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Articles  >  Adventures

These are stories and thoughts including Do-it-Yourself adventures.  Some success stories, some humorous, and some stories of disaster.  We learn from them all.  If you have a contribution, we’d love to hear it.  Enjoy These Adventures!  –  See all the Mechanic’s Posts here.

NATM Trailer Safety Answers

What do you see wrong with the way the safety chains and other trailer safety equipment are set-up in the image?  That’s the question we asked in the previous article.  The image is a screenshot of a YouTube video by NATM, the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers.

Aerodynamic Trailer Drag

What makes a vehicle slice through the wind easier?  How does a trailer fit in the mix?  The science is complex, but there are some good concepts of trailer aerodynamics that are important to know.  Is there anything I can do to improve my rig?

Which Crane Winch?

There are dozens of ways to lift with a crane.  Chain falls are popular.  Come-alongs are another common method.  There are also a variety of winches – from the hand crank to an electric crane winch for lifting.  Is one better than another?

DIY with Water Jet Cutting

When thinking about DIY, we normally don’t envision big or expensive machinery to do the job.  There are times, however, when it’s really nice to have.  There are some really good reasons for Water Jet cutting (or laser cutting), instead of the normal DIY methods.

Trailer Design Sketch

It looks easy.  Trailer design is not like building a rocket, but it is also not as easy as putting a few pieces of metal together.  Good trailer design includes meeting goals and ending up with something that will tow well, and perform to your needs.

Independent Trailer Suspension?

I see a lot of comments on websites and hear references once in a while about the wonders of independent trailer suspension.  What do you think?  Does it deliver on the hype?  Or is it a sales hoax?  We will look at some video and think about the engineering to find out

Save Money at the Pump

Gas prices are up.  Diesel prices are even higher.  Since we don’t have control of prices, maybe we can DIY something to help.  Are there easy ways to improve fuel economy when pulling a trailer?

Trailer Towing Tips

As we plan and eventually set out for the many adventures this year, let’s plan for a great trip.  Here are some good towing tips to make it all go much smoother. For RV’s or any other trailer, the tips are

Car Hauler Design Research

Prior to starting new plans, we do research to understand the landscape, then look for opportunity to improve and make a better product.  That is certainly the case with our upcoming Equipment Transport Trailer & Car Hauler design.  * New plans are coming soon. *

Is It Strong Enough?

I am not sure how to categorize this Article.  It is an answer, but more than that.  We get questions once in a while something like “My trailer is X long and I want to haul a Y.  Is 3 inch angle iron strong enough?”