What to do ? What to do?

[Billy]

So I have been wanting to get a tounge extension for a while now and finally saved a little extra . So I called around and found a local trailer shop that that would do it.

The existing frame is a 3" frame with a inside diameter of 2.5" square tube.

We spoke over the phone and I told him I wanted him to cut off my rusty welded on coupling, and take a 8' long 2.5" O/D GALVANIZED tube and drill a few holes add a pin and a new coupler. He quoted me $125-$150. So I brought it in.

I droped it off, abd we went over what I wanted. While just talking about how bad the salt is and the need for GALVANIZED steel. In the parking lot he sold me on a new tounge jack, quoted me $40. So know we're at $190 worse case.

I get a call to come get it today and I ask what the total is.........he said $298 + tax!!! I asked why so high and he said it was b/c of the jack. I replyed I would like to discuss it when I get there. I show up and the extension is not galvanived! And the jack ($60) is 4 times too big! 1500 lbs. I come in and he says he couldn't find galvanized in a 2.5" stick so he used that. He told me he had 2" and could weld a piece of raw steel on the inside. But that would rust to. He already had welded a piece on the out side where he cut the old coupler off.
I said let me go out side and look at it again and think about it. He said sure. I came back in and said let's order a piece because you can find it online, and he interrupted and said, here's what I'm gonna do. U pay me for my jack ($60) and u get your trailer and leave! I was kinda in shock so I paid $60 and left.
Now I have welded steel on my trailer and a raw steel extension. But I do have a free coupling and pin.

[MacGyver]

Wow, what a dickhead........ surprising what people will do with someones stuff, set up like they are going to do this certain work, then do opposite, half assed work......

One thing you could do for now is after using the trailer, rinse the steel really well with regular water.
you could also use etching primer and spray paint to paint the raw steel but first give it a thourough wipe down with acetone, or if it is rusted a little already, rough it real good with wire brush and prime and paint.

the acetone on clean steel removes the form oil and also the film left on the steel, i actually prefer to let it rust lightly, takes the film off (the actual name escapes me.....) and then when you paint use a rusty metal primer, hold up really well.
I am not at salt water though......

Mac

[NateD]

That's pretty messed up and disappointing, but at least you got out of there for $60 without and further problems.

I think 1,500 pound jacks are about the smallest I've seen, so I wouldn't be upset about that.

One idea might be coating the extension with POR-15 (http://www.por15.com/). It's a one-part epoxy paint that looks, feels, and holds up like powdercoat. It adheres best to steel that has a light coating of rust. The only issue is that when it dries it will add about 1/16" to the thickness of each side that is painted, so if it is a real snug fit already, it might be too thick.

[Mokey7]

If i'm reading this correctly, your new exstension is removable? If so you're still in luck. Valmont Coatings - IGA (813-621-8990) is in Tampa if you wish to go direct to a galvanizer. I'm sure if you called ahead they could do what you need, however don't expect same day service. They typically turn things around in a week. If you do go this route, remove ANYTHING that is bolted onto the extension. Again, if I read this correctly, you can even have them dip the tip of your trailer to galvanize the new steel added on.

If you want it redone as you originally asked for, I can put you in touch with a local steel fabricator. TS2 1/2x2 1/2x1/4 is readily available, and could probably be done within a week or two (depending on their workload).

[skip1930]

Looking at my Ryerson Steel Book of stock lists we see;

2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square steel tubing in the following wall thickness at pounds per foot: Not galvanized.

I'd go with 3/16" wall at 3.040 pounds per foot and let her rust as the Restoleum paint is scrapped and chipped off. Should take about 15 years to rust enough for replacement consideration. Give her a little love grease from time to time with a paint brush as an applicator.

Look around in steel scrap yards.

I just yesterday bought from Sturgeon Bay Metal [where I sell my aluminium pop cans] two pieces of plate sheared to 4" x 13-1/2" x 1/4" for a 'government job' on my buddies dock. Were putting wheels under it. Sheared from a larger piece of 1/4" plate these two pieces cost me $10. I'll drill and bolt it in place today.

A jack never lifts enough weight, no matter what the capacity. skip.

[Mokey7]

The reason I suggest galvanizing is because you can't paint the inside of the tube. But Skip is correct, you would get 15 years or more if just the outside was painted. Also, he brought up a good point, more steel fabricators don't restock "drops". Anything less than 10 feet is considered a drop and goes into the recycling dumpster. Since they paid for the entire length (including the drop) so they may not even charge you for the steel.

[skip1930]

What do you mean you can't paint the inside? Did you actually put a round tube into a square tube? Really??? cool! You can buy galvanized pipe. It's called dock poles.

