Trailer axle lock pin clevis

[Frank S]

My bud traded off one of the trailers I had rebuilt a few years ago for a 2009 Aluminum stepdeck.

He stopped by today to show me what we now had, upon crawling under it I told him there were a couple issues that needed tending before he leaves
2 of the lock pins were in bad shape and someone had actually tried dirt dauber welding them to make them work.

I first wrapped all of the air lines with a few of my pipe marker wraps to protect them from sparks. THe thing about the nylon DOT airbrake lines is if under pressure the least little spark will damage them without pressure in them they are a little less prone to getting a hole melted in them.

close up of the clevice

I ground off the bad parts

Then I made new clevises from 1/4 by 1" flat bar clamped to my 1" thick steel table

First bend

After making the first bend I turned the bar over placed it on top o fa strip of 1/2" thick bar so it would have support for the second bend
I placed a 1/4" thick strip on top to serve as the clevis separation spacer

then made the final fold

Hole positioning is not extremely critical this is close enough

After the hole was drilled I sawed off the clevis then rounded the edges

The holes in the link bars were in bad shape from being welded on so I slightly reamed the oversize then cut bushings out of 1/2" 304 SS .035" wall

Then welded the clevises to the lock pins and used 2" grade 8 bolts with long enough shoulders to reach through the clevis
the bushings are .270" long and the link bars are .250" thick this allowed me to tighten the bolts using gr( nylock nuts as well
Should last longer than the garbage the factory used I would have liked to have reamed the link bars out enough to press fit a bronze bushing in for the SS bushing to pivot on but sine they will probably only be used one every few weeks the cost could not be justified

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Trailer Axle Clevis to our Trailers and Towing category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Trailer Axle Clevis by Frank S

tags: trailer

[Toolmaker51]

Dirt Dauber Welding, is that a company name, or a level of expertise lower than Popcorn Welding?
Old shop I knew, full of "fixer's and smithy's" also had a Bubble Gum category... Stuck on, but no penetration, lol.

[Frank S]

Dirt dauber is just 1 step above booger snot

[NortonDommi]

About the same as birds**t welding then?

[Frank S]

About the same as birds**t welding then?

Pretty much. The thing that got me was not so much the welding but the fact that someone would actually think to do it. I mean if all they were trying to accomplish was to get the locks to release so they could slide the axle the "S" hook of a tarp strap would have sufficed or how hard would it have been to just put in a 3/8" bolt and nut since the pin was missing, but to tack weld 2 parts together when one of them must articulate through about 30° of motion at the pivot REALLY?
Let's forget that at the factory when the trailer was made they used cheap galvanized rod ends welded to the pins in the first place was ludicrous enough. the clevis pins in those things have the hardness and durability lower than a bubble pack grade 2 bolt you might buy at a convenience store and held in place with a 1/16" cotter pin
Rant over, I'm glad my bud decided spread the axles while he was at my place instead of after he had a load on it and then needed to spread them, because it gave me a chance to inspect the underside for cracks and other possible things that may need tending sooner or later. Like the bad air bag that was virtually at the point of rupturing and already had a small air leak in it We replaced it but bought 2 so we could change out both on the same axle, and the next time he passes through we will probably change out the ones on the other axle just so every thing will be matching age they are not cheap at $250.00 each but neither is being put out of service on the side of the road