Square tubing question

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- SteveB
  
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posted
19 years ago

Tue, Mar 15, 2005 3:28 AM

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

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- yourname
  
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posted
19 years ago

Tue, Mar 15, 2005 3:55 AM

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

Yer truck

fix it if it bends

SteveB wrote:

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- Tom Martinello
  
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posted
19 years ago

Tue, Mar 15, 2005 5:46 PM

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.