How can I best remove a thin welding seam from inside a hitch receiver?
October 10, 2021 9:45 PM Subscribe
I bought a travel trailer and the hand-made hitch receiver has a thin welding seam running the length of the inside that keeps my bike carrier from fitting. What's the best DIY option for removing it?
The hitch receiver is a standard 2" square. When I tried to stick my bike carrier in it, I couldn't get it to go. On inspection, I found a thin welding seam/bead on the inside of the receiver, running down the length of the top side. It looks to be sticking up from the inside surface about 1/16" if not less. Not a lot, but plenty to stop the hitch from sliding inside. I don't understand welding well enough to understand how a seam like that would end up inside the receiver.
I crawled under the trailer and the hitch receiver (which I'm assuming is steel) is welded directly onto the frame, so there's no way to easily replace it (wow was I hoping it would be bolted on). The business I bought the trailer from is a small, independent company 4 hours away, so I'm not interested in returning the trailer to get them to fix the problem. I'd kind of like to learn how to fix this for myself anyhow.
I had a few thoughts: A file seems tedious and labor-intensive. A chisel (or three) and a hammer seemed like it might work (maybe also tedious and labor intensive). I also noticed there are tungsten carbide cutters for Dremels that seem like they would do the job, provided the Dremel is long enough to get the tip maybe 4" into the receiver opening to clear away as much of the seam as I'd need. I've also got a battery powered drill and a few batteries, so maybe there's a bit or attachment I could look for?
If the seam were on the outside, this'd seem pretty simple: I think I could just grind it down with a cheap grinder. It's the small, 2" space on the inside that makes it seem sort of daunting.
If there are no practical DIY ways I could deal with this on my own, what kind of shop or person could help me with this?
The hitch receiver is a standard 2" square. When I tried to stick my bike carrier in it, I couldn't get it to go. On inspection, I found a thin welding seam/bead on the inside of the receiver, running down the length of the top side. It looks to be sticking up from the inside surface about 1/16" if not less. Not a lot, but plenty to stop the hitch from sliding inside. I don't understand welding well enough to understand how a seam like that would end up inside the receiver.
I crawled under the trailer and the hitch receiver (which I'm assuming is steel) is welded directly onto the frame, so there's no way to easily replace it (wow was I hoping it would be bolted on). The business I bought the trailer from is a small, independent company 4 hours away, so I'm not interested in returning the trailer to get them to fix the problem. I'd kind of like to learn how to fix this for myself anyhow.
I had a few thoughts: A file seems tedious and labor-intensive. A chisel (or three) and a hammer seemed like it might work (maybe also tedious and labor intensive). I also noticed there are tungsten carbide cutters for Dremels that seem like they would do the job, provided the Dremel is long enough to get the tip maybe 4" into the receiver opening to clear away as much of the seam as I'd need. I've also got a battery powered drill and a few batteries, so maybe there's a bit or attachment I could look for?
If the seam were on the outside, this'd seem pretty simple: I think I could just grind it down with a cheap grinder. It's the small, 2" space on the inside that makes it seem sort of daunting.
If there are no practical DIY ways I could deal with this on my own, what kind of shop or person could help me with this?
If the space is too tight to get at the seam, it might be just as easy to cut a matching groove on your bike carrier.
...provided the Dremel is long enough to get the tip maybe 4" into the receiver opening...
Dremel has a flexible shaft attachment that should reach.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 11:00 PM on October 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
...provided the Dremel is long enough to get the tip maybe 4" into the receiver opening...
Dremel has a flexible shaft attachment that should reach.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 11:00 PM on October 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
A hand file is your best bet. It'll be a lot faster than you think. Just get a good quality carbon steel or carbide file with a medium pattern. (...as opposed to coarse/bastard or fine/smooth)
The biggest and longest file that will fit in the receiver will work the fastest, but a slightly smaller file won't take much more work, and will probably end up having more future uses. So, I'd focus on the file pattern and composition, and just get the best thing that's cheap and available.
The hitch receiver is almost definitely made of mild steel. The protruding weld will be slightly harder than the base material, but not by much. A little bit of cutting fluid, mineral oil, or even chalk on the file will speed things along.
I'd be surprised if the entire job takes you more than 20 minutes - with less than 5 of that being active filing.
Good luck!
posted by Anoplura at 11:31 PM on October 10, 2021 [13 favorites]
The biggest and longest file that will fit in the receiver will work the fastest, but a slightly smaller file won't take much more work, and will probably end up having more future uses. So, I'd focus on the file pattern and composition, and just get the best thing that's cheap and available.
