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Need advice on trailer reinforcement


DOJOLOACH2

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I bought the boat/ trailer with this issue known but now it needs immediate repair I would say.

I'm thinking either of these methods:

-Weld on 2 plates spanning across this middle weldment section. Then repaint.

Or bolt some extruded L beam steel to either side of the crossmembers on the outer sides of the flat bottom weldment.

 

Anyone done something like this before?

 

20200513_124355.jpg

20200513_124443.jpg

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I had a Mastercraft ProStar trailer that looked almost identical to this. I do not have good news. I thought I could do as you proposed. When I started cutting and cleaning things up so I could weld we ended up not finding any suitable metal to weld to. It was all too far gone. If your trailer is anything like mine was, there were many spots that looks like this after we scraped the paint off. I ended up cutting the trailer apart and scrapping it. After cutting it apart and seeing the state of the metal, I realized just how dangerous this trailer was. (see attached). A new boatmate trailer was ordered. 

IMG_2224-3.jpg

Edited by sambo0012
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15 minutes ago, sambo0012 said:

I had a Mastercraft ProStar trailer that looked almost identical to this. I do not have good news. I thought I could do as you proposed. When I started cutting and cleaning things up so I could weld we ended up not finding any suitable metal to weld to. It was all too far gone. If your trailer is anything like mine was, there were many spots that looks like this after we scraped the paint off. I ended up cutting the trailer apart and scrapping it. After cutting it apart and seeing the state of the metal, I realized just how dangerous this trailer was. (see attached). A new boatmate trailer was ordered. 

IMG_2224-3.jpg

The rest of my trailer looks fine , but I haven't cut in or shaved paint off. However I think these two beams are bad because the water had no place to drain out of

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Welding the plates is going to be the correct choice behind cutting out the bad section and replacing it. Just have to hope as you start cleaning the paint off on both sides it isn't hiding more damage as Sambo found. A good welding shop should have no problem repairing it if there is good metal to work with. Hard part may be figuring out how to remove and store the boat while they do the work. If you have a local marina with dry docks they should be able to help with that.

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you dont want to just weld over the bad spots.  Unless treated, the rusting of the old metal with continue to grow (into the new metal too).  Hence why its called "cancer".  The proper way is to cut out ALL the bad metal.  You will deff need to remove paint to make sure all you have left after the surgery is pretty shiny bare steel.  Use tubing to fill in the bad spots.  I would also recommend using a fish plate at major weld seams.  This will add extra strength and keep your butt welds from ripping apart from stress.

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They are telling the truth.  You will be able to ram a screwdriver through that metal a lot further up from the center than you can imagine.  Any "repair" you make now should be considered a reprieve from eminent danger, not a permanent fix.  Order a new trailer as soon as you can.

I scabbed on a piece of scrap Z metal to get a few more months out of mine (basically because I knew I had to trailer it at least one more time about 30 minutes to swap to the new trailer when it came in).  I don't recommend removing any metal or trying to patch in to what you have, just leave it in place and put a new piece all the way across.  If you can find some good metal to weld to on the old one, great.  Grind it clean and weld away.

Angle iron is a good choice since it's cheap, strong, and easy to work.

A6HQc6O.jpg

That old rust bucket is now gone to trailer heaven.  I'm rocking a semi-custom aluminum job now, so I'm in good shape for quite a while.

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5 hours ago, Texan32 said:

you dont want to just weld over the bad spots.  Unless treated, the rusting of the old metal with continue to grow (into the new metal too).  Hence why its called "cancer".  The proper way is to cut out ALL the bad metal.  You will deff need to remove paint to make sure all you have left after the surgery is pretty shiny bare steel.  Use tubing to fill in the bad spots.  I would also recommend using a fish plate at major weld seams.  This will add extra strength and keep your butt welds from ripping apart from stress.

Having bought the boat last July, these responses are depressing lol $$$.

I trailer my boat to the lake 8 miles one way, so it isn't too far but I've got an appointment to get her fixed on the  28th. 

None of the repair places around here can store the boat and this will be a pita!

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17 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Be sure to post pics of the new alu trailer!

It's in the "lastest" purchases thread, maybe the garage projects thread, back around August.

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13 hours ago, DOJOLOACH2 said:

Having bought the boat last July, these responses are depressing lol $$$.

I trailer my boat to the lake 8 miles one way, so it isn't too far but I've got an appointment to get her fixed on the  28th. 

None of the repair places around here can store the boat and this will be a pita!

I did mine with the boat still on it.  I used a piece of aluminum flashing to help keep splatter off of the boat.

Yes, welding upside down stinks.

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3 hours ago, justgary said:

I did mine with the boat still on it.  I used a piece of aluminum flashing to help keep splatter off of the boat.

