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
Mechanics Tips
Articles > Mechanics Tips
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.
How Often Should You Tighten Trailer Wheel Bolts?
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
Who Says Welding Doesn’t Affect Strength?
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.
Good Ways To Shorten A Chain
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?
When To Replace Trailer Tires
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?
How Much Can I Tow With My Vehicle?
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,
Are Aluminum Trailers Good or Bad?
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.
How To Measure A Bolt Pattern
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
Where and How to Attach Safety Chains
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
The Trailer Breakaway Kit
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.
Wheels And Tires For Your Trailer
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.
Successful Threads With A Die
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.
Engineering: Welding Trailer Spring Brackets
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
Get Thread Tapping Straight
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.
Reasonably Accurate Way To Bend Metal
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
Drill Matching Bolt Holes
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
Threaded Rod For Custom Bolts
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.
Tricks To Weigh Heavy Things
Do you need to weigh something really heavy but don’t have access to an industrial scale? How can I weigh heavy things — like a trailer frame — without a special super heavy duty scale?
4 Pressing Issues
A shop press is a fantastic tool, and when you need it, there’s not much that can really substitute. On the other hand, we need to keep things in order because when things go bad, they can easily go really bad in a hurry.
Does My Trailer Need A Spare Tire?
What about that trailer spare tire? No, I don’t mean the one around my middle . . . for your trailer. Do you really need one? Some say yes, and we see them on many trailers, but they are rarely used. What if you just go without?