Welding Tips and Tricks

I am in the middle of replacing a trailer coupler on a trailer I bought. I have removed the old coupler and am installing a Bulldog 50 degree a-frame coupler. Unfortunately the fit up is terrible and is leaving me large gaps to deal with. The top of the coupler fits flush to the top of the trailer but the flanges of the coupler were not bend at 90 degrees. They look more like 95 or 100 degrees. This is leaving a larger gap than i'd like along the bottom edge of the coupler.

Tomorrow I am going to try to use a large press clamp I have to see if I can pull the flanges in tight but I doubt I will be successful since the coupler is 3/16" thick. I'm also considering drilling a bolt hole and temporarily bolting the coupler tight for welding.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to deal with poor fit up?

If it’s steel you have three options. 1 fill in the gap, beads or spacer metal. 2 high heat. 3 much force.

It is indeed steel....

The thought had occurred to me to weld on an 1/8" fish plate to the frame to fill the gap. I just need to do the calcs to make sure that an 1/8" fillet will be substantial enough for that portion of the weld.

It may be faster to pad with beads at that point and put in a large fillet weld.

With a tight gap at the top and getting increasingly wide as you go down - I generally weld where it fits, then hammer the gap closed while hot.

MinnesotaDave wrote:With a tight gap at the top and getting increasingly wide as you go down - I generally weld where it fits, then hammer the gap closed while hot.

I'd try that. 3/16 can be bent relatively easily with heat and a clamp or sledgehammer.

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I finished this project up today. I was able to hammer the gap down while hot. I ended up welding about 4-5" on the bottom edge, stopped, hammered down the next 4-5", and then continued welding. It worked great.

Thanks for all the suggestions.