Trailer / Welder guys, wanna give a look over of a trailer I made

[WOT]

I got almost all of this for free, so the only cost was the time to weld it all together, and a set of rims/tires (which Im also trying to get for free)

I know it needs middle supports going from front to back, I plan on using 2 2X6's running front to back, to support underneath the 3/4 ply that Im gonna put on top as a platform.

Just wanna make sure the build itself looks ok, Im not a pro welder, and was using a simple fluxcore welder with some heavy duty heat and 2-3 passes everywhere.

The front "NOSE" that I welded into the front, when standing on it, seems to flex a little, but I plan on putting 2 1/2" bolts through that I just didnt have a drill that could drill 4" deep on hand, pics show where they will go through though, thick that will give a little more support with some big fender washers?

Never had a trailer before, but I just sold my beater truck that I used to haul stuff in, this will only be used for shit like wood, scraps and some engine parts probly

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it would have been better to weld the toung to the bottom of that frame instead of butting it to it.

 

[WOT]

Why underneath? I probly didnt think of that because the round bar isnt flush with the flat bar where it meets

 

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more area for welding that butting is a weak spot for sure.

that said maybe if you added a plate of steel to level it up it could of worked that way

 

[DBBOOM 10+ year member]

You need to take two pieces of angle iron and make a triangle under the nose that you have welded on. Let the angle iron pieces run from the coupler back until the point where it is under the side runners of the trailer. This will distribute the nose throughout the entire width of the trailer. And it will eliminate the shear angle that was created by welding the nose on the front on the trailer.

 

[sound_around]

You need to take two pieces of angle iron and make a triangle under the nose that you have welded on. Let the angle iron pieces run from the coupler back until the point where it is under the side runners of the trailer. This will distribute the nose throughout the entire width of the trailer. And it will eliminate the shear angle that was created by welding the nose on the front on the trailer.

nice! thats what i was trying to say but couldnt type it...LOL

 

[DBBOOM 10+ year member]

nice! thats what i was trying to say but couldnt type it...LOL

Yeah, i was having a hard time trying to put it words too.

OP, you can look at some pics of utility trailers with expanded metal floors and see what i am talking about. Its a fairly common bracing method.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Looks like a bed frame on wheels.

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

Should have been stick welded. The tongue anyways.

The welds don't look too great.

Simply turning up the heat doesn't mean the welds will be ok. I'm sure it'll be fine, but that's not a good solution.

Like someone said, the tongue should have been put underneath and welded as a fillet instead of a butt weld.

IMO take it to a welder/trailor shop and have them look things over. If that pulled into my shop i'd cringe.

Also, is the tongue perfectly perpindicular to the axle? If not, expect to go through tires very quickly, and crappy gas mileage.

I've done many trailors in the past, just trying to look out.

Not trying to be a dick, just trying to give you the best advice.

 

[RMKrider1 10+ year member]

Looks pretty light duty. I wouldn't bother drilling and putting those bolts in....Unless you're not much of a welder. It's kind of hard to see the welds but if they are "good" welds it will hold a helluva lot more then those bolts. I would put the tongue on just like you did. Dont worry about what the others are saying......

Why should it have been stick welded? Are you saying it's stronger then wire?

That is a fillet weld and not a but weld like some are saying. If the 2 pieces of tubing were the same size and just "butted" together that would be a butt weld but the one is smaller creating a fillet weld

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

Looks pretty light duty. I wouldn't bother drilling and putting those bolts in....Unless you're not much of a welder. It's kind of hard to see the welds but if they are "good" welds it will hold a helluva lot more then those bolts. I would put the tongue on just like you did. Dont worry about what the others are saying......
Why should it have been stick welded? Are you saying it's stronger then wire?

That is a fillet weld and not a but weld like some are saying. If the 2 pieces of tubing were the same size and just "butted" together that would be a butt weld but the one is smaller creating a fillet weld

I just realized the box tubing is slightly bigger, so it is a fillet. It appeared the same size at first glance.

I said stick weld because i'm assuming he welded them with a 110V flux core machine, which is not as strong as a 7018 joint. Even if he used an E70XX-X wire (having the same tensile strength as E7018 electrodes) you have to remember the amperage being used, and the process.

Sure, Fluxcore is used everyday for structural purposes, but those machines are pushing upwards of 300A using an external wire feeder. Where this material is light duty, he should be fine, like stated above.

I agree with the first paragraph in your post. Assuming they are good welds.

 

[rippinitup7 10+ year member]

that will be one hell of a light duty trailer. when my dad and i do trailers the tongue is always tied into the center support brace above the axle to give the frame strength. i've never just welded a tongue to the front of a frame. not enough support from that type of setup.

 

[WOT]

Well thanks for the info so far guys, thats why i made this thread, I have no problems changing anything if I have to. I do believe my welds are good and penetrated for sure, Im pretty good with this fluxcore. Its not a 110v though I dont believe, it uses a 220 plug, which I have wired to plug into my dryer's outlet lol

"You need to take two pieces of angle iron and make a triangle under the nose that you have welded on. Let the angle iron pieces run from the coupler back until the point where it is under the side runners of the trailer"

I dont understand this, can you maybe use MSpaint to show what I need to add if anything

I know its a light duty trailer, itll never see anything more than a couple hundred pounds

 

[WOT]

That is the only support I could think of from what you said, I could pick up some round bar and try and cut the angles good and weld that in there, but the tongue does seem to flex a little and I dont get how it is able to

 

[qtipextra 5,000+ posts]

Funny, in an ironic way, I am actually building me a trailer as well, for my 4-wheeler. I should post pics up later. I actually should have it all painted and finished by today. My dad is doing the welding for me, because I can't weld worth shit yet.