Shortening a galvanized trailer... Any suggestions?

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I am going to be shortening a galvanized trailer for a client... Seems like a pretty simple job being the boat is on a rusted out trailer that is in spec to what I need to shorten to. I have done a lot of work with heavy duty trailers up to 110,000 pound capacity, permit required, but have never done a job like this. I am thinking that I can just take measurements and cut off the required length then re-weld where I cut. Considering all cuts are made flush and welded appropriately I should not have any problems. If anyone has any advice or ideas to knock this project out I would appreciate it. Don't have any pics or specs of trailer right now but it is a single axle trailer that will hold about a 15' boat. The trailer I am modifying is a already a boat trailer just need to shorten it.Thanks in advance.
Reply:Sounds like you have it all under control, cant figure out what you need help with. Just make sure you grind off the galvanize and weld the ones you cant grind outside. Harold
Reply:I would suggest putting in fish plates to reinforce your butt weldsBacked 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:no fish required if he cuts whatever is hanging on the back like say a light bar, and just chops out whats needed and welds the bar back onto the back. now if he is moving the axle to compensate for balance and cuts out a section by all means fish plate it. don't weld all four sides of the plate.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:Was going to cut it before the axle chop the section required then weld All Four Sides, it is galvanized square/rectangular tubing...
Reply:The reason i suggest the fish plates is to reinforce the butt welds because the light single axle trailers like those bounce a lot and it might over time fracture the butt weld if you don't reinforce it some how If it's square or rectangular tubing i would see if i could find a piece of tubing that has the same OD as the trailer frames ID and i would slide it inside of it at least 2 inches past the butt weld on both  sides then weld itBut that's just meBacked 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:Thx all!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by killdozerd11If it's square or rectangular tubing i would see if i could find a piece of tubing that has the same OD as the trailer frames ID and i would slide it inside of it at least 2 inches past the butt weld on both  sides then weld it
Reply:^ Damn good idea, thanks!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPIf he can't find the proper size square tube, he could always slide 4 pieces of flatbar inside the square tube. Plug weld the flatbar to each side of the square tube, and also use the flatbar as a backer plate to weld to.
Reply:If you make the cuts on a 45 vs 90 degrees it increases the weld area for a little extra strength. This along with the above suggestions on reinforcing the weld area.
Reply:Thanks, good advice!!!
Reply:Im not sure what you people normally do to touch up the galvanizing, but in structure work our contractors use a galvanizing stick to coat the area.very similar to:[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_gLN-4rEHk[/ame]works very well, espeically when you brush it in as shown.  Some guys will just lay it on thick and not brush, but it goes a lot further if you use the brush.  It is spendy, though.  Cannot find the name of the product we've used, but im sure one is about the same as the next.maybe this goes without saying, i'm not in the welding business.  but on our state projects, we do require this over the "cold galv" products availble.
Reply:Originally Posted by MeborderIm not sure what you people normally do to touch up the galvanizing, but in structure work our contractors use a galvanizing stick to coat the area.very similar to:works very well, espeically when you brush it in as shown.  Some guys will just lay it on thick and not brush, but it goes a lot further if you use the brush.  It is spendy, though.  Cannot find the name of the product we've used, but im sure one is about the same as the next.maybe this goes without saying, i'm not in the welding business.  but on our state projects, we do require this over the "cold galv" products availble.
Reply:Here's the stuff we used. We applied it the same way as in the video, except we didn't use 3-guys. That must be a state job. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:The stuff CEP posted looks exactly like what ive seen used.as for application, i dont think it is really all that critical.  From what i've seen, you get it hot enough that the impurities burn off (hot specks), put the torch down, melt the rod to the hot metal, grab the brush and keep brushing until it is too cold to move around anymore (plugs up the brush). then move to the next small section.it really is a one man operation.  being a state inspector, i'm thinking this must have been a single source contract, otherwise this company would not have gotten the bid good stuff ...
Reply:Lol, I have used aerosol spray applications in Valero Refineries...
Reply:Never seen that done before. I'll have to keep that trick in mind for galvanized repairs. I can think of a couple times in the past where this might have been useful. Now all I need to do is remember where I saw this the next time I might need it. .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:I've done plenty of welding on galvanized car bodies.  Most involve sanding off a good bit of the galvanization.Two tricks I have yet to try.1) There are some flux core wires that say they work on galvanized steel.  I have a small roll and tips for my spool gun to give it a try.2) This one.Sucks having a nice boat trailer frame - nice and uniform gray, with those ugly rust streaks were it was repaired.  Makes the weld look like an eye sore.  I have some almost stainless rods that weld to a stainless looking gold, but alas they do rust when exposed (slower than most welds, but not slow enough).Bottom line, thanks for the tip.  I'll definitly pick some up and give it a try (even if its just to lay the piece out in the weather to see what happens).Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:Originally Posted by con_fuse9There are some flux core wires that say they work on galvanized steel.
Reply:Not to bring a thread back from the dead, but i thought i'd post some pictures of some welds that were re-galvanized on a bridge project earlier this year.this is galvanized tube railing and round pipe railing.  All the welds were ground flat and then regalvanized in a process similar to what was shown in the video above.it isn't "perfect"  but these have been exposed to the elements for several months now with no signs of wear.  IIRC we checked the thickness of the galvanizing and it was 11 or 12 mills in the regalvanized areas.Close upround pipe, shows color difference from the hot-dipped pipeshows overall appearance typical of repaired areas.maybe i'll find some stuff done a few years ago and see what it looks like, if i can find any and get time.
Reply:i know this is an old thread, but i thought i'd post up some pictures of what the hot-applied galvanizing repair looks like after one winter and two summers baking in the sun.  To me, it weathers and fades to match the hot-dipped pretty well.so, i guess the only reason for posting this is to show that the stuff does hold up to salt and extreme weather.  A very worth while product when repairing galvanized steel.