Stiffening up some square tubing???

[Bigfoot]

Built this little extension to a receiver hitch. I hoped it would lift the front end enough to dump rock out the back. With the top link screwed all the way in, it gets pretty close. Problem is the square tubing looks like it is just about to bend. I've got some flat stock laying around. Think a couple pieces welded to the top, and a couple pieces welded to the bottom would be enough? Too dangerous to mess with?

 

[callmefence]

Weld it the flat stock to the sides , on the vertical.

 

[Brute 23]

That's pretty sketchy. I dont think adding flat bar will help you long term. You would need to weld it vertical on the top and bottom.

Can you you make another tongue that run parallel to that one with a hinge point by the axle? Then put a hydraulic cylinder from the new tongue to the front of the trailer. That would give you a true dump action.

 

[Bigfoot]

That's pretty sketchy. I dont think adding flat bar will help you long term. You would need to weld it vertical on the top and bottom.

Can you you make another tongue that run parallel to that one with a hinge point by the axle? Then put a hydraulic cylinder from the new tongue to the front of the trailer. That would give you a true dump action.

Yeah, it's sketchier than I thought. In my head the concept seemed flawless. Your idea is great, but more fabrication than I probably need to get in to.

 

[jltrent]

For a quick fix that is about as good as you are going to get is take a chain and weld and/or attach near the end of your square tube (were it hooks to the trailer) and mount it at and angle to were your top link goes in the hole. That is the way some Bush Hogs get their strength with a chain attached and it is strong.

You need one of these 5 ton 6x6 trucks pulling it. That would be cool.

 

[Bigfoot]

I've got an old boom pole, that is longer and stronger. I could probably hook it to the trailer with a clevis. The square tubing was not as strong as I thought it would be. I thought being able to put the pentle hitch on it would make it better.

 

[Bigfoot]

For a quick fix that is about as good as you are going to get is take a chain and weld and/or attach near the end of your square tube (were it hooks to the trailer and mount it at and angle to were your top link goes in the hole. That is the way some Bush Hogs get their strength with a chain attached and it is strong.

you need one of these 5 ton 6x6 trucks pulling it. That would be cool.

Also a good ide on bracing it your way. I had wanted one of these old army trailers for a while. I might have even posted about it, but I couldn't find it with a search. 2 1/2 ton of rocks won't even squat it any. It would easily hold 4 tons of rock, but I had'nt put that much in it yet. Wish I had a way to dump/spread.

 

[sstterry]

This is not a solution at all, but my father taught welding and shop for 30 years (emphasis on Vo-Ag). When I first saw this thread I thought I should call him, he will know. Sadly he has been gone a few years and I never bothered to learn what he could teach me. He built just about everything on the farm, even his own gooseneck 20 ft cattle trailer.

The only thing I came up with (aside from the vertical bracing) was to refabricate and use a solid piece of steel rather than tubing, that could be a big load to lift.

 

[wbvs58]

I would beef it up a bit as Fence suggested but also add some chain and a big turnbuckle from close to the hitch back up to your top link similar to what jl suggested.

Ken

 

[Brute 23]

For reference next time round pipe is stronger than square tubing for things like that. Shoving a piece of pipe or solid bar inside the square tubing will help to strengthen it up a lot also.

 

[T & B farms]

A piece of heavy angle iron the same width would stiffen it up a lot. I'd weld one top and bottom if it didn't interfere with anything

 

[Bigfoot]

I think I'll weld about a foot of chain out on the pentle hitch end, and use this to bind against a chain on the top link. I actually have a chain already with a tab welded on it to put a pin through.

 

[jltrent]

I think I'll weld about a foot of chain out on the pentle hitch end, and use this to bind against a chain on the top link. I actually have a chain already with a tab welded on it to put a pin through.

I meant to put a picture of one of those up exactly like that to pull the chain tight. You will be able to load your trailer up until it brings the front of the tractor off the ground.

 

[Bigfoot]

Hopefully fixed. Raining too hard try at the moment

 

[callmefence]

Hopefully fixed. Raining too hard try at the moment

Before I enlarged the picture I thought you had a chair mounted on it.

 

[Bigfoot]

Hopefully fixed. Raining too hard try at the moment

Before I enlarged the picture I thought you had a chair mounted on it.

Shamefully, I set to do a lot of things. Only way the back and hip can make it 12 - 16 hours. Think it will work?

 

[littletom]

Can put a spine on it. Have seen lot boom poles like that. Heavy flat iron pieces short on the ends taller in the middle. Go across them with some sucker rod.

 

[wbvs58]

Looks good Bigfoot. I would probably do a bit of bracing in the horizontal plane as well.

Ken

 

[callmefence]

Hopefully fixed. Raining too hard try at the moment

Before I enlarged the picture I thought you had a chair mounted on it.

Shamefully, I set to do a lot of things. Only way the back and hip can make it 12 - 16 hours. Think it will work?

Should work as long as you don't sit on it. Otherwise Gonna need more steel... ;-)

 

[Nesikep]

Here's my thoughts.. 2x2 is just weak all around for this job, welding flat bar to it will help, but going to a 3x3x square tube would help a lot... bracing with the chain should work as long as you don't have too much side load (one trailer tire getting stuck against a rock, etc)

To get more dump action, put the tractor end of the top link in the bottom hole, and maybe extend the top of your hitch frame upward and get another hole there further up, that'll cause more rotation and better lift.