You can flow coat an 8 foot long piece by pouring the paint down the inside and having a little slope on the tube. Let mean old Mr. Gravity do the work by standing on a ladder and collecting the run off in another paint can or Tupperware bin. And do it again, and again, and again for all four sides.

It's square with four sides, so four pours, four collects, one side at a time and let it flash off the solvents for an hour before the next pour or all four consecutively. Lay it down or stand it up to dry. You'll end up with 14 to 18 mils dry of Rustoleum. Wow! That's a good paint job in terms of material coverage.

The safety chain on my 16 foot double axle trailer I just sunk into a gallon can of old crappy oil base paint and pulled it out and hung it from a tree branch for a couple of days to drip dry. Still painted after 8~9 [?] years.

I agree hot dipped galvanized into a bath of moulted tin is best but we don't have the set-up for this. The trailer mf'g. does...by a piece from them...but they probably just send out the finished welded trailer for hot dip.

Not trying to beat you up about this...just talking to here myself talk. skip.

[Eagleye]

Billy,
Wow...it is hard to believe that they stay in business.    

Does the extension that he installed actually work?   Does it slide easily or is the fit too sloppy?  Do the holes for the pins line up properly?

If it does then I would tend to agree with the other posts and do your best to put some kind of coatings, paint, POR-15 ect... and just stay on top of it as rust appears.  

I am a metal fabricator and I use a great deal of tubing.  My first thought was that most tubing has a welded seam which leaves a ridge of some degree on the inside so that does not make for a good fit when sliding another tube inside unless there is significant clearance.   My next thought is that on any galvanized steel, once you cut, drill, weld or expose it to a wear point the zinc coating is gone it will start to rust at those points.   Even if you were to go to the extent to have it galvanized the sliding parts will wear especially where the assembly joggles around when trailering.  

I would consider 2 different solutions.   The best for corrosion resistance is to replace the tube that the shop put in with a piece of 304 stainless steel, 3/16" wall.  Yes, it is pricey.  Right around $300 for a 8 foot piece.  
Or.. Like Skip said, paint her up for now, touch up the rust as it appears and maybe down the road go for the SST.

Good Luck,
Allen

[Billy]

Thanks guys. I found Valmont last night and will give them a call on Monday. Depending on how much that cost, I will decide which route to take. I also figured worse case I would use grease as skip mentioned. And let here slowly rust. I do live on a fresh water lake that I always dunk the boat and trailer in on my way home from a day on the salt water so I agree that it will be a slow process. However, it is fairly sung, slides easily but it will eventually scrape off any paint or a cold galvanize, etc. My only concer is that even a small amount of rust will keep it from sliding in and out smoothly.

I'll let you know what Valmont says.

I forgot to mention, he spot welded the safety chains back on, they used to be through bolted on. I don't know how well the weld will hold should the trailer come loose.

[skip1930]

Bolt the chain on. Grind, hammer slap, or rent a Milwaukee Saw-Z-All and cut off the 'spot welds', save what chain you can. A grade 5 bolt is good enough, double up on the washers that the bolts goes through. It's all about spreading out the weigh [force] if the trailer should pop off the ball.

Which reminds me....how many of you guys hooked up the trailer/ball and then went under the hitch and tightened up that nut on the hitch so the sleeve that goes around the ball is snug? Not so snug that you can't snap the hitch closed but tight enough so the hitch won't pop off the ball?

The test is to jack on the trailer and lift the tow car off it's suspension. If the hitch hangs onto the ball and you can snap her on and off like normally done when on the ground, it's set.

skip.

[Eagleye]

Thanks Skip,

I went right out and checked my hitch.  It was good! 

  One less thing to worry about.

Allen

[Bob23]

Billy:
   I'm gonna send  my  cousins Vinnie and Danny from North Jersey out to pay your trailer guy a little "visit". Vinnie owns a concrete company and Danny owns a shoe factory. They work together on some "side work". He shouldn't be giving you or anyone any trouble. Anything you'd like me to pass on?
Bob23...glad to be of service.

[Salty19]

That is messed up! 

Rich on this forum (sailin69) has a fantastic little 2" square hitch bar--about 2  1/2 feet long if memory serves that replaces your ball mount.  Think extra, extra long bail mount. 
It's only used at the ramp-never to be used for towing over the road.

I borrowed it once at Carlyle Lake and, lo and behold, my tires barely got wet!

After dunking my CX-9 pretty good during the spring splash this year, I need to get one too!

Could be a whole lot cheaper, easier, lighter and more reliable than a traditional extension. He posted a pic of it..search on extension or draw bar or sailin69..you'll find it.