Do you do anything to stave off rust or do you find its pretty pointless? I give mine a couple coats of gemplers rust converter after a shot with a needle gun and wire wheel, then just some euipment black over the top, whatever tractor supply has on sale.
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Trailer rebuild/repair thread
- Thread starter RZucker
- Start date
1693TA
Senior Member
I'll have to try the grinder trick. My old heated tire groover is getting a bit harder on my back as I age.....
DMiller
Senior Member
RZ, got to ask, that ANOTHER old Utility?
DMiller
Senior Member
While it was topside down, went to work, removed all the lights and wiring, replaced with new LED's and a 7 wire junction box. So easy to do wiring when its on the floor instead of overhead. New hydraulic lines run for the brakes. Only tough part was the axles, the mfg uses one frame with different spacing for all the trailers. This was a single wheel tandem axle. Custom width axles would cost a mint so just took the standard axles, added 6 inches to the middle and moved the spring perches outboard to gain 10 inches total on the frame width.
My own Gooseneck is single wheel, did all the measuring and thinking and postulating where cannot tweak enough to get duals under it. My best bet is to trade up or sell outright buy a used tandem dually.
Well, you can do it! but its a little bit involved. One of the big vendors, I think it was southwest wheel had an axle package deal, 3k for a pair of 12k disc brake axles, springs, equalizers and everything to the door. Someone else up north had a killer deal on tires and wheels.
Spring perches moved out 2 inches
Space made for a spacer
Spacers made from DOM tubing turned to be an exact match for wall thickness
Stretch installed, I held the tubes square with 8 clamps on 2 pieces of 4x4 I beam clamped on either side, root pass of 6010 and a little hot, 7018 built up over that for 3 passes. Not the prettiest welds I've done but decent. Preheat was done with a big propane weed burner to keep the warping under control. When I finished there was a small deflection in the axle, that was fixed with one more weld.
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I had a c channel straight edge, cut off one spring perch and clean it all up, measure from the existing one, clamp the c channel to both, square it up and presto, weld in place. Lots of measuring as it was my first time doing such a precise project.
RZucker
Senior Member
I do my best, but on a 40 year old trailer the rebuilt parts will probably last longer than me or the rest of the trailer. This will get a sandblast job and then be soaked with Rustoleum primer before a couple coats of Rustoleum black.
I've experimented with 2 part primers and paints and IMO they aren't any better for old hay wagons. Some intersecting joint that will have only 2 welds and 2 open sides will get a weld through primer or even get sealed with cheap clear silicone if the metal isn't very heavy.
RZucker
Senior Member
Preparation H will fix that hose.
RZucker
Senior Member
Not sure, no builder plates to be found, Has a Washington assigned vin tag. The owners keep copies of the trailer registration on the truck book.
I'm thinking maybe an early 80's Alloy or Great Dane. Really deep side rails. I'll add a pic to this in a bit.
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Ronsii
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2011
- Messages
- 3,464
- Location
- Western Washington
- Occupation
- s/e Heavy equipment operator
Nice stretch job!!!Well, you can do it! but its a little bit involved. One of the big vendors, I think it was southwest wheel had an axle package deal, 3k for a pair of 12k disc brake axles, springs, equalizers and everything to the door. Someone else up north had a killer deal on tires and wheels.
Spring perches moved out 2 inches
Space made for a spacer
Spacers made from DOM tubing turned to be an exact match for wall thickness
Stretch installed, I held the tubes square with 8 clamps on 2 pieces of 4x4 I beam clamped on either side, root pass of 6010 and a little hot, 7018 built up over that for 3 passes. Not the prettiest welds I've done but decent. Preheat was done with a big propane weed burner to keep the warping under control. When I finished there was a small deflection in the axle, that was fixed with one more weld.
So I noticed you didn't ground the welder to one of those nice new shiny bare lug nuts....
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Early Sinner or Marques maybe ?
RZucker
Senior Member
Maybe, It did come from an orchard company in the Sunnyside/Grandview area.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
That's a clean shop!
Oh goodness no, mostly my truck bed!Nice stretch job!!!
So I noticed you didn't ground the welder to one of those nice new shiny bare lug nuts....
RZucker
Senior Member
Hah, I wish. On the other side of the trailer by the hay grapple project is my welding bench... it's about 3 layers deep right now with parts for different projects.
petepilot
Senior Member
its called regroovingNice, looks cleaner already
Man... I thought I was cheap!!!! but you're one of the few guys I've seen trying to keep a tire legal by deepening the tread with a grinder...