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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Alumin trailer
- - By lo-hi (**) Date 04-27-2014 13:10
Had a guy call about fixing an aluminum trailer frame. Its a 40' flatbed with the spread axle design. Axles are about 8 to 10 feet apart. It has stress cracks through the webs on both sides from making sharp turns with a load on. I turned it down, not having anyplace indoors big enough to warm it up and stay out of the wind. I'm thinking that the cracks are caused by work hardening and that any repair may not hold anyway. Wondering if anybody has been through this type of repair, what grade of aluminum it might be and whether or not its just a can of worms I don't want to open. The customer just wanted it covered up so D.O.T check points wont deadline him. I'm not going to be the one who touched it last without making a honest repair effort.
Parent - By TRC (***) Date 04-28-2014 10:49
Good call- Ted
Parent - By Tyrone (***) Date 04-28-2014 11:09
A problem with aluminum is it's limited fatigue life.  Going down the roads, loaded, vibrations.....eventually it will crack. 
The trick is designing it to last over a limited time.
Tyrone
Parent - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 04-28-2014 12:43
Very wise call!! The good ole "can't you just go over it so it don't look like it's cracked" routine. I would have given him a can of undercoating or something. I get calls several times a year, can you fix a trailer hitch, can you fix this trailer and the latest was can you weld this auto lift to the frame of my truck as I am a repo man.

I wouldn't touch it because the guy might be overloading it for one, another is your commercial insurance. Will it cover such repairs? I know mine has called out no repairs to frames, hitches and several other things as there is a higher liability. It's funny, I can weld on live gas lines but trailer hitches and frames is more money!

Cover it up, hahaha!! That's great responsibility right there. Also the next traffic accident with an innocent victim killed by some cheap m.f'r., nice.

Sorry, can't help you on the aluminum bit...

Shawn
Parent - - By 99205 (***) Date 04-28-2014 15:54
The only real way that can be repaired is to get the design engineer to issue a repair procedure for the problem.  He will spell out exactly what needs to be done and if any additional structural strengthening needs to be done.  Without a signed off repair procedure it would be a no go for me.
Parent - By Lawrence (*****) Date 04-28-2014 21:05
I agree with Doug... Brief and Perfect !

Now the manufacturer of the trailer (OEM) might just have written doccumentation if they are a major player ....  But they may hold those dearly....  Ya never know unless you sniff it out...  It might also open the door for a relationship in the role of OEM certified repair guy/station
Parent - - By lo-hi (**) Date 04-29-2014 12:05
The crazy thing about it was the way the frame was made. It appeared to be two large T shaped extrusions welded together. The weld down the center appeared to be continuous about 3/4 of a inch wide and perfect. Almost like sub arc on carbon steel. Would really like to tour the factory and see the process.
Parent - By Dualie (***) Date 04-30-2014 04:57
Lincoln superglaze, run on a track welder.   With the right settings and travel speeds lays down like nothing else.
- By Dualie (***) Date 04-29-2014 04:31
not much to say other than whats been said above.  we had an aluminum trailer just like you describe, it was a dorsey if i remember correctly.  Bought it at an auction for scrap price.    while it didnt have any major frame rail cracking it seems like all we ever did was chase cracks at all the cross members.     It finally needed a set of brakes and i got my money back when i sent it to the ye old scrap yard.     I don't miss it one bit.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Alumin trailer

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