Penguino II

[Catherine+twins]

Just trying to get caught up. The trailer hitch receiver is replaced! Here is the original,


The receiver itself was barely bent. It was the adapter that had the obvious damage, although once it was off it didn't look like it should have twisted the whole thing so much.


And here is the new one, bright and shiny.


I still have the side frame bolt-on trailer jack. I had one my step-dad gave me, and assumed it was a center bolt-on, but it's a weld on than needs a round pipe mount, or something strange. Anyway, I'll eventually get the right one.

Catherine

[GPW]

Wow! That’s not as bad as we thought it would be for all that twisting ...

[eaglesdare]

I don't know how I missed this thread.
Good luck on your new build! Hope you second one turns out better than mine.

[wagondude]

I can't see it from your picture, so I'll ask. Are there any bolts going through the sides of the rails in the coupler? The ones through the top of the rails won't be enough by themselves. They may be there, I just can't see them in the picture.

[Catherine+twins]

One on each side. Do you think that is enough?

[GPW]

As they say ... “two bolts are better than one “ ... or something like that ...

[KCStudly]

It's best to put a spacer inside of the tube where the bolt goes thru to keep the bolt from crushing the tube (... as tube crushes more in use the bolts get loose). Even some short lengths of black pipe (or "pipe nipples" ... really, that's what they are called) can be used as spacers. Just cut them to the needed length with a hack saw.

[pchast]

The original had a plate top and bottom. This 'box' resisted twisting of the side rails and
so maintained the 2" web strength. When the side rails twist you loose a lot of strength.

[wagondude]

One on each side. Do you think that is enough?

If that is what the coupler is drilled for, that should suffice for a light trailer. They are just there to keep the coupler from trying to pivot up when hooked up with a load. If there are any more holes, put bolts in them.

[KCStudly]

I guess we should ask if the bolts go all the way through both top and bottom of the tubes (that is what we are assuming and seems likely), or if they only go through the top sides of the tubes with the nuts fished inside. (When I replaced the std. coupler on my boat trailer I used individual bolts on each side and another down through the top with nuts and washers on the inside of the tube.)

I believe that that style of coupler is intended to be welded on and does not come with any holes, so I don't think that it is as simple as filling all of the holes. I could be wrong and hope for Cathrine's sake that it is that simple.

The formed shape of it is inherently strong, with the formed lip around the bottom edge of the two sides (as well as the ball socket) adding significantly to that, so is of similar strength to the two piece plate clamp being eliminated (... at least in my "eyeballing thumb at arm's length" opinion). The coupler itself is miles ahead of the one being replaced, as far as strength goes.

Cathrine, I see no reason why it would not be fully adequate for the planned end use provided that the bolted joint configuration is adequate (grade 5 fasteners and crush sleeves are recommended). Is it a 2000 lb rating or higher?

An additional bolt through each side is probably not a bad idea, so long as the three holes are not all too close together in the tube... wouldn't do much good to turn it into Swiss cheese. The bolts that have been added look to be fairly close together and I wonder if there is enough remaining tube under the front section, the pointy part of the triangle to get another bolt through the tube without being too close to the front end of the tongue tubes. Maybe there is enough room to the rear.

[wagondude]

It could be that it is a weld on converted. The tongue rails are standard HF C-channel. There should be shim tubes in the channel for the vertical bolts (provided the Chinese do it that way). If not, they would be super easy to add. Here is a much heavier bolt on version: http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Coupler ... WH301.html . It has quite a few bolt holes in it. But it is for a heavy application. I think KC has the right idea with putting a couple toward the rear of the flange.

[Catherine+twins]

I am currently in a holding pattern, waiting for my uncle to weld the receiver to the trailer. All of the discussion convinced me welding was the best choice, and when I asked my uncle who could weld it up for me (hey, I've never needed metal work, and he knows people) he declared HE could. But now we're working on uncle time for a couple of weeks. I'm working on the box off of the frame. Well, I'm working on the walls. I'll post pictures soon.

Catherine

[GPW]

Catherine , be sure to clean the weld thoroughly and paint over it immediately ... or it might Rust ...

[Catherine+twins]

Well, with as little moisture as we have been getting in our alpine desert lately, rust shouldn't be a problem right away. But I will paint as soon as I get it back.

Catherine

[GPW]

I forgot about your location ... Not as much a problem as around here with our notorious Humidity where fresh welds seem to rust very fast ... If it’a a “stick weld" , be sure to have him chip the “scale" off for you ... then paint it ...