Saturday, October 22, 2011

Progress Report on The Pin Box Repair

Made quite a bit of progress 'fore dark last evening... and he should button his part up today. The three main re-enforcement plates are attached and mostly welded in place... Still a few "burns" to make... but he ran out of daylight.

*Re-enforcing Plates*

Looks kinda different compared to the pathetic crap that had been stuck in there back in West Yellowstone... Don't ya think? Those welds look juuuuuuuuuust a mite different too don't they? :)

*West Yellowstone ... um... Welding?*

Amazing what a difference ability makes! and how bad you can get... um ... USED...  when you're stuck with the only game in town... and that Game, don't have a whole lot of integrity...

He's not done yet though. He'll run two 2X4 tubes back from the outside plates to the next cross member... as well as adding four large gussets to sturdy things up more.

So now, rather than all the torque, of the normal "rotation" physics of the pin box, concentrating a huge percentage of the pressure to the ENDS of the two main welds where the back of the pin box was attached; That torque will be dispersed, by those plates, so that it is pulling the plates, into, the back of the beam, rather than tearing away from the front, at those two small points, at the ends of those Two welds.

Plus, it is dispersed all along that beam, rather than focused in the center...Plus, it is dispersed through the two tubes, and four gussets to be added, all across the frame structure of the trailer.

Bottom line? THIS repair will hold, and, I won't be worryin'... when I cross the paint stripes on the pavement, when I'm pulling into a gas station, that the "Bump" is gonna split something! ;)

*Nunn, Colorado sunset*

Even the sunset was cheered up by the progress!

We'll soon be warming to the sunsets of the Arizona Desert. HooYa!

Ready to Roll... Just Gotta Be Patient
Brian

Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road

1 comment:

One old man Known as Gramps said...

A Good Weld is a Beautiful Thing,,,Your going to owe your friend for a long time,,LOL,,,I have an Uncle who was a Production Welder,,He is retired now,,But while he was working He Welded a Lot of Water Towers...His welds where X-Rayed for pin Holes,,,He Never had to Re-Do a weld,,,Needless to say when I need welding done he is the ONE I call,,I can see when this repair is made the hitch will no longer be a Problem..Good luck on your going,, Keep the Shiny side UP,,, I Enjoy your Honesty & your Blog...One old man Known as Gramps