Cracked/Rusted trailer c-channel

Not the same truck. But I drove a w900 once for a construction company.
It had a crack in the frame by the steering box. Supposedly it was a common problem. I don't remember what year the truck was. I wanna say 99.

The shop welded the crack. And bolted a plate on both sides of the frame. A splint. 1/4" plating.

It never held.

Don't know what they ended up doing with the truck.

Something to think about on your quest for repairs.

 

Here in Canada the I-beams rot in the centers from the salt, instead of cutting the end rail off and unscrewing all of the deck to replace the I beam they take 1/8" flat plate and stitch weld a piece on both sides in between the top and bottom lip. Either 2' sections on the ends or a 4' section in the center, whichever is rotted. Not sure about the top itself being rotted, I'd think that the entire section would have to be replaced but I could be wrong.

 

The best way is to remove the entire "C" channel, cross member.

I replaced a few in my drop deck trailer that way.

I bought a trailer that someone just ground off the deck bolts and put another channel inside the rotted section. Then welded that in place.

What ever works, I guess.
I don't know if one is better than the other. Both ways work.

Good luck