!  How do we know he isn't going to get AWFUL information from one of those Bloody 'Off-Road' Forums that you guys always mention??Should he have bought the Mount?  Of Course!  Is he going to make his own anyway?  You Bet!  Were there any people looking at this thread that could have helped him?  Definitely!  Are most going to use the 'Legal Thing' as a 'Cop Out'?  Oh yeah....  Brutal...
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverPictures of the Walleye boat, or it didn't happen!!  Juss kiddin' man, don't shoot!
Reply:.That is one sweet boat!  I bet it flies.Do you have an electrical or hydraulic jack plate?.
Reply:Originally Posted by jmanI CANNOT BELIEVE that no one had the 'SENSE' to give him an answer other than the what he got in this thread!I can understand the 'Obvious' reaction to the OP's post, but now that he's probably NO LONGER following this thread, he's quite probably just going to go ahead and build it anyway.  Shouldn't he deserve the same 'ADVICE' in regards to the PROPER way to make his ball mount?  I've been coming here for 'years' and I'm still surprised by threads that end like this....You can say all you want and Lecture all you want in regards to the OP's question, but all you EXPERTS did the WRONG thing by scaring him off...  You were all 'Concerned' that he was going to be pulling his trailer with his Home-Made Hitch!  WELL GUESS WHAT?...  Now he's ABSOLUTELY going to be pulling his trailer in front of some of YOU AND your FAMILY with a CRAP BALL MOUNT because none of you 'experienced' guys bothered to at least give him 'Good Information' just in case!  How do we know he isn't going to get AWFUL information from one of those Bloody 'Off-Road' Forums that you guys always mention??Should he have bought the Mount?  Of Course!  Is he going to make his own anyway?  You Bet!  Were there any people looking at this thread that could have helped him?  Definitely!  Are most going to use the 'Legal Thing' as a 'Cop Out'?  Oh yeah....  Brutal...