Welding Tips and Tricks

I currently have a 5x8 trailer but planning to make the fence taller with expanded steel.

The question is, would you take off the single trailer tongue and weld a new A-frame, or would you leave it and weld the A-frame to the tongue to make it rigid? Or is the added weight of the tongue in the middle not worth it? I know I'll have to replace the coupler if I start over but just looking for the expert's opinion.

The reason why I wanted to possibly add the A-frame (or replace it with) is the side-to-side wiggle I find with heavier load (but no more than 600 lbs I haul most of the time).

I would just add a couple of members to the tongue & call it good. No muss, no fuss.

cwby wrote:I would just add a couple of members to the tongue & call it good. No muss, no fuss.

What he said. Mush easier and accomplishes the same thing.

cwby wrote:I would just add a couple of members to the tongue & call it good. No muss, no fuss.

Yep. and this avoids re-routing the electrical harness. Provides all the benefits, none of the downsides.

Awesome, thanks guys!

What do you mean by side to side wiggle? Is it the way the trailer tracks going down the road or is the tongue actually wiggling?

AtoSES wrote:The reason why I wanted to possibly add the A-frame (or replace it with) is the side-to-side wiggle I find with heavier load (but no more than 600 lbs I haul most of the time).

Like mentioned above, wiggling side-to-side could be an indication of a couple things. It may be that the trailer is loaded light on the tongue, or worst case, the axle is not square to the tow point.

FootSoldier wrote:

AtoSES wrote:The reason why I wanted to possibly add the A-frame (or replace it with) is the side-to-side wiggle I find with heavier load (but no more than 600 lbs I haul most of the time).

Like mentioned above, wiggling side-to-side could be an indication of a couple things. It may be that the trailer is loaded light on the tongue, or worst case, the axle is not square to the tow point.

As mentioned, the side to side wiggle is a loading issue with too much weight to the rear of the axel and too little weight on the tongue. If the trailer pulls well empty center the load on or slightly ahead of the axel, not to the rear. The RH picture is a tandom which is probably at least 7000# gross thus the heavier "A" frame tongue as opposed to your little single axel which is likely max 3500#. On a single I always use the single tongue which is simpler and allows a jacknife in tight spots of almost 90% without hitting the jack.

By extending the sides you will be effectively adding some weight to the tongue anyway as the majority of the added material will be ahead of the axel with no gain at the tailgate. If you haven't already spend a couple extra $ on a wheeled jack. Much easier to move around.