Yes, welding upside down stinks.

I know several welders that could do this for me but they aren't really trailer guys.

When you fabricated the new pieces did you make them identical to the old piece? I'm thinking I may ordee some galvanized steel myself, get the pieces cut and prepped, then hand off to the welder while some of my pals go wakeboard

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26 minutes ago, DOJOLOACH2 said:

some galvanized steel myself, get the pieces cut and prepped, then hand off to the welder

Welding already galvanized steel is not for amateurs.  You can get "galvanize poisoning/metal fume fever".  Not good.

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20 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Welding already galvanized steel is not for amateurs.  You can get "galvanize poisoning/metal fume fever".  Not good.

Any ideas on what a good price would be to have a shop do this? I'm getting a couple quotes tomorrow but want to know beforehand.

I'm hoping just for the crossmember it'll be under 500

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1 minute ago, DOJOLOACH2 said:

Any ideas on what a good price would be to have a shop do this? I'm getting a couple quotes tomorrow but want to know beforehand.

I'm hoping just for the crossmember it'll be under 500

No idea what prices are like in your area.  You can check the cost of stell at Metalsupermarket etc.  They will even cut it to size so the welder tacks it, adds some fish plates and finished the welds.  You spray it and done. 

One more option I just thought of:  you could bolt on a sistered  piece jst like t original.  Ugly, but it would work.  My guess is that you have lots  of undiscovered issues on that trailer so I think this is all stop-gap.

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29 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Welding already galvanized steel is not for amateurs.  You can get "galvanize poisoning/metal fume fever".  Not good.

Any monkey can do it - wear a respirator when you are welding.

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You should be able to buy prefab x members that you can fit to length.  Alternately if you make them, make sure they bend them, not cut and weld - that will be the first place the rust starts.  If you make them, spraying the inside of the new crossmember and the weld areas will make it last longer.

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My old trailer was in similar condition, more like your second pic and not as bad as your first.  I had a plated welded to each side of this cross member, and one on the bottom (I think) and it lasted that way for the 8 years that I had that trailer and sold it to a guy that hauled it 7 hours to Wisconsin.

 

Trailer repair.jpg

Trailer repair.jpg

Edited by Michigan boarder
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Before repair it appears that at the crack is open at the bottom which implies it is sagging. Place a piece of 2x4 under the flat section and jack up to close gap to get back in original position. To determine the limits of deterioration I would drill some holes along the bottom to find the thickest wall section. Once you find good areas make a template of the areas needing replacement out of cardboard. Then measure the length along the bottom so a replacement tube can be purchased. The secret to having a good butt splice weld is to have backing on the inside. For me I would say this is a 8 hr job. If corrosion is more than 1/2 way just replace the hole cross member.

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On 5/14/2020 at 12:33 PM, DOJOLOACH2 said:

I know several welders that could do this for me but they aren't really trailer guys.

When you fabricated the new pieces did you make them identical to the old piece? I'm thinking I may ordee some galvanized steel myself, get the pieces cut and prepped, then hand off to the welder while some of my pals go wakeboard

No, I added pieces next to the old tube.  I used what I had on hand.  Call a local welder, and they will probably have angle on hand that will work.  If you are in an area that has a lot of galvanized trailers, maybe a local dealer will have a galvanized scrapper in the yard that they will let you cut a few pieces from.

 

On 5/14/2020 at 1:00 PM, Eagleboy99 said:

Welding already galvanized steel is not for amateurs.  You can get "galvanize poisoning/metal fume fever".  Not good.

 

On 5/14/2020 at 8:40 PM, carguy79ta said:

Also on welding galvanized metal..grind it off. Always weld onto fresh ground metal when you can. 

^^^ This.  You need to grind rust, paint, and galvanizing away where you are welding anyway, and it won't matter if the rest of the part is galvanized.   Notice in my photo above that I sprayed the welds with "cold galvanizing" paint.  I did it while the welds were still hot.  The welds were the part I wanted to protect since the parts were freshly ground in those areas.  The rusty parts were protected by rust already.

Remember that you are making a patch, not restoring your trailer to its original capacity.  Go with an aluminum I beam trailer, not tube steel.

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The term galvanized is a process of hot dipping iron in a vat of molten zinc. Having zinc in the weld puddle will contaminate and leave deficient weld. Grind back the weld area till you see a good spark off the grinding wheel. Zinc will not shed sparks as it has no iron and is soft. If you look at the grind back area you can see the difference in the zinc and steel. Make sure the low point of cross member has a few drain holes

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I'm working to find a website selling pre fabricated/bent carbon steel cross members. Any recommendations? I've found some on trailerpartdepot.com I'm going to call and see if they can cut to custom length.

Just going to use carbon steel with rust inhibitor on the outside

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