Square tubing question
 

I bought an ATV trailer the other day. A nice one for two ATVs, with a flat
metal deck made out of small punched channel, the frame made out of 2" x 3"
rails. Powder coated. Attatched ramps. It looks really nice. It has a
3,000# axle.

My only question is that it has a 3" x 3" square tube hitch. The member has
been form bent. I know that the thing will bend if jacknifed, as I have
repaired many of them that were bent. I usually just cut out the bad part
and replaced with new 3" x 3" x .120" tube. I have seen a jillion of them
on boat trailers.

I will be hauling two ATVs, combined weight about 1,250, and they can be
positioned so that there is not a lot of tongue weight.

If it was you, would you put diagonal long braces, or gusset up the bends?
The bends are slight, and guess they were done to make the hitch higher. I
hate to mess up the powder coating.

Steve

I'' bet they are weak on purpose, what will bend if the trailer doesn't?

Yer truck

fix it if it bends

SteveB wrote:
I bought an ATV trailer the other day. A nice one for two ATVs, with a flat
metal deck made out of small punched channel, the frame made out of 2" x 3"
rails. Powder coated. Attatched ramps. It looks really nice. It has a
3,000# axle.

My only question is that it has a 3" x 3" square tube hitch. The member has
been form bent. I know that the thing will bend if jacknifed, as I have
repaired many of them that were bent. I usually just cut out the bad part
and replaced with new 3" x 3" x .120" tube. I have seen a jillion of them
on boat trailers.

I will be hauling two ATVs, combined weight about 1,250, and they can be
positioned so that there is not a lot of tongue weight.

If it was you, would you put diagonal long braces, or gusset up the bends?
The bends are slight, and guess they were done to make the hitch higher. I
hate to mess up the powder coating.

Steve

SteveB wrote:

My only question is that it has a 3" x 3" square tube hitch. The member
has been form bent. I know that the thing will bend if jacknifed, as I
have repaired many of them that were bent. I usually just cut out the
bad part and replaced with new 3" x 3" x .120" tube. I have seen a
jillion of them on boat trailers.
If it was you, would you put diagonal long braces, or gusset up the
bends? The bends are slight, and guess they were done to make the hitch
higher. I hate to mess up the powder coating.

Personally, I would just make sure you don't jackknife your trailer. That
way, you are not damaging your vehicle, the trailer, or the equipment you
are carrying. I have a homemade trailer with 3" x 3" square tubing, and
HAVE jackknifed the trailer a couple times -- not on purpose -- and nothing
has bent. Also, you just make sure your trailer's safety chains are long
enough to DO the turns you need to do, but short enough so they do not allow
for jackknifing.