Building a trailer: part 4 Once the lower frame is built and the axles are tacked the hitch should be mounted. One of the most common “rookie” mistakes in building a trailer is to make the hitch too short and tool light. For the hitch, I typically use heavy 11 gauge 2x3 tubing. The hitch should come back to at least the second cross member for best support. As far as stickout length, without the coupler mounted, I make sure it sticks out at least 4 feet. This is a good length. A trailer with a hitch that is mounted too short will make the trailer difficult to back, sensitive to loading, and create sway and even jack knifing if the a sudden stop is made. A 2 inch coupler mounted on a 2 inch wide hitch is generally rated up to 3500 lbs. For a trailer this size, a 1 7/8” coupler isn’t usually used. But this is up to the builders/owners discretion. Once the hitch is mounted, it’s a good idea to create an “A” Frame brace on the sides with angle iron. For a trailer this size and weight, 1/8” 2x2 angle iron is more than sufficient. The angles should start behind the second cross member on the outside frame rails and meet about 18” behind the front of the coupler to form an “A” or “V” shape with the hitch tubing running down the center. Before anything is welded solid, make sure the hitch is centered and running at a true 90 degrees to the trailer cross members. You can make sure of your squareness by measuring from the end of the tubing back to the outside corner of the trailer on each side at the same points. If the measurement is off more than 1/8” readjust the tubing until the measurements are equal. A hitch that is not squarely mounted will cause issues with tire wear and tracking issues.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 00:30:00 +0000
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