Tongue slop

[ffishman]

Originally Posted by Hot Runr Guy

Last time I was at Cabelas-Hoffman, they had a 3x4 Fulton kit on the shelf in an opened box. I took some time and played with the parts, maybe it's still there so you can too.

HRG

Thanks for the heads up on that. I will be open Sunday, so I will probably take a ride out there and check it out.

[REW]

http://www.pacifictrailers.com/swing...ay-hinge-kits/

[REW]

http://www.pacifictrailers.com/swing...ay-hinge-kits/

http://www.amazon.com/Fulton-HDPB330.../dp/B0091KRV5M

[Hot Runr Guy]

Originally Posted by REW

http://www.pacifictrailers.com/swing...ay-hinge-kits/

REW, what are you trying to show? Those are the same Fulton brand hinge kits we're talking about being loose.

HRG

[Marty59]

Here is a picture of the swing side of my Hinge. Notice the gap I circled in red. I have at least 200 ft-lbs of torque (high as my toque wrench reads) and that small gap, which is not uniform around all 360 degrees is what is causing the movement in my hitch. Not sure how much slop was there to begin with...when new. Maybe it was always like that from the factory as HRG is suggesting....don't know. When I called Trailmaster they said if the bolt is torqued you are OK. They also said If it was perfectly closed up you would not be able to swing it!!


Marty

[Hot Runr Guy]

Marty,
The problem with dealing with us engineer-types is that we think in thousanths of an inch. Below is a list of precision-ground steel shims that McMaster offers. Find yourself a set of feeler gauges, and determine what the gap is without the bolt torqued down (and bending the plates), and order yourself some 5/8" ID shims to fill the gap.

Personally, I still think that the holes in the upper & lower plates are a little egg-shaped, but that's a difficult repair to make.

HRG

[ffishman]

Thanks HRG. In my earlier posts I thought about using washers to fill the gap, if I could fine one that fits. The shims would be better.

[Marty59]

Originally Posted by Hot Runr Guy

Marty,
The problem with dealing with us engineer-types is that we think in thousanths of an inch. Below is a list of precision-ground steel shims that McMaster offers. Find yourself a set of feeler gauges, and determine what the gap is without the bolt torqued down (and bending the plates), and order yourself some 5/8" ID shims to fill the gap.

Personally, I still think that the holes in the upper & lower plates are a little egg-shaped, but that's a difficult repair to make.

HRG

Certainly worth a try....but the gap is not consistent around the 360 degree circumference (wedge shaped). So in this case I am not sure a shim is going to do much good. What you don't see in the picture is on the backside there is no gap!

Marty

[AllenW]

Originally Posted by Marty59

Certainly worth a try....but the gap is not consistent around the 360 degree circumference (wedge shaped). So in this case I am not sure a shim is going to do much good. What you don't see in the picture is on the backside there is no gap!

Marty

Is this gap from wear I'm assuming?

Short of removing and milling it flat again, don't suppose a couple of taps with a 3# brass hammer might close the gap?

Little crude and nothing an engineer would suggest, but what do they know about actual worldly things..

Al

[Marty59]

Originally Posted by AllenW

Is this gap from wear I'm assuming?

Short of removing and milling it flat again, don't suppose a couple of taps with a 3# brass hammer might close the gap?

Little crude and nothing an engineer would suggest, but what do they know about actual worldly things..

Al

That's always an option. If it gets worse I will take it to the local weld shop and see what they can do.

Marty