Is this safe??

Saw this and had to take a few pictures as it made me chuckle.
That is grade 2 mounting bolts and was trying to consider what is the weak link here. The mounting bolts; the welds; or the mounting location.

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Well, it looks like one of the bolts is at least through a cross member. Grade 2 is good enough for wood, as it seems I've always seen the wood give first.

Maybe it will work for someone, but it would never hold together for me. I can see the whole assembly ripping right up through floor.
 
I suppose you COULD argue that those rear bolts through the wood are actually a safety feature.

If you rearend somebody, the trailer's going to want to shear those four weak bolts - since those two are in soft wood, they won't actually shear, they'll be cushioned.

The man's a genius.
 
I think they did a great job. Even went through the trouble to paint the welds and use nyloc nuts ;-)
 
Other than that, it is a pretty good looking truck that I could put to use.

You know what today is? Pepper and Egg sandwiches, even if it kills me. I haven't had one yet this year, and today is the last day (generally available on Fridays during Lent only, if you can even find them) for them...officially. Unofficially, can get them on Fridays if sneak them out the back door that leads into a hidden ally or something. If made correctly, they are the best. Come to think of it, I could see myself sitting in the front seat of that truck, setting under a tree, eating a pepper and egg sandwich. Num, num...nap, nap, nap.

Mark
 
I'd be uncomfortable doing 50 down a highway with this


Would build some kind of support under the wood so you have a properly sized metal to metal connection from the hitch to the truck frame. I would probably weld the entire length of the hitch to tube connection and wouldn't use soft bolts. Can't comment on the tube steel under the hitch as I can't see what the thickness is

Just afraid that one hard stop, accident or swaying would break the 2 x something wood deck.

I'm not an engineer and would probably over build just to be safe
 
Another thing I see wrong, the fifth wheel is too for back past the axel.
it needs to move it forward few inches in front of rear axel.

if you pull A big load, it sure makes A lot difference where it is placed.
Any old trucker would know that.

Hammer Man
 
yea, it would probably be a little embarrassing if you had to slam on the brakes and got rear-ended by tour own trailer. :)
 
He's just making it easier to steer.

The whole setup looks pretty amateurish (location, few bolts through the wooden bed, cobbled together frame) without any respect for the forces that can come into play pulling a 5th wheel. That being said I wish I owned that old Ford.
 
I'll guess the hitch is behind the rear axle because the trailer can only reach that far forward and still clear the corners of the truck bed?

It is very scary however you look at it. What does the trailer look like?
 
(quoted from post at 09:03:21 04/18/14) The hitch that mounts inside the pickup bed has plates on the underside that bolts to the frame rails.

or at least supposed to :roll:
 
(quoted from post at 13:18:00 04/18/14) Probably a lot stronger than the hitches that mount inside a pickup bed

Uh... no. Had a fifth wheel hitch on my truck when we got it from the in-laws (off now). It was bolted to the frame through the bed with what looked like 3/4 or 5/8 bolts. Pretty solid mounting.
 
looks like he has 2 bolts going through the cross members. Front one and the back one. I bet that holds as much as that truck can pull or stop.
 
I also think it is a matter of clearance rather than safe steering with the hitch placement.

I have not seen the 5th wheel trailer but if it is anything like their bumper pull trailer;
well lets just say if you ever saw their bumper pull trailer you would think this 5th wheel hitch is a big step UP.
 
Its mounted too far back. With a heavy load he wouldn't have much weight on the steer tires. DOT love to stop a truck like that.
 
Looks like someone built a pretty decent yard truck to use in a park somewhere. Never intended for the highway so it's fine.
 
Just to clarify........
The hitch is bolted down with 6 bolts (3 on each side)

You can see the rear bolt with the plate. The long end of the plate with the hole in it faces the rear of the truck. Notice he only had one length bolt so he used what looks like a piece of pipe as a spacer on the top.

The center bolt is threw the cross member. I did not think to look at how the cross member is attached to the frame rail.

The front bolt looks the same as this rear bolt and plate setup but the long end of the plate faces the front of the truck.

So basically 2 of the bolts are threw a cross member and 4 of the bolts are only threw a 2x6 piece of pine.

