Anyone else have the tongue fail on a Northern Tool 5x8?

Ask questions about Harbor Freight trailers, or questions about building your own...

Anyone else have the tongue fail on a Northern Tool 5x8?

Postby tnycmpr » Mon Jul 18, 2016 4:52 pm

My wife and I built "Tiny" about two years ago on a Northern Tool 5x8 trailer. In the past two years, Tiny has been on many adventures (about 10-15K miles at this point). After a local trip this week, I noticed that the tongue is failing just below the coupler (See picture below. The tear in the metal is happening on both sides of the tongue). The tongue weight is within 10-15% of the trailer weight (last weighed, Tiny is about 1300 lbs and the tongue is about 150 lbs). Has anyone else had the northern tool trailer fail like this? I'm taking it to a couple of trailer/RV repair shops this week to get an estimate to build a new tongue. I'm thinking I'd rather have a new tongue with stronger metal tubing than repair this one. Thoughts? I can't even begin to explain how bummed we are about this, especially since Tiny is supposed to go to Lake Tahoe (4 hour drive) next week. :cry:

Thanks!
James & Anna
IMG_6996.jpg
One of two tears in the metal below the coupler
IMG_6996.jpg (18.48 KiB) Viewed 836 times
IMG_6995.jpg
The loaded tongue
IMG_6995.jpg (20.73 KiB) Viewed 836 times
James & Anna

Image
User avatar
tnycmpr
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 1
Images: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2013 3:43 am

Re: Anyone else have the tongue fail on a Northern Tool 5x8?

Postby dmdc411 » Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:05 pm

I have a 5 X 8 Northern Tool, no floor landscape trailer. The tongue is not like yours. But, I did do the tongue mod by adding diagonals to the original. They run back to the front leaf spring mounts. http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/578d8cf4849f9/Screenshot_2016-03-14-22-56-42.png?
User avatar
dmdc411
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 258
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:39 am
Location: Nfld, Minn

Re: Anyone else have the tongue fail on a Northern Tool 5x8?

Postby 39Ratrod » Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:33 am

Well that sucks! I can see how there would be a tearing effect on that tongue design. Looks like the plate is 1/4" held down by 6 carriage bolts problem is the tubing the plate is bolted to is probably considerably smaller. When you take it in to have it repaired, ask if you remove the tank, trailer jack, and the boxes on the tongue will it save you some labor.
The biggest difference between a dreamer and a doer is the follow through.
User avatar
39Ratrod
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 159
Images: 71
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:08 pm
Location: Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming
Top


Return to Trailer and Chassis Secrets

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests