Extending drawbar how would you?

[Farmer_Joe]

Extending drawbar on a dolly for modern trailers, needs an extra 2/3 foot would you just weld more on then put plates on outside or even bolt a plate down sides?

Current drawbar nice 6 inch channel and I’ve more of the same to extend it

I’ve attached a crude image of one idea

 

[Welderloon]

If extending then the leverage created by extending the existing drawbar will be considerable, look to join the channels at an angle as opposed to butting them square to add strength while adding full length fully welded external plates in 8mm+ thickness - that way you have increased strength while compensating for the extra stress created by the extra length & reducing risk of failure

Best option - Remove the existing drawbar completely & replace with 1x piece the correct length - probably using 300mm x 150mm x 10mm RHS

 

[Farmer_Joe]

With it being a dolly I don’t imagine there to be huge amounts of leverage but I get what your saying, existing channel is cut at angle to accommodate the hitch so will splice in to give it extra area for welding then add side plates

If it was a proper trailer I think the rhs would be the sensible route

 

[rm1]

How you have drawn it is the way to go with either 150x 10mm wall box or 150x75 channels done a few without any problems v it out well .

 

[Speedstar]

Extending drawbar on a dolly for modern trailers, needs an extra 2/3 foot would you just weld more on then put plates on outside or even bolt a plate down sides?

Current drawbar nice 6 inch channel and I’ve more of the same to extend it

I’ve attached a crude image of one idea

Cut it get bit steel folded to slide in side the box a nice good fit then weld it up have done lots on road going truck trailers in the passed

 

[Nearly]

Cut it get bit steel folded to slide in side the box a nice good fit then weld it up have done lots on road going truck trailers in the passed

A few holes through outer skin to weld through?

 

[Speedstar]

A few holes through outer skin to weld through?

Yes & that way its all tight

 

[Sausage]

With it being a dolly I don’t imagine there to be huge amounts of leverage

It will be more prone to buckling going down hill or under heavy breaking though.

 

[Farmer_Joe]

i cut the existing one out and extended the bit that ran into the dolly, (within chassis on old wagon) with plates as per my pic, worked well,

however driving on the road with said dolly and a newer style trailer the the kingpin 1.65m back into the trailer is not so nice, when you turn the overhang of the head board is insane and the additional length required on the dolly drawbar does not help anything, fine most of the time but its worst when maneuvering or turning in entrances. Ones we had years ago (Kingpin only a couple of foot in and shorter trailer) i remember being fine but this seems awful.

Thats said the trailer i got has air with adjustable height my son had much amusement playing with that!

so think i will end up making it into a drawbar trailer even if i only use it on the farm

@Welderloon best ones ive seen use i guess 10mm sheet at front cut into a v shape with drawbar at bottom? i will get a nice new bit or RHS for drawbar don't worry just looking for hints on design.