Tongue weld - how bad is this?

[WBusa]

Hi folks; I need the opinion of someone who really knows trailer tongues.



Attached is a pic of the tongue of the old used 2-horse trailer we just purchased. Orange arrow points to a broken weld on the tongue, just behind the jack. The break does not look 'fresh'; has probably been there for a while (and recently painted over). The trailer was in frequent use in this state just before we bought it. It seems to me this is not a load-bearing seam, and therefore not a big concern... but I'm no kinda engineer, so what do I know? Green arrow points to region of horizontal metal sheet that has been dished upwards a bit, which is probably what caused this weld to break in the first place. I can tell you this:

1. Trailer just recently passed state inspection looking like this... which means next to nothing here in SW Pennsylvania... depending on the shop doing the inspection, you could pass with one wheel missing.

2. Trailer passed its first road-test with flying colors yesterday, a ton of hay simulating the weight of two horses. The break was unchanged in length and width after this tow.



How concerned should I be about this issue? Concerned enough to pay someone to fix it (if that's even possible)?

 

[BPonci]

I know in my state you can weld on the tounge but not the eye(hitch). That thing looks like it needs some supports or scarf it off and start over. Metal look thin from here.

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

That is just a cover plate to keep junk out of the back of the hitch. The material used on the hitch is much heavier 3/8". I wouldn't worry about it too much. You could probably go to a muffler shop and get it welded for $20. It does not bear any load an is safe to haul with...

 

[PJereb]

Looks safe..... except for the safety chains.



I agree that it is just a cover, not any sort of support. It is odd that they welded the jack to the tongue. Usually the jack is bolted so that the jack can easily be replaced when it is damaged. Some day down the road you may think about cutting all of that mess off, grinding the channel iron flat, and starting over with a new ball coupler and trailer jack.



I would strongly suggest that you get some 5/16” or larger hardened chain, some D-rings and some shackles and weld the D-ring mounts directly to the channel iron. Your current safety chain would break if your trailer ever became uncoupled.



Peter

 

[WBusa]

Hey, thanks for the quick and helpful feedback. I'll make replacing those wimpy safety chains a priority.

 

[y-knot]

From what i can see in the picture, it would be almost impossible for me or anyone else to determan how safe or unsafe the hitch really is. If their is nothing else under the sheet metal cover, the hitch is junk and should be replaced. You need to have someone local take a look at it. You must have some doubts about it's construction or you would not have posted, so why not let a local trailer or welding shop look it over?