buckled frame

[yanmars]

I have a 20 feet long deck (24 feet or nearly so with the tongue) trailer. I think it was an old mobile home trailer frame build. Has worked for nearly 30 years transporting on occasion my 33 and 45 horsepower loader tractors and 3pt attachments.
Today I was unloading my Mahindra 4510 with a loader (bucket was off) but the bush hog was on. Noticed when I finished the frame was bent near the wheels on the right side.
Took it to the welding shop to decide if they can straighten it and/or add in a new piece of I beam and make it safe or better use the money on a different trailer.
The ramps are heavy hickory and getting harder to lift. We shall see.

 

[4570Man]

Mobile homes and campers have paper thin frames.

 

[ArlyA]

New trailer time.

 

[BravoXray]

Mobile homes and campers have paper thin frames.

When you see them hauling a stack of them to the factories around here, they wave around like wet noodles. The wood structure is most of the strength once their built.

 

[CliffordK]

Do you have any pictures?

See what the welding shop says.

A car body shop will have the tools to straighten the trailer, and it should be pretty quick. Then you might be able to reinforce the area around the axles some.

Of course, paying full shop rates and you will exceed the value of the trailer pretty quickly.

My utility trailer flexes slightly behind the rear axle. If loading or unloading something with wheels, I generally put my floor jack in the middle to give the rear end some extra support. But, carrying something heavy like bricks behind the rear axle, I can definitely see a little flex (non permanent).

 

[newbury]

Has worked for nearly 30 years

Maybe they were built better back then.

 

[ArlyA]

Maybe they were built better back then.

I'd guess luck or lighter loads.

 

[yanmars]

Actually I think the frame is from the 1950s. I just got it in the 80s.

 

[nyone]

I used a friends camper frame car trailer once. The thing towed like a wet noodle. That was the first and last time I ever used it.

 

[yanmars]

I drove by the welding shop late this afternoon. It appears the trailer is repaired and the pallet issue straightened. I did not bring my trailer hitch so it may be Wed before I can pick it up. Will find out then.