Thread: Help please! Jackknife = trailer & chassis repair

So for the trailer
Do the bolts need to be hardened steel? I'm assuming so but unsure what grade. What have other people used, cut heads off some bolts and welded them in or cut up some threaded bar?
If so what size as I'll probably have to get some sent to the post office here as limited options to source up here.

For the bumper do you think it can be pulled out and used or will it need to have some plate welded to it?
And recommendations for how to straighten it wolf be great as all I can think of is huge breaker bar through the pintle..,.

There is a workshop here but I can also lend a welder from a mate up here.

Dam what a stupid thing to do....

From the pictures, I would say that the cross member is OK as is (until back to civilisation), although if possible I would replace the bolts, at least on the left side. Long term, it looks very like a replacement cross member to me!

The trailer, I can't really comment on as I have no experience with them.

John

I'd be inclined to head to one of the local workshops to get them to have look.
Cape York Mechanical Services - Cape York, Queensland Australia
They may have the bolts on hand you want as I'm sure your not the first to do this.
The rear bumper is also a cross member for the chassis so have look over the full width for damage, not just at the hitch bolting points.
The force it took to bend things needs to be replicated to put it back, a side pull may help but you need to make sure you don't make things worse.
In situations like this a second or third opinion is well worth seeking as pictures while helpful don't always tell the full story.


Let us know how you get on.

the ring has failed as intended,

cut of the remaining damaged bolts and threaded rod to get the link off, check it for damage

grind off the remains of the sheared bolts and then using some suitably long bolts with the heads cut off weld them back in place and secure with new nuts.

leave 2 of the bolts in place so you can use the lunet as a template to mount the replacement bolts, weld them in then grind off the remaining 2. this ensures the new bolts are correctly aligned.

Originally Posted by alien

I'd be inclined to head to one of the local workshops to get them to have look.
Cape York Mechanical Services - Cape York, Queensland Australia
They may have the bolts on hand you want as I'm sure your not the first to do this.
The rear bumper is also a cross member for the chassis so have look over the full width for damage, not just at the hitch bolting points.
The force it took to bend things needs to be replicated to put it back, a side pull may help but you need to make sure you don't make things worse.
In situations like this a second or third opinion is well worth seeking as pictures while helpful don't always tell the full story.


Let us know how you get on.

I would use high tensile bolts and cut the heads off to replace the broken ones, if you can get hold of a Porta-power and brace it against an inner crossmember that you could pack and support with hardwood timbers you would probably be able to jack the rear crossmember back to near it's original possy. Or maybe use a High lift Jack or a hydraulic jack that will work on it's side, just be careful if you do this that the point your jack is pushing from is stronger and won't move when you start jacking the back out, good luck, Regards Frank.

The trailer looks readily repairable with a grinder and a welder and a few bolts
If the fella at the workshop has no bolts ask around at a few build sites
Four M12 concrete embedded studs would work perfectly

Ramset Australia


How much trouble is it to remove the tow hitch - id be wanting to clean and inspect that hitch for cracking before towing the PDR
With new bolts the twisted rear cross member is unlikely to be troublesome

If only you were 800km south the shed here has everything to square that mis-hap up???

Steve

I did a similar thing on the rear of my 130 a while go. I also have the same pintle. I put an eight foot piece of gal pipe the right size into the pintle and gently eased it back straight. The rear cross member is only made of mild steel sheet metal and will give. Won't return perfectly as you have stretched the metal but you will live with it. I assume your pintle is attached with high tensile bolts so they should be ok.

Awesome thanks for the info guys! I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get the workshop to weld them as I don't want clutter my mates driveway for days if I can't find the bolts in time.

Thanks for the offer Steve, sounds like Cooktown is a good place to break down.