Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

If you look at the pic below I'm useing 3x3 x 1/8 sq.tubing My ? is if I cut away were the blue tape is and box the tubing will I lose enough strength
to worry about,there is no real reason for doing this I just think it would look a lot cleaner
Thanks Mike

How about if you inserted a short piece of 2X3 and welded into the exsisting tongue. Then weld a piece at the bottoem to sela it. then the hitch.

Scott F.

2x3 would not fit inside it would have to be butt welded And if you use 2x2 3/4 it would be to small for the hitch but I like the way you think

Thanks again Mike

...seems reasonable to me but I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night I would make the bevel cut run from where it is now marked at the bottom, up to the back of the coupler and not leave that short straight section...would look better and probably be a little stronger
madjack

That's what I plan to do with mine, Madjack.

You'll be plenty strong but I would cut it out then weld a piece of flat in there to box it closed. Mostly for looks but that way you won't lose any side strength.
BTW - That's a good idea, particularly if you tow off a bumper hitch. The tubing won't catch when you jack-knife it backing up.

I would cut the 45-degree cut half way between the hitch mounting bolts.
Then take a steel plat and bend it to fit the cutout to box it in. Do a full
Weld, don’t skip weld it. Remember that the hitch must be bolted on to the tong
using grade 8 bolts and lock washers. Don’t weld the hitch on the tong.
In some states it is illegal to weld the hitch on the tong. Bend the plat like this
__|
/ To fully box in the front of the tong.

Chuck

stjohn,

I am not a big contributor, never seem to have the time. I agree with madjack with an angle cut from your pencil line intersecting the end of your tongue at the bottom edge of your coupler. I would then box it to keep the water out of that end, and I would weld the coupler. You don't see many bolted couplers down here in south Texas even with big trailers with 2 5/16 balls. Which ever way you do it, I would definitely not leave the angle you show taped, without boxing it, I think you will be asking for trouble. My .02 worth.

mike,, I am no expert so take this just as an opinion,,, if you want the profile,, cut the area out and then weld a flat plate in the area that you removed,,, it should add some strength back in to the tubeand it would be flat to the bottom of the hitch,,,, just thinking out loud

chipper

Thanks everybody for your thought and suggestions as always alot of good input will send the rest of the nite thinking about and decide in the morning over coffee

Mike

P.S. here is a pic of todays progress

P.S. Jack you created a moster when you explained how to post pics to me(I loved show and tell when I was little)

stjohn wrote:P.S. Jack you created a moster when you explained how to post pics to me(I loved show and tell when I was little)

hey Mike, ya know what I always say"...we luv da pics" .......................................

Mike,
Is that a Guard Deer hanging on the wall?

Scott F.

scares away al the chup-pa-cabras (I know thats not spelled right but what the hey the 3rd grade was the three hardest years of my life )

If you cut it, like in your picture and box in the cut out section you will have the same strength as a 2x3 square tube at the hitch. If you only cut it between the mounting bolts and box in the cut out section, you will not weaken the tong but give your self some extra clearance for the hitch. Like if the ball is mounted on a truck step bumper. Eater way you do it, it’s the point where the tong meets the trailer body that has the most stress. That is the point where the tong will brake / bend. The stress on the ball is mostly horizontal sheer stress. Where the tong meets the body is vertical lift / push stress from the trailer bouncing down the road. The tow vehicle is at the end of a lever and the trailer axel is the pivot point so mid way between the pivot and the force end of the lever has the most stress.

Chuck

Shucks... Thats a lot of work..... why not just get a 2x2?