Will 2x4 3/16" steel tubing be strong enough for the tongue?

[Moe Szyslak]

8 X 16 house. 2x4 11 ga frame with 2x2 cross bracing. Will a 2x4 3/16" thick tongue be ok?

[SapperACE]

I'm sure Bigbuckbuster will give you his imput soon. He really knows his stuff when it comes to metal working, and he'll send you down the right path.

[Rick G]

I have built a few houses and have had my hands in a few other guys houses and I have found the 3 by 3 square tube at 3/16 thick has worked out best for strength. I was a witness to a toung failure a few years back on the way upto lake of the woods. I was somewhere by Redlake and my buddies toung folded over on his wheel house and came off the hitch at around 60mph hit the ditch and fliped 20ft in the air came back down and blew into a million pieces.

[Big Buck Buster]

I'm sure Bigbuckbuster will give you his imput soon. He really knows his stuff when it comes to metal working, and he'll send you down the right path.

OK, I will chime in.

3/16" would be a little overkill. I would use 2"x4"-1/8" around perimeter, and 2"x3"-1/8" for cross bracing. For the tongue, use 3"x3"-1/4" half way back with 3"x3"-1/4" cross brace for the tongue.

If you were to use 3/16" all around, the frame alone will weigh more than 1,800#'s. Little heavy in my book. The first frame I built was 2"x3"-3/16" all around with the 3"x3"-1/4" tongue, and it weighed just over 1,800#'s. Frame was 8'x16' with 4' v-front.

[bassislife]

3x3 3/16"thick down the center tongue.

Outside 2x3 or 2x4 1/8" thick and inside supports 2x3 1/8" thick is all you need.

My 8' x 16' frame weighed 925 lbs.

[Moe Szyslak]

Thanks guys. I have gone back and forth several times on the frame layout, in regards to how far back the center tongue goes. I originally only wanted to go back till the V front stopped (5' total length) but now I am contemplating changing that.

Any advantage to having the tongue span the entire length of the house as opposed to only going back 5' to where the V front connects to the box portion of the frame?

[hawkeye43]

I say go at least to the axle, I would go all the way back.

[Big Buck Buster]

Thanks guys. I have gone back and forth several times on the frame layout, in regards to how far back the center tongue goes. I originally only wanted to go back till the V front stopped (5' total length) but now I am contemplating changing that.

Any advantage to having the tongue span the entire length of the house as opposed to only going back 5' to where the V front connects to the box portion of the frame?

If you only have the tongue back to end of the v-front, you will have a real good chance of the frame snapping off. It will flex too much at that point.

I wouldn't go all the way back, waste of material, and doesn't add any strength. Just back as far as the main axles, with the same thickness for cross brace as the tongue.