CTS trailer problem
 

Posting to see if anyone else has had trouble with this brand of trailer.
Dealer try's to help but sends us back to manufacture for warrenty
They won't stand by it .Said we over loaded it. "stocker 69 Camaro
and gas golf cart" in a 10k rated trailer Don't think that is over loading

Problem is the tongue A-frame is cracked at the point where
frame and box meet. We have less than 12 trips of 70-300 mi
max. The second photo is flipped 90* Both cracks are across
the top of the tubing

Never buy a CTS brand again

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Ray Charles coulda seen that coming.
That is NOT the way to attach a tongue to a trailer frame.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Nasty looking. I had a problem with some of the welds on the frame and the tongue once with my ATC (aluminum trailer) it also had to go back to the Manufacture.5 year warranty they came and got it fixed it and extended the warranty from date of repair they also returned to me, at NO COST. Great trailer, Great People to work with. Yes I would buy another ATC trailer they stand behind there product !!!!!!! Dan Lynch H/SA 1525

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

You need to run a wrap around tongue going back to front axle hanger even
on a 7000 steel open trailer!! (WE have built trailers for 30+ years}.

Especially on a Aluminum trailer!
They are fragile enough if under rough treatment!

Unbelievable!!!!

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Sad that a company won't stand behind their products. Looks like you might have to "LEGAL UP" . Sometimes, all that's needed is a letter from an attorney.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Just for fun show those pictures to the local trades school instructor. His opinion will give you something to talk about if it leads a legal discussion.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Had the same type problem on a Featherlite 15 years ago it cracked were the tounge was welded to main rails right along the weld the cracked across the floor trailer dam near cracked in half. I was at the IRL RACE in Phoenix. They had their service team there but didn’t have a big enough welder so they called one in and patched it up enough to get it back to their factory in Iowa were they completely rebuilt the front section. I had bought a new one and was setting at home in my shop. When I got home we jacked it up and it was welded the same way. Featherlite sent someone to get it took it back to factory in Iowa and completely redone the tounge to frame welding and reinforcement and returned it back to my shop. The problem was when they welded it the first time it caused a stress riser right along the frame were the weld was.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Not only a bad design also some really bad looking welds.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Must be a lot of that going on. I saw an ATC (24ft ?) on I-85, just south of Charlotte, in the middle of the highway, missing the tongue. It was hanging off the back of a duality, on the shoulder 100 ft away, a few weeks ago.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Not enough weld penetration and this type of joint needs to be reinforced.
Those welds may be good for a living room table, but not for a high load structural joint.

Find a certified welding inspector and pay them a few bucks for a letter. Then have a lawyer send them a letter and attach the report with a statement that you will be also filing a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the defective welds and request a recall.

I promise you they will either fix it properly or give you a new trailer. They would not like to have the NHTSA pay them a visit, shut them down and fine them.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Also, if you can, find out what type of Aluminum alloy they are using in the construction of the trailer. 2024 and 7075 Aluminum should never be welded. The heat from the welding process will cause severe cracking.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

What type of aluminum would be acceptable for trailers that will be welded or modified?
Thanks,
Terry

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Thanks for the suggestion I didn't think about
getting someone like NHTSA involved

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

On my 2nd bumper pull camper and I've looked at lots of them. Haven't seen one yet with aluminum frame and some have fairly stout frames and tongues. (6-8 in rect. tubing) I would think most campers are lighter than your average loaded car hauler yet none are aluminum framed. Wondering about this.......

Terry

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

There is nothing wrong with an aluminum trailer as long it is designed properly and the right materials are used. Most tanker trailers have aluminum frames.

The aluminum alloy to use is 6061-T6 extrusions, not 2024 or 7075. To weld 6061-T6 you need a 5356 filler and 6061 will recover after welding. High end aluminum trailer frames built from 6061 aluminum are joined together just like an aircraft frame with Huckbolt fasteners and there is minimal welding.

By the way, Huckbolt fasteners are as strong as welding.

https://applifast.com/wp-content/upl...vs-Welding.pdf

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

6061-t6

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Aluminum welded together in high stress areas is not the best option!