The hitch receiver is almost definitely made of mild steel. The protruding weld will be slightly harder than the base material, but not by much. A little bit of cutting fluid, mineral oil, or even chalk on the file will speed things along.
I'd be surprised if the entire job takes you more than 20 minutes - with less than 5 of that being active filing.
Good luck!
posted by Anoplura at 11:31 PM on October 10, 2021 [13 favorites]
2nding anoplura's excellent advice. This won't be nearly as tedious as you think to file down. A dremely won't really work as you won't be able to direct force where you need it and you'll make a mess. Just buy a good quality file not some cheapo $4 for 8 thing...
posted by chasles at 5:28 AM on October 11, 2021
posted by chasles at 5:28 AM on October 11, 2021
Jason at Fireball Tools has a video dealing with this exact problem - he starts with some common methods for cleaning up the weld line, but then builds his own tool (of course), which is not as useful to you but still entertaining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jr4Capx8XI
posted by jpeacock at 6:29 AM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jr4Capx8XI
posted by jpeacock at 6:29 AM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
I would not mess with the receiver as it may weaken the weld. This may reduce the load capability of the receiver which may not matter to you if only use it for a bike carrier, but might make a different if you haul a trailer or sell to someone who will.
A better way might be to cut a groove in the carrier insert as AsYouKnow Bob suggests, or bend the top of the carrier insert so it fits.
posted by Short End Of A Wishbone at 8:53 AM on October 11, 2021
A better way might be to cut a groove in the carrier insert as AsYouKnow Bob suggests, or bend the top of the carrier insert so it fits.
posted by Short End Of A Wishbone at 8:53 AM on October 11, 2021
Try a band file belt sander. Here is one from Harbor Freight.
posted by tronec at 9:13 AM on October 11, 2021
posted by tronec at 9:13 AM on October 11, 2021
If you have a Dremel already, you can get a long-shaft burr bit, but if you don't, I'd try a hex-shaft grinding bit and an extender on a regular drill first (I suspect a smooth shaft bit designed for a rotary tool like in the first link would slip in a regular drill if used to grind metal). I think either of those combinations will get you the best combo of force and speed down the inside of a hitch receiver tube. That bit on Amazon even has a commenter who specifically says they used to to grind out the inside of a receiver hitch.
posted by drlith at 9:45 AM on October 11, 2021
posted by drlith at 9:45 AM on October 11, 2021
> Short End Of A Wishbone:
"I would not mess with the receiver as it may weaken the weld.
As long as it's not just a tack-weld, this is not going to be an issue.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 11:08 AM on October 11, 2021
"I would not mess with the receiver as it may weaken the weld.
As long as it's not just a tack-weld, this is not going to be an issue.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 11:08 AM on October 11, 2021
A band file sander like the one tronec linked to is what I was going to suggest.
And I don't think that removing the protruding portion of the weld bead will significantly impact the strength of the weld, assuming the weld was done correctly in the first place and achieved full penetration into the material. And if the weld is leftover from when the square tubing was manufactured, as I suspect it was, the quality should be fine. (And they already ground the outer surface of the tubing flat, they just don't bother to do it on the inside since it would be very difficult to do as part of the manufacturing process.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:49 PM on October 11, 2021
And I don't think that removing the protruding portion of the weld bead will significantly impact the strength of the weld, assuming the weld was done correctly in the first place and achieved full penetration into the material. And if the weld is leftover from when the square tubing was manufactured, as I suspect it was, the quality should be fine. (And they already ground the outer surface of the tubing flat, they just don't bother to do it on the inside since it would be very difficult to do as part of the manufacturing process.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:49 PM on October 11, 2021
Most places don't allow light vehicle triples (and if you can't get the bike mount in you wouldn't be able to get the draw bar for a triple in either). Plus the center line of square tubing is minimally stressed anyways which is why they put the seam there and is why having the gapping hole where the draw bar pin goes through on the sides isn't a big deal. So milling the weld down won't be a hazard.
I'd use a narrow belt sander for this too. Here you can rent them and the 1" version has a lot more extension than the 1/2" version previously linked. If you just want the problem solved this is the sort of thing I'd make happen at the local small welding repair shop for the cost of a case of beer.
posted by Mitheral at 11:17 AM on October 13, 2021
I'd use a narrow belt sander for this too. Here you can rent them and the 1" version has a lot more extension than the 1/2" version previously linked. If you just want the problem solved this is the sort of thing I'd make happen at the local small welding repair shop for the cost of a case of beer.
posted by Mitheral at 11:17 AM on October 13, 2021
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posted by TimHare at 10:30 PM on October 10, 2021