Think about it for a minute...........
The weak link is not the bolts and plate.
It is the wood screws that holds the 2x6 to the cross members.
So basically this hitch is held on with 2 grade 2 bolts.
The only thing the other 4 bolts; the 4 plates; and the length of the tubing does is stops flipping of the hitch forward or rearward.
In sudden stop that hitch is going to shear those 2 bolts and pull the whole 2x6 off the bed of the truck because only wood screws hold it down.
 
It's probably a lot stronger than you give it credit for... but it still doesn't pass the smell test. My gut says it would probably never let go but I'd not want to chance it either.

Rod
 
Oh, I wrote a long reply, and it disappeared before I got it posted. Well, the short version is thanks for the pics and explanation. Can't really see where any one thing is done right at all......

Have you seen the old suburban with the 5th wheel bolted onto the drop down end gate, with a wood post used as a support between the endgate and bumper hitch? Your pictures look downright elegant compared to this:

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-diy-fifth-wheel-trailer-hitch/
Safety first when towing?
 
Even though its "too far" back,its still way better than a bumper pull.That long bed prevents the hitch from being any further forward.I agree it does look 'unsafe',but I'll bet its a lot stronger than we think it is! The DOTs would scream at that. But,a mans got do what he has to do to get the job done!
 
Looks like it would work just fine as an attachment point for one of those removeable bale handlers.
Hard to say what he intends to use it for.
 
Guys, I can"t believe you all missed the safety solution......TANDEM REAR AXLE!!! Now that would be cool!. Well, unless he mounted it fwd of existing....
 
The simple fact of the matter is, a trailer hitch doesn't have to live up to it's full litmus test 99.999999% of the time. It's that other .000001% of it's existence where the REAL test comes into play. First time that rig is flying down a bumpy road and a car load of teenagers pulls out in front of it, and the driver has to make an evasive maneuver onto the shoulder of the roadway to avoid a collision......Well....Things might not go as well as you'd like.

Personally, I don't believe in seeing just how much I can get away with. Percentages will eventually jump up and bite you.

Not to mention the aneurysm you'll give the DOT cop when he sees that set up.....Just not worth it.
 
No it's not safe and doesn't meet OSHA standards in other words it would illegal to use it on any public road. It is not bolted directly to the main frame of the truck and you can't weld it together it must be bolted.
If he looses the trailer and it kills someone he is in deep well you know what.
Walt
 
Not nearly enough swivel room front to back for that hitch. He's gonna wreck that bed the first time he comes out of the local gas station with the steep entrance!! That's in addition to all the other "Holy Crap" safety issues already posted!
 
yep, I agree john. he even forgot to add a little duct tape. look at all the ball sizes on the receiver also... I think he just has an old multi use farm truck and should keep it off the road. it wont pass safety inspection anyhow.
 
There's not enough clearance for the hitch to tip back and forth.
The stick welds look ugly but they're probably stronger than a lot of MIG welds I've seen that have cold lap.
Hitch is too far back as others have pointed out, but still better than a tag a long as was also pointed out.
So is that set up safe? Depends on the load he's pulling. I've seen worse bumper hitches than that set up. Anyone remember the clamp on bumper hitches from the 50's and 60's?
 
As far as I know OSHA hasn't yet moved into V+T Law, I imagine the poster meant DOT.

FWIW- it kind of cracks me up that people will nit pick this guy to death, but some of the same type people will defend overloading their own rigs when called on it. Just an observation on the human psyche...or whatever you call it. :lol:
 
(quoted from post at 07:55:40 04/18/14) Other than that, it is a pretty good looking truck that I could put to use.

You know what today is? Pepper and Egg sandwiches?

Mark

What is a pepper and egg sandwich ?
 

Being as it is not likely an original bed, I wonder what is holding that cross member onto the beam.
 
