Picked up a 28' 1991 Cobra travel trailer a few weeks ago. took it camping the weekend we bought it and then home. Pulled great. When unhitching the trailer I noticed this. Not sure if I did this or if it was like this, but I didn't notice it when we bought the camper. Its seems like the brackets were tightened down so much the frame is dented/bent and the brackets are bent. The brackets were on the trailer when I bought it and i did not mess with em.Is this repairable? Could I weld on some plating to reinforce the frame. Really don't want to put that much $$ into the trailer to replace the beams.....Thanks all!

You could add a section of flat stock 15-24 inches long 3/8 inch thick to reinforce the frame and not even weld it on. Could use a couple of bolts to hold in place.Yes, welding it on would be ultimate solution. Need a good welder so as not to blow through stock frame.

Yeah welding isn't an issue. Just wanted to double check that welding on the frame is not a terrible idea.

It looks like the previous owner over tightened the saddle bolts against the frame. Those bolts are only meant to snug up to the frame just to hold the saddles in place.I don't see a problem with adding / welding some flat steel plate on.

It seems that there is a lot more going on there than over tight saddle brackets. I see where the saddle bolt was tightened down too tight but the top of the frame looks distorted as well. I'm seeing alot of rust. I assume that is a box frame? considering the age of the trailer, I would be concerned that the frame is rusting from the inside and the metal is weakened.I would have the entire A frame replaced by a professional welder. Not as expensive as you might think.Any idea what your tongue weight is?

Dayum, with a little more effort whoever did that could have just driven that bolt through the frame side and would have had nothing to worry about then. :SMe, since i am not the guy skilled in that kind of metal work, would take it to a shop and say straighten this thing up and make sure it is as strong as it was when new. Who knows, maybe it has been run that way for years, but I would have it repaired for peace of mind since I am a worry wart. Since we are keyboard warriors here, I do not "see" a deep corrosion problem. Hey I thought they were spose to be rusty when new on the lot. ;)

Overtight weight distribution brackets bent frame....

enblethen
Nomad
Sep 17, 2019
You could add a section of flat stock 15-24 inches long 3/8 inch thick to reinforce the frame and not even weld it on. Could use a couple of bolts to hold in place.
Yes, welding it on would be ultimate solution. Need a good welder so as not to blow through stock frame.
nharinton
Explorer
Sep 17, 2019
Yeah welding isn't an issue. Just wanted to double check that welding on the frame is not a terrible idea.
George3037
Explorer
Sep 17, 2019
It looks like the previous owner over tightened the saddle bolts against the frame. Those bolts are only meant to snug up to the frame just to hold the saddles in place.

I don't see a problem with adding / welding some flat steel plate on.
1L243
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2019
It seems that there is a lot more going on there than over tight saddle brackets. I see where the saddle bolt was tightened down too tight but the top of the frame looks distorted as well. I'm seeing alot of rust. I assume that is a box frame? considering the age of the trailer, I would be concerned that the frame is rusting from the inside and the metal is weakened.

I would have the entire A frame replaced by a professional welder. Not as expensive as you might think.

Any idea what your tongue weight is?
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2019
Dayum, with a little more effort whoever did that could have just driven that bolt through the frame side and would have had nothing to worry about then. :S

Me, since i am not the guy skilled in that kind of metal work, would take it to a shop and say straighten this thing up and make sure it is as strong as it was when new. Who knows, maybe it has been run that way for years, but I would have it repaired for peace of mind since I am a worry wart. Since we are keyboard warriors here, I do not "see" a deep corrosion problem. Hey I thought they were spose to be rusty when new on the lot. ;)
twodownzero
Explorer
Sep 18, 2019
I would probably leave it the way it is. It's a shame that someone did all that damage. If I wanted to fix it, I would probably drill and tap the other side of the frame and use a large diameter bolt to "push" the dent out and then weld the hole closed, grind smooth, and paint.
nharinton
Explorer
Sep 18, 2019
twodownzero wrote:
I would probably leave it the way it is. It's a shame that someone did all that damage. If I wanted to fix it, I would probably drill and tap the other side of the frame and use a large diameter bolt to "push" the dent out and then weld the hole closed, grind smooth, and paint.

Why not ainpky patch it up?
nharinton
Explorer
Sep 18, 2019
1L243 wrote:
It seems that there is a lot more going on there than over tight saddle brackets. I see where the saddle bolt was tightened down too tight but the top of the frame looks distorted as well. I'm seeing alot of rust. I assume that is a box frame? considering the age of the trailer, I would be concerned that the frame is rusting from the inside and the metal is weakened.

I would have the entire A frame replaced by a professional welder. Not as expensive as you might think.

Any idea what your tongue weight is?

The rust is nothing more then surface rust. Its pushed up becase the whole frame was squeezed by the saddle bolts and then driven so they twisted
twodownzero
Explorer
Sep 18, 2019
nharinton wrote:
twodownzero wrote:
I would probably leave it the way it is. It's a shame that someone did all that damage. If I wanted to fix it, I would probably drill and tap the other side of the frame and use a large diameter bolt to "push" the dent out and then weld the hole closed, grind smooth, and paint.

Why not ainpky patch it up?

Because thickening and strengthening the frame in that one spot is going to create a stress riser that could potentially cause more problems than it solved. I'd cut out the entire section and weld in a patch of comparable thickness before I'd plate over it and create that stress riser.
mich800
Explorer
Sep 18, 2019
1L243 wrote:
It seems that there is a lot more going on there than over tight saddle brackets. I see where the saddle bolt was tightened down too tight but the top of the frame looks distorted as well.

I am thinking put brackets on and over tightened. And ran the bars way too tight also.

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Overtight weight distribution brackets bent frame....

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