HMD
09-04-2003, 01:13 PM
Last night I got stopped just before leaving work by my friend who needed help. He runs auto transport and has a Chavy 3500 with 45' goose neck wedge deck trailer - hauls 3 vehicles easily. I had told him that I didn't like the installation of the goose neck ball mount in the bed the day he brought it home from the trailer shop (note: Maryland Guys - stay clear of the trailer place in Seabrook MD). The main plate is mounted through the top flanges of the truck frame (I don't think it's cosher, but I'm no expert, I'm into big trucks / equipment, and it hasn't failed yet) with 4 1/2" grade 5 bolts - not much to be pulling that much around. Not to mention the fact that the standard procedure for big trucks is NEVER, drill into the frame flanges - only the sides. I warned him that it may eventually crack the truck frame.
Last night, his driver called in saying the ball let loose from the main plate.
He parked the trailer (luckily the broken ball mount jammed itself well enough that the trailer did actually break free) and hauled ass to my shop.
What I found was this - the ball had been welded to the wide side of a piece of 4" structural channel which was then welded to the main plate, short sides down. The wide side of that kind of channel is only about 3/16" thick. That's what has been carrying the load - a piece of 3/16" steel! You could see where it just flexxed all this time until it finally cracked and let go.
I trimmed it out, made a 1/2" plate with a hole to weld the ball through from both sides first, braced it with an extra little gusset of 1/2" and dropped it into the channel and welded all the way around. I don't think it will tear loose again.
Too bad the whole main plate will either pull those bolts out or the truck frame will eventually crack.
The moral here is just know who's setting up you're trailer hitch and be sure they can do it right. ( I didn't even go into the numerous times I have repaired that 3 car trailer from cracking / tearing itself apart)
Last night, his driver called in saying the ball let loose from the main plate.
He parked the trailer (luckily the broken ball mount jammed itself well enough that the trailer did actually break free) and hauled ass to my shop.
What I found was this - the ball had been welded to the wide side of a piece of 4" structural channel which was then welded to the main plate, short sides down. The wide side of that kind of channel is only about 3/16" thick. That's what has been carrying the load - a piece of 3/16" steel! You could see where it just flexxed all this time until it finally cracked and let go.
I trimmed it out, made a 1/2" plate with a hole to weld the ball through from both sides first, braced it with an extra little gusset of 1/2" and dropped it into the channel and welded all the way around. I don't think it will tear loose again.
Too bad the whole main plate will either pull those bolts out or the truck frame will eventually crack.
The moral here is just know who's setting up you're trailer hitch and be sure they can do it right. ( I didn't even go into the numerous times I have repaired that 3 car trailer from cracking / tearing itself apart)