light weight trailer tounge material

[rmcelroy]

Hi, I don't seem to be able to find anyone in the archives using aluminum box for tounge material. (that could be a clue)

My plans for a sub 350lb tear are coming together. A lot of scratching of my uhhh... head and weighing of sample materials leaves me optimistic that it is possible.

Because of my tow vehicle I will be sticking to paved roads (possibly very smooth dirt) and would like to save about 20lbs or so by using 2x2x1/4 6061 aluminum box for the tounge.

I know a lot of variables come into play here, but would just like to see what you guys think about this.

Thanks All

Not an engineer but have stayed in a Holiday Inn express before

[Chris C]

I don't know if Andrew has ever stayed in a Holiday Inn, but he's our resident engineer! Send him a PM and he'll fix you right up with more gal-darned information that you can ever assimilate!

[angib]

Sure enough, here I am! I've never stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but then I'm an engineer, so it would appear that I don't have to. But I have stayed in several Formule 1s (click here to see a room, if you have a strong stomach), which I believe outranks a HI Express in scariness by at least 3 to 1 - when did you last see a new hotel with communal showers and toilets?

You can visit my tongue strength page for details, but my first approximation is that aluminum should be loaded to no more than 1/3rd the stress of steel - it is stronger than that, but it is its lower fatigue strength that's the problem. This would downrate your 2x2x1/4 box's Z value of 0.8in3 to a steel equivalent of 0.27in3. That would make it exactly as strong as the twin angles of the Camp-Inn that Cary was kind enough to specify, so it's plenty strong enough for a lightweight trailer.

You do need to recognise that an aluminum tongue will eventually crack from fatigue - but if the stress is low enough, that may take 50 years! You must use careful detail design to avoid stress concentrations - for example, no drilling big holes through the tongue where it joins the main frame.

Andrew

[Wright]

Andrew, Nice Room..... but where's the head?

[asianflava]

That room gave me flashbacks from college.

[PaulC]

Wright, Behind the Camera Now I get it, you mean the WC or the John or the Loo or the Dunny don't you
Paul
P.S. Andrew does mention communal Dunnies in his answer

[Wright]

Ah he did......

Last time I stayed anywhere with a common head, was in Camp Pendleton....

Man that was 12 years ago....

[Chuck Craven]

GEE when I was at camp Pendleton, it was only a tent city with 50 to a tent. The head was a trench. The mess was next to the trench. The mess smelled just like the head, even when the wind was blowing from the port side. Now I don’t think they were in to recycling back then. But maybe that was the starting experiment for the first attempt in reprocessing. I must say that it was not the worst place I have been at but it is close to the worst!

Chuck

[TomS]

That room gave me flashbacks from college.

That was my first impression. The only thing missing was the marijuana leaf poster and an empty keg.

[angib]

Hey, I wasn't trying to really scare you guys - when I said 'communal', I meant not in your room, not 50 in one room! Formule 1s are a a brand of ultra-cheap roadside hotels introduced in France - $32 for a room for up to 3 people is really cheap for Yurp (rememeber we have only 1/10th the land per person that you do, so land's correspondingly expensive).

Anyone wanna talk about trailers?

Andrew

[cracker39]

Hey Andrew...the Formula 1 has all of the amenities of our TD/TTTs, just a little larger. We should feel right at home in one.

[bledsoe3]

Hey Andrew...the Formula 1 has all of the amenities of our TD/TTTs, just a little larger. We should feel right at home in one.

I didn't see a stove in there.

[cracker39]

Doggone it Bledsoe, you're absolutely right. Our trailers have Formula 1 beat don't they?

[rmcelroy]

Andrew, thanks for the advice/tech page. I'm going now to find some type of industrial glue to replace any fasteners I may want to use-hey if its good enough for airliners......

[madjack]

Andrew, thanks for the advice/tech page. I'm going now to find some type of industrial glue to replace any fasteners I may want to use-hey if its good enough for airliners......

Mc...look for sikaflex 252/552...should be available from Austin Hdw, automotive paint supply(or similar product) or a marine hdw place
madjack