Welding and Metalworking - Alternate hitch material
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jamsac
04-02-09, 11:48 PM
Noob to this forum, just looking for some informed opinions.
Having never seen one before, was wondering about wisdom of building a trailer hitch to tow my 4000 lbs or so boat out of aluminum. Would the material specs be similar? Heavier wall tubes maybe? They make the trailers out of aluminum, why not the hitch?
James
Having never seen one before, was wondering about wisdom of building a trailer hitch to tow my 4000 lbs or so boat out of aluminum. Would the material specs be similar? Heavier wall tubes maybe? They make the trailers out of aluminum, why not the hitch?
James
flopshot
04-03-09, 04:44 AM
for one thing it eliminates the option of a welded installation.
the cost of materials and assembly would be higher as well. if you had an aluminum hitch bolted to a steel chassis you could have problems with the bolts themselves as mixing metals is not a good idea.
the cost of materials and assembly would be higher as well. if you had an aluminum hitch bolted to a steel chassis you could have problems with the bolts themselves as mixing metals is not a good idea.
Pilot Dane
04-03-09, 03:06 PM
I would not consider making a hitch out of aluminum. There are just too many possible problems to make it worthwhile.
If you want an aluminum hitch for corrosion resistance I would make it out of stainless steel instead. If you have to ask the cost... you can not afford it. It will be EXPENSIVE.
If you want an aluminum hitch for corrosion resistance I would make it out of stainless steel instead. If you have to ask the cost... you can not afford it. It will be EXPENSIVE.
GregH
04-03-09, 03:44 PM
I agree that it is a non-starter.
The problem with fabricating a hitch out of aluminum is that to get the same strength as steel it would need to be physically too big.
When you build a trailer out of aluminum you have more room to engineer it to make up for its lack of strength.
The problem with fabricating a hitch out of aluminum is that to get the same strength as steel it would need to be physically too big.
When you build a trailer out of aluminum you have more room to engineer it to make up for its lack of strength.