OSHA covers all safety things regardless of what they are on. That hitch is about as unsafe as any that I have seen.
Walt
 
(quoted from post at 10:53:16 04/19/14) OSHA covers all safety things regardless of what they are on. That hitch is about as unsafe as any that I have seen.
Walt

Actually if that's being used for personal use OSHA has nothing to do with it. OSHA only has work related stuff that they are allowed to deal with. That would fall under DOT. With enforcement here I'd love to see that truck with a trailer hitched to that 5th wheel. DOT here has been writing tickets to people hauling branches to the land fill without them being "secured". Not real often but from time to time over the last 5 or 6 years.

No, it's not safe. It involves much more that pulling a load or steering. In an emergency or accident that hitch is supposed to keep the trailer attached, not break away and end up hitting something else.

Rick
 
I don't know who came up with them, but are generally only found on Fridays during Lent, if can find them at restaurants. There are folks that don't or won't eat meat on Fridays during Lent. When I was a kid, it was no meat on EVERY Friday. I eat them when I can find them because I like them, period.

Banana peppers, hot pepper, or green pepper
Minced Onion
Pealed Italian tomato
Eggs, beaten
Crusty Italian bread or rolls
Mozzarella Cheese

Blanch peppers in boiling water for a few minutes. When cool, slice and fry. Add minced onion, tomato, and mozzarella cheese; pour beaten eggs over all. Cook until brown; turn over. Place in lightly steamed Italian roll or bread and serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

As an option for those that eat meat on Fridays during Lent, and I'm one that does, can add Italian sausage, cooked and sliced while mixing other ingredients.

Mark
 
If it's not commercial neither OSHA or Federal DOT has anything to do with it. What you're looking at is apparently a private vehicle and enforcement for violations would come under state law. You may have a "DOT" in your state, but the DOT that enforces FMSCR on tractor trailers and commercial vehicles has nothing to do with non-commercial vehicles. That rig would fall under the jurisdiction of your State or local police.
 
[i:654c4848f0]but the DOT that enforces FMSCR on tractor trailers and commercial vehicles has nothing to do with non-commercial vehicles[/i:654c4848f0]


Sorry Bret but that sure sounds like a pass the buck; it's not my job kind of answer.

So you are saying that as a X New York state trooper; since you was assigned to a CVE unit; that enforced FMSCR rules on tractor trailers; you had no jurisdiction to stop and ticket/tow this non-commercial truck.

No way you can make me believe that is true.
 
(quoted from post at 09:54:27 04/20/14) [i:70463499e4]but the DOT that enforces FMSCR on tractor trailers and commercial vehicles has nothing to do with non-commercial vehicles[/i:70463499e4]


Sorry Bret but that sure sounds like a pass the buck; it's not my job kind of answer.

So you are saying that as a X New York state trooper; since you was assigned to a CVE unit; that enforced FMSCR rules on tractor trailers; you had no jurisdiction to stop and ticket/tow this non-commercial truck.

No way you can make me believe that is true.

John in MN, MN Dot officers enforce both state and federal DOT rules. The one that works my area is notorious! The bigger the truck or if you are a "minority" she's just down right mean. She has been known to do 4 hours inspections on one truck. She did one last week. 3 hours and found absolutely nothing wrong. An hour of that was waiting for portable scales to be brought on site even though the guy had scale tickets that were not 5 hours old.

Rick

Rick
 
(quoted from post at 09:54:27 04/20/14) [i:9b3bb0b3fd]but the DOT that enforces FMSCR on tractor trailers and commercial vehicles has nothing to do with non-commercial vehicles[/i:9b3bb0b3fd]


Sorry Bret but that sure sounds like a pass the buck; it's not my job kind of answer.

So you are saying that as a X New York state trooper; since you was assigned to a CVE unit; that enforced FMSCR rules on tractor trailers; you had no jurisdiction to stop and ticket/tow this non-commercial truck.

No way you can make me believe that is true.

Wow, first time you've reared you head as a jerk John. Read exactly what I wrote. The Federal DOT guys who only enforce the FMCSR laws don't have a thing to do with State V+T laws. The FMCSR has nothing to do with non-CMVs, ie- "DOT" wouldn't be taking a look at this anymore than OSHA would. Then read the last sentence. I don't know if someone crapped in your Wheaties or what, but there was absolutely no call whatsoever to resort to calling me a liar. My respect for you just bottomed out. Have a nice day.
 

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