Need to hire welder - help!

[chracatoa]

So I need to do some spot/tack welding on my hitch. Any ideas where/how can I find these kind of professionals that do the job - and for a reasonable price?

I found just one - minimum quote is $400, seems too expensive.

A friend of mine told me we could take a class together. I'm all for learning new things but I'll be driving this thing and I don't want to do a bad job. I know nothing of welding. Would you do it?

Thanks!

[myredracer]

We've had a mobile welder guy come out to our place a few times for some misc. small stuff. Pretty inexpensive..... Listed in the yellow pages. You may find them on Craigslist too.

On the holes in the frame question, what about all the holes made from self-tapping screws for the underbelly material?

[CarnationSailor]

If I were doing it, I would bolt the jacks to the frame, and I wouldn't be concerned about weakening the frame. However, if you are set on having them welded on, here is a guy that has done good welding work for my trailer. I think he charges $75 per hour:


Fall City Welding
33623 SE 43rd St
Fall City, WA
(425) 222-5105

[GrandpaKip]

Just screw them on with the included hardware, if they came with it. Most are done that way. Besides, it'll be easier to replace if it gets messed up by a rock, curb, driveway, mother-in-law, whatever.

[westend]

beemerphile1 wrote:

westend wrote:
Look in the Yellow pages for welding services...

My thoughts exactly. I have several local welding shops I have used over the years. If I looked in the Yellow Pages I bet there are 30 or more welding shops in my area.

Attaching 2 jacks shouldn't be more than an hour. Around here a quality welder will cost you $75 for an hour job.

If I travel 10 miles out West into the first small town, I bet it would be a $25 job. :B
Recently, I had a small town machine shop remove and press new hubs and cartridge bearings into a steering knuckle. It was done in 30 minutes and the shop charged me $21. For a sawbuck, I'm not getting my hands dirty, lol.

Good advice on disconnecting the electrical. A guy might want to remove the AC ground, as well.

FWIW, I'm still collecting scissor jacks as I see them at garage sales. So far, I have three that have the same end on the threaded rod. Looking for the fourth.

[mhardin]

Or, get some all-thread rod and washers and nuts to fit. Bend the all-thread into a "u" bolt configuration that will wrap over the top of the frame and bolt the stabilizers on the bottom of the frame. No welding, no holes drilled in the frame.

[falconbrother]

I thought you were talking about welding part of a hitch. To weld jacks onto the frame is an easy weld. Basically all the weld is doing is holding the jacks onto the frame. The welds aren't having to lift a great deal of weight. There would be some stability stress but, that's a simple weld for sure. Yea, I would do my own welds on that for sure. I would grind the paint off to metal on the frame and jacks, weld those suckers on and hit it with some black paint. It's on there forever.

I welded the tongue jack on my motorcycle trailer. The trailer will be ripped to shreds before that jack would come off. I did that with a MIG welder. It holds with two Harleys on that trailer, no problem.

You don't need a machine shop to weld those jacks. Almost hobby welder, muffler shop, mechanic, should be able to weld those things on. Just hit it with a rattle can (black paint) after it's welded.

[jaycocreek]

Most all of the after market jacks come with mounting hardware so you can do it yourself... I have two sets not mounted yet and I haven't decided if I'm going to mount them using bolts/self tapping screw's or weld or both....

By the way, heartland rv has a picture of them mounted on the frame via self tapping screws just the same way as I posted the picture above.

To each his own but I ain't paying know one $75 bucks an hour for something I can do myself.

[Rollnhome]

Just Googled welders in Seattle. Found bunches of them. Suggest you do the same and find one close. Less expensive to go to their shop. Make a few phone calls and get your best deal. Beware of home welder and I gotta friend that bought a welder and can do it. A lot of people think they can weld....they can't.

[jaycocreek]

That's not my trailer but I have seen them mounted that way without issue. Here is another way to mount the jacks without paying an expensive welder from RV101..

How to mount jacks without welding

[Gdetrailer]

jaycocreek wrote:
Know need for a welder if yours are like this.

Actually YOU WILL need a welder some day when your frame RIPS right at the screw holes!

You have severely WEAKENED the frame at the very worst place, the BOTTOM FLANGE of it..

You should have drilled in the MIDDLE of the upright portion then added additional piece of steel for the jacks to mount to.

The best place to drill holes in the exact center of a beam, not the top or bottom flange..

[dadmomh]

Do you have a trade school or community college nearby that teaches welding?? Don't take the class, contact the teacher. It may be that your project would be a good lesson or possibly recommend one of the exceptionally good students who would be able to handle it. If you could work out FREE, free is excellent! Really good welders will sometimes do jobs like this that are a snap for them, a bit of extra money, cash in hand. Too bad you don't have our next door neighbor's son handy, he's certified, has outstanding credentials and is free. Although, come to think of it, we're still waiting for him to do a 10 minute job for us, but he's working on the pipeline and putting in a zillion hours. Suggest you try the trade school/community college.

[Quick_trip]

Check muffler shops?

[HJGyswyt]

A word of advice, when you take the trailer in to have some welding done, please disconnect your batteries. I was welding a hitch receiver on the back of my trailer, didn't disconnect the batteries, and the next trip out the "mother board" on the fridge was toast. Some on this forum may remember my diesel pickup had $5000 damage because a body shop welded on the frame without disconnecting batteries. Doesn't happen often, but it's happened to me. I'd offer to weld those on for you, but my upside down stick welding looks pretty sad. Good luck, Hans.

[beemerphile1]

westend wrote:
Look in the Yellow pages for welding services...

My thoughts exactly. I have several local welding shops I have used over the years. If I looked in the Yellow Pages I bet there are 30 or more welding shops in my area.

Attaching 2 jacks shouldn't be more than an hour. Around here a quality welder will cost you $75 for an hour job.