Mig welding trailer frame crack

[Claffy]

Hey All,

I purchased a second hand trailer recently (it's old) and just stripped the old wood sides off ready to add some sheets of steel to and I noticed this crack. It's just above where the leaf spring starts and appears to be most of the way Down one side of the angle iron. The other side is fine. I'm presuming this is a stress fracture that possibly started from a weld. I would appreciate any tips or ideas on how to fix this up. I will be adding a checker plate sheet over the top of this once fixed. My thoughts were to drill a hole at the end of the crack and start welding there. What about a plate underneath?? Would appreciate anything

Should also note it's hard to see but a plate underneath could be difficult as the angle iron is actually touching the start of the lead springs there (it looks like there's a bit of a gap but no). There's room for plate underneath on half...

 

[madkayaker]

Cut 30cm section out and replace with new metal. That's a high stress point and the metal has corroded so will continue to split what ever you do

 

[the snooper]

plus 1
that steel is very thin looking at the pitting

 

[spaffmonkey]

I was thincking the same as previouse comments cut away till you get good metal and weld in new clean metal.
Make sure you take pics along the way :-)

 

[Claffy]

Thanks all for your comments. Takin out a good length seems to be the general consensus which I will do. The metal has that kind of old cast iron look when fronded down so hopefully it still has a few years left in her

 

[spaffmonkey]

Once done give it all a good wire brush off and then a couple of coats of hammerite or somthing similar as i has a rust cure agent in it and should keep you going for a good while.