The wooden floor was rotten, so I took off all the sides to replace it. I now have the metal skeleton of the trailer, a square with an A frame at the front with the tow hitch, and four angle iron uprights, one at each corner of the square. I've noticed that the back offside upright leans outwards, it's 1 inch wider at the top than the bottom. I've tried banging it, levering it and various other things, but I can't bend the upright so it is vertical. Can anyone suggest any clever way of getting enough leverage to bend it back into alignment? Thanks in advance, Pete
OT ?? Suggestions wanted for straightening out a trailer frame
Jul 29, 2008
13 Replies
Without knowing what relevant equipment you have, may I suggest the following options:
Heating with oxyacetylene Bending by use of a long tube which fits over the upright Putting block and tackle from top of upright to bottom of opposite upright. You may need someone else to come and hit the top of the upright with a sledge hammer while you pull on the rope. Cutting the upright off (wholly or partly) and rewelding it straight. Turning the trailer so that it lies on its side with the offending upright on the ground. Connect a rope to the opposite side and pull with a car so that all the weight is on the upright. Depending on how big and heavy the trailer is you may need some other bodies to come and jump on it.
HTH
Rob Graham
Use a large ratchet strap.
But not anchored to the another up-right though, anchor it to the main chassis frame, otherwise the OP might just end up with two bent up-rights!
Good point, although it hadn't occured to me somebody might do that
Or if you can find a railing/crash barrier or whatever at the right height, you could reverse into it and push gently.
Steve
The upright goes outwards, not backwards.
Rob
Yeh - mine (home made, big thick and heavy angle iron) does that, and I have lived with it for 15 years.
Mine's come about due to having welded all the steel angles up to form the framework. and due to the thermal stress's setup the bottom cross member warped, causing only one of the vertical uprights to lean outwards. I tired everything to bend it back, but as I said I made it out of big thick and heavy angle iron. The only way out would have been to grind the welds out and reweld. But i just cannot be bothered.
you only need to cut one of the welds, bend the other and reweld
Problem is, we don't know if the OP has welding facilities.
Rob Graham
Sorry, I should have snipped, my reply was aimed more at 'dutchman'
Mrcheerful
Yes you should, twice! :~P
I forgive you.
Rob
Thanks for all your replies. I have found someone with welding facilities and he will do the job tomorrow. Cherrs, Pete
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