Dangerous trailer failure

fabricator1 · Oct 22, 2017

I'll start by saying this trailer is 3 weeks old and It is a big brand name. Im sure many people on here own one. Anyway, had a guy from out of state come up to pick up a vehicle with a brand new 20k lb trailer. Tandem dually equipment trailer. Loaded up everything no problem. He takes off and I get a call about a half hour later. He says the hitch broke off and could I help since he's 9 hours from home. I go meet him and sure enough the pintle eye is broken right off. He's in the ditch, his tailgate and bumper on his truck is destroyed. Long story short, spent most of the day in the rain getting it fixed. He's a little worried since we fixed it, that they won't do anything about it. But being from out of state he didn't have much choice. Took lots of pictures. I'm just glad nobody got seriously hurt or worse. I can't imagine that coming loose at full capacity. it looks like no penetration. If I were the manufacturer, I'd be worried about how many more are out there :****:

fabricator1 · Oct 22, 2017

fabricator1 · Oct 22, 2017

fabricator1 · Oct 22, 2017

TBItoy · Oct 22, 2017

Re: Dangerous trailer failure

Look like someone had the welder set to tickle instead of kill

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CHASMAN9 · Oct 23, 2017

Lots of rust showing under the welds, that should be proof enough for me. JS

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whiskeymakin · Oct 23, 2017

That's awful. No telling what all will be falling off next

mcutler · Oct 23, 2017

Re: Dangerous trailer failure

Wow. But really not surprised. I have one "chain" brand trailer and a "mom and pop" shop built trailer. The quality differences are astounding, but the price difference was negligible.

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truckbroke · Oct 23, 2017

What manufacture was it? Kinda is what it is. If someone else has a trailer from them this might help them go ahead and check theirs before they hit the road. Its not bashing the company its just saying that somewhere they got a welder who`s not welding his work correctly.

poolman · Oct 23, 2017

I agree

ranger11 · Oct 23, 2017

Re:

Big Tex???

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Hillbilly Beast · Oct 23, 2017

I'm guessing gator made

Sawzall · Oct 23, 2017

I recently bought a used Western Hauler brand bed. One frame rail is 2/3 of the way broken loose. It looks like they didn't grind the coating off before they welded. I wonder if that is what is causing some of the trailer weld failures.

Throttleout · Oct 23, 2017

I am going to guess there is no beveling, or pre heating. Also a pretty crap vertical up stich weld.
X2 gator made

Zjman · Oct 23, 2017

Re: Dangerous trailer failure

Man why all the guessing? I would be taking that trailer back and getting a refund, damn lucky he didn't get killed, sucks it tore his truck up and I'm sure they won't pay for that but surely they make the trailer right

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Dwalk · Oct 23, 2017

Most trailer manufacturers use $9/hr JoeBob John the welder to build trailers. This doesn't suprise me.

5BrothersFabrication · Oct 23, 2017

We work on mostly big trailers, but we do some smaller trailers. You would be amazed at how cheaply these things are built. Look at the welds on the crossmembers on your Big Tex, Pace, Look, Featherlite, all your big name trailers. It looks like somebody welded it on with coat hangers and car batteries. The crossmembers and main frame rails are 1/8", the panels on an enclosed are paper thin, it's no wonder that you can buy a new trailer and in a couple years it's absolutely ragged out. But if they built one well, used thicker materials, it would cost and weigh twice as much.

fabricator1 · Oct 23, 2017

Re:

ranger11 said:
Big Tex???

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ranger11 · Oct 23, 2017

Re:

fabricator1 said:

I figured. I looked at them a few years back and wasn't impressed. I had the finance paper work done and backed out. Glad he didn't get hurt or kill anyone.

5bro is right the welds all look like crap on the cross members. The stitch weld on the hitch makes you wonder who thought lets save money and not fully weld it.