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  1. #1
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    Default Spring hanger welding

    Hey everyone,

    I need to weld some new springs hangers onto my tandem trailer. I've done a fair bit of welding before and just wanted to know the best/strongest method to weld it. Are any of these examples that I've found on the internet acceptable?

    Also, is it okay to weld around the whole perimeter of the hanger or just down parallel sides like so | |

    With the draw bar, have read not to weld across it but down the sides only. Is there any other way to brace them up? Any pictures would be very helpful. I don't carry much weight but I'd rather over engineer it for peace of mind.

    Cheers
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
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    Is this a repair or a build? Welding down the sides is perfect, if you weld across the chassis, you stand a very good chance of problems with the chassis starting to crack. Same as welding down the sides of the draw bar is good, for the above reason also.
    How do you mean brace the drawbar?? What size and type of material, are you using for the drawbar? Stating the size of the trailer would help with the drawbar sizing too please? It's no good saying a 75X50X5 mm angle is ok for the drawbar without knowing if the trailer is a 3x4 or a car trailer????
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
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    Default

    Hi Kryn,

    This will be a repair job bud. I had built this tandem trailer a while back and some of the existing framing needs to be replaced as rust has gotten to it pretty badly. So I need to remove the existing hangers and drawbar and weld them onto the new section I'm putting in.

    Drawbar bracing as in how it's showed in the attached picture. Adding a piece of angle and welding where the green lines are. I'm thinking, this should be fine as long as I don't weld across?

    Trailer is an 8x5 but has a single cab alloy ute tray on it. Drawbar is 75x50x3.

    Cheers
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  4. #4
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    Default

    If the drawbar is 75X50X3 I'd be a bit worried, minimum I'd go for is 75X50X6. There is no need for the extra angle on top of the drawbar to connect to the chassis frame, welding underneath would be sufficient. To much weld can be as bad as not enough. If you're concerned about it bending there, a piece about 750 long welded to the underside of the drawbar, (basically making it a box section will stiffen it up), go back about 150-200 mm under the trailer.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  5. #5
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    Default

    Thanks mate, I will look into that.
    With my first post, can I brace the centre hanger like it's shown in the attached picture with a piece of flat bar cut into a triangular shape?

    Also, would you have any recommendations on a decent brake kit? I don't carry much heavy loads too often so was looking for a bare essential brake setup. Drums or disk etc.

  6. #6
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    Default

    You could brace it if you wanted to, I don't think I've ever seen one done though.
    With regards to braking, your choices are Hydraulic override, Mechanical override or electric brakes, which will be more expensive to set up initially.
    The beauty of the first 2 is that anyone can tow your trailer legally, with the electric brakes, it requires a controller fitted to the tow vehicle, unless someone else has one fitted to their vehicle, they can't tow your trailer. Sometimes thats a good thing.
    Drum or Disc, can be operated off all 3 systems, discs pads are easier to change, not having to dismantle the drum/bearing assy.
    If you go through a lot of water, discs dry out quicker, which is why a lot of boat trailers use them.
    It all comes down to personal choice. Hydraulic override with drums would be the cheapest effective braking, USE synthetic brake fluid, as it won't take in moisture as does ordinary brake fluid. Mechanical overrides on drums are basically a thing of the past, cables stretch, cable clamps rust up and the cable has to rub in loops along the chassis.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  7. #7
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    Default

    I think you've persuaded me to go with the disk brake setup. I really don't plan on replacing stretched cables etc.

    Now I can't decide whether to use duragal 50x50x2.5 or just use the painted stuff. I've got access to a gas/gasless CIGweld. Have read that using flux core, gasless will be fine with duragal. I still plan on griding off the stuff before welding.

  8. #8
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    I'm not a fan of gasless stuff, I don't think it's structurally sound welding, full of porosity, I could be wrong, my partner always says I am.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  9. #9
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    I like duragal 'cause you don't need to paint it, so once the last weld is done, she's good to go. Also, the duragal coating is *designed* to be welded through - you can certainly grind it off if you like, but that was not the intention of the engineers and chemists etc. who developed the coating.

    As for gasless wire, provided you don't mind smoke and a bit of spatter, and own a wire brush to remove the powdery slag, it makes perfectly fine welds.

  10. #10
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RustyArc View Post
    I like duragal 'cause you don't need to paint it, so once the last weld is done, she's good to go. Also, the duragal coating is *designed* to be welded through - you can certainly grind it off if you like, but that was not the intention of the engineers and chemists etc. who developed the coating.

    As for gasless wire, provided you don't mind smoke and a bit of spatter, and own a wire brush to remove the powdery slag, it makes perfectly fine welds.
    Thanks for that, Rusty Arc. Makes me more confident in using the gasless mig! Might need to invest in some sort of respiratory mask.

  11. #11
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    Default

    Besides a few box trailers made from uncoated RHS I've also made a number of items from Duragal including a couple of boat trailers, one for a Hobie Adventure Island the other for a Walker Bay 10, using just a standard AC stick welder. Welding Duragal is not a problem and there is no need to grind first; however, you will need to hit the welded areas with cold gal after. Being a box trailer that should last. A boat trailer on the other hand requires constant cleaning and repainting of the welded area as rust spots will constantly appear through the paint. I believe the spool I have in my mig is recommended for Duragal but couldn't find any reference to it on the web; however, I did find this:
    http://www.bjhowes.com.au/Duragal%20Welding%20Guide.pdf
    I haven't read it but there might be something of use.
    Good advice here from KBs PensNmore/RustyArc both obviously know there stuff. BTW, Grahame Collins over in the welding forum is a veritable gold mine when it comes to anything welding!

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