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Willyracer, please post full company name of CTS, location and website so we are all aware. Thanks

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Custom Trailer Solutions
Could be wrong but thought ATC was manufatured at the
same location in north Indiana

Sorry
Don't know their web site

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

CTS Trailers LLC
312 S. 4th St., Suite 700
Louisville, KY 40202

Their website does not work:

http://www.mycustomtrailer.com/

The owner of CTS used to work for Millennium Trailers as a salesman and had created CTS behind their back and was taking customers away from Millennium.

Read the document in the link below. I do not think you have a chance to get it repaired by CTS. Your best bet would be a lawyer and NHTSA.

https://cases.justia.com/indiana/cou...?ts=1444316901

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

This explains a lot. Thanks
This guy Thogerson is who we dealt with
when ordering and when trying to get
repairs done He sends us on to a manufacture
rep He must contract a factory to build for
him.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

CTS trailer and Thogerson merely act as brokers for people that want to buy trailers---they set up a dummy business and solicit buyers--once they have a "buyer" interested they contact a manufacturer to build "the CTS" trailer according to the buyers specs-- HE is not in the trailer manufacturing business---he has had multiple run ins with the legal system for NON PAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT, trailer sales shenanigans such as not warranting or correcting trailer problems -steeling customers from the trailer companies he has worked for etc.--non payment of court ordered judgements--hundreds of thousands of dollars--multiple violations of court orders---and constantly moving from Indiana to Kentucky changing office addresses and residential addresses numerous times-----Good luck on getting anything from him he HAS NO MONEY and owes LOTS OF MONEY---Don't know if contacting either a lawyer or the NHTSA would do any good but you can try---I would suggest you look over your trailer very carefully for any other signs of structural problems, bad welds etc. before I would go on any trips with that trailer it looks to me like a disaster just waiting to happen---FED 387

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

File a safety report with the NHTSA. They do not play around and he may be able to get away with the local courts but not with the NHTSA which is a federal agency. The NHTSA is the equivalent to the FAA in aviation.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Since I doubt they will repair the trailer or replace it, and in the event you want to keep it, you can do a structural repair in the same fashion as done on airplanes.

You can use 2024 structural aluminum angle extrusion, cut it to the proper width and attach it with Cherry MaxiBolt rivets or Huck Blind Bolts.

You can get the extrusion from Aircraft Spruce:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal.../alumangle.php

For the Cherry MaxiBolt and Huck Blind Bolts eBay is the best place to get them. You need to determine the diameter of the hole you are going to dril and thickness of the area you are going to join to choose the proper part number. They also require a specific pneumatic gun to pull them that you can also get used on eBay and resell later. Nevertheless, this type of repair will last as long as the trailer.

If you want to read more about this type of repair, the FAA has available as a free download the aircraft mechanics manuals. Great source of information for sheet metal, structural repairs, electrical and plumbing. It is a large pdf file. Chapter 4 of the manual covers structural and sheet metal repairs.

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/m...-1B_w-chg1.pdf

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli...e_hb_vol_1.pdf

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli...e_hb_vol_2.pdf

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Yes. SSDIV6. We are going to repair. Have no choice
We have the tongue pulled back level.That is why
the gap is big in photo. We was going to weld cracks
First. Then double up the with tubing or like you suggested
Thanks

We did contact the manufacture of the trailer
[in Middleburg,Ind] or something like that. They
Said bring it to them and they would repair but we would
have to cover the 100% of the bill. After reading about. CTS
he must done them wrong also

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

We quit building Aluminum Trailers about 10 years ago =
The small weight difference was not worth the increased
problems to us.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

John,

There are ways to do it correctly and they could outlast a steel trailer.
As I said earlier, most tanker trailers have aluminum frames.
We will have a chat next year at the races.

Re: CTS trailer problem
 

Just an update on the trailer. Just in case anybody else
has the same problem. We cut out the aluminum tongue
A-frame . We built a replacement out of 2x6 steel tubing
and bolted the A-frame to the trailers frame rails.
Just have to paint now but better than what we started
with.