Cracked aluminum frame on trailer. Repair is to weld and plate it ?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by Brandon0928, Nov 18, 2022.

  1. Brandon0928

    Brandon0928 Light Load Member

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    This is on a cattle pot. 53 ft quad axle trailer. Dual dual dual lift. Frame started to crack where the lift axle bolts up to the frame. Can’t see the crack all the way through but if you look at the back side of it there’s a black line that identical to the crack in the front. No the trailer is not being used due to safety concerns of the crack. Frame is 17 ft long. It seems like to me from the front of the frame to where the crack is and maybe another foot past the crack so maybe 5 ft of the frame in not completely flat. Put something flat against it and you can move it (16th of an inch or less) Wilson Trailer said they can fix it. By welding it and plating it. What’s your thoughts on that? I thought they would have to put new frame rails in. I understand that would be extremely expensive but junking the trailer is not an option.
     
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  3. Brandon0928

    Brandon0928 Light Load Member

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    Photos of frame
     

    Attached Files:

  4. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Cracked frame isn't always a replacement situation. The manufacturer should have a procedure for repairing cracks.

    Weld and plating the repaired area seems to be the standard method for frame cracks. Again I'd defer to the imagineers though.
     
  5. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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  6. BoxCarKidd

    BoxCarKidd Road Train Member

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    I would let them fix it if the price looked in line.
     
    Jubal Early Times Thanks this.
  7. Cattleman84

    Cattleman84 Road Train Member

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    Its kinda hard for me to tell exactly where the crack is located on the frame from your pictures. But given that Wilson said they could fix it, I would be very comfortable letting them weld AND plate it to make the repair.

    I'm not the greatest aluminum welder, so I wouldnt attempt it myself... But would definetally let a good experienced aluminum welder do so. Someone who I really trusted or the manufacturer.
     
    Jubal Early Times and Judge Thank this.
  8. Jacoooooooo

    Jacoooooooo Heavy Load Member

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    Let them fix. They are good at it.
     
  9. roundhouse

    roundhouse Road Train Member

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    Welding and plating is how every truck frame is stretched and extended .
     
  10. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

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    Not every, over 600k with no plate or channel on mine, weld only

    Be careful of blanket statements.

    That said op, aluminum is a different animal to steel, keep an eye on it after repair, if a new crack on welded aluminum is going to reapear, it will show up somewhat soon and should be within 2 or 3 inches of the weld, this is usually because of poor heat adjustment of surounding metal to welded portion, or overheat of weld itself, a good way to increase visibility would be the second you get it back, put some dykem blue (or similar) on weld and a bit all the way around it, run for a little, cracks will show as clean aluminum then
     
    Luwi67 Thanks this.
  11. Last Call

    Last Call Road Train Member

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    Oh the joy of owning a Wilson
    Thats a common issue with a Wilson ..guessing its probably a 2017 or 2018 ?..I ve seen more than 1 Wilson with the axle torn away from the subframe structure their spread axles are known for that ..I've never been around their quad axles much
    After you get that stress crack fix you can perpair yourself for the fact you will be replacing the king pin plate due to corrosion
    I will give them credit their gate latchs are better than a Merritt
     
    bzinger Thanks this.
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