There are many different sizes and shapes of the suspension equalizer link. What are they for? Better yet, when should I choose one shape over another?
If you’ve read much on this website, then you know
We can all use Tips for Building, Planning and Fabricating with DIY Projects. Below is a list of articles with insights for success with our plans, details for expediting construction, and general items for success when you do it yourself. If you have something to contribute, please let us know. If you want to see tips on a certain topic, let us know that too. This is the Do-It-Yourself portal, and these tips are for you! Enjoy! – See all the Mechanic’s Posts here.
There are many different sizes and shapes of the suspension equalizer link. What are they for? Better yet, when should I choose one shape over another?
If you’ve read much on this website, then you know
There are laws that say when a trailer must have brakes. In most places within the USA, when the trailer total capacity is over 3000 lbs, trailer brakes are required. That’s all well and good, but we all know that laws are an ignorant way of covering the least
As a convenient way to help with safety, trailer hitches, balls, and receivers have categories or load rating groups called classes. Each trailer hitch class has ratings for how much it will carry. A look at the ratings for each component
When is an I-Beam not really an “I” Beam? While it’s common to use the generic term “I-Beam” for any beam with an I shape section, there are actually variations with different letter designations. And, there are advantages for the various shapes
A friend asked me this question, along with the companion “How Tight?” The last thing we want is to lose a wheel — because it will not only delay our trip, but a wheel coming loose can do serious damage — to us, our stuff, or maybe
I love seeing failures. Not that anyone wants things to fail, of course, we always try to make things that last. However, when a failure pops up, I love to look it over and understand the “how” and the “why”. It’s an excellent opportunity for learning, and I love to learn.
In previous articles we discuss the importance of trailer safety chain length. If the chains are too long, what can you do? Yeah, odds are you won’t need them, but what if you do? Long chains can complicate things quickly, so how can we safely shorten a chain?
Don’t mess around with your safety or unexpected trip interruptions. The Best Reason to replace old or worn trailer tires is personal sanity, because who wants to deal with it on the side of the road?
There are 3 main factors with how much you can tow. While it all seems simple, digging in makes it a little less clear. Yes, it’s easy to look at the simple rating numbers,
I’ve heard different opinions, so let’s look again at the Engineering and clear up some facts. Maybe we can also debunk a few misconceptions.
What is the bolt pattern on your trailer wheels? For the most part it doesn’t matter because you’re not changing wheels that often, yet when it does matter, it really matters. Here is some good info to measure and calculate
What are the best ways to attach safety chains on a trailer? That’s a simple question without a single best answer. Don’t you hate it when the answer starts with “It depends . . . “? Unfortunately, it does depend on many other things
What in the world is a Trailer Breakaway Kit? If you pull a “larger-ish” trailer, you should definitely know, because it’s a legal requirement in many jurisdictions.
There are a million tires out there with a ton of classifications and designations. What tires do I choose for my trailer? That is not a silly question at all.
While the Tap & Die go hand in hand as threading tools, they’re very different in the way they work. There are also different tricks for success. So, let’s talk success tips for making external threads with a die.
There is some disagreement in trailer building about how to weld-on trailer spring brackets (also known as spring hangers). Some of you have sent questions about which techniques are best, especially
A Tap and Die set is a near must for a DIY fab shop. While the thread creating functions are pretty easy to visualize, sometimes getting the tread to start straight and run true is a different matter.
There are a bunch of ways to bend metal for a bracket. Do a search on YouTube and you’ll likely find several techniques. Well, we don’t want to dis any of those because
So many times we need to make matching holes to bolt something on. You purchased something to mount on your trailer or your workbench or some other project, but now you need the exact
You can use threaded rod (often called All-Thread) for a million things. Make a long bolt, or just the right size fastener. It’s also good for special brackets if you weld to it. And, if you’re not careful, you can make it fail in a million ways too.