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Articles & Build Tips – From the Mechanic

Join the discussion with the Mechanic on DIY Project topics including News, Build Tips and Engineering Perspective.  DIY is our specialty.  Trailers, Shop Tools, Cranes, and more. Enjoy the articles, then comment when things catch your attention.  To filter the articles, select a category from the top line.  For a subject you want to see, please request it.  This site is for you.
Lightweight Teardrop Camper Chassis

Every great adventure starts at the beginning – and that includes each Mini Camper, Teardrop Trailer, and Bug-Out style rig.  They all have some unique needs.  Yet, one thing all have in common – they each need a solid chassis as a foundation.

Trail 70 with Motorcycle Trailer

While this customer story is a little outside the normal, it is certainly a fun way to think about trailers.  Sit back and enjoy the story of a small bike, and the fun motorcycle trailer.  With fun photos.  Here is the story.

Trailer Towing Fears

What are your worst trailer towing fears?  Think about the big ones.  Yes, many fears are embedded in bad experiences, or things you have seen or heard from others with bad experiences. Of course, some fears are irrational, but they

Customer Story Dumping Flatbed Trailer

This is a customer story of how this one-of-a-kind Dumping Flatbed Trailer came to be.  Words from the builder.

Structural Trailer Beams

Things To Know For Dovetail & Gooseneck Frames When you need to connect structural trailer beams – a major beam – like a trailer main beam, strength is really important.  Two good examples are

U-Bolts Feature

Where can we find good U-Bolts in just the right size?  I have done a bunch of things to fabricate them over the years because I just could not find a good source.  Well, that just changed.  I have a new favorite source to get nearly any size U-Bolt, and

How Do You Level A Trailer?

For Tiny Homes and RV Trailers, making your trailer level is important.  We get questions like:  I want to level my trailer when I park it, so what is the best way?  Should I use jacks at the corners?

Car Haulers as Drive-Over Fender Trailers

A typical car hauler does not serve the hard-core 4×4’s and wide stance vehicles very well.  Certainly removable fenders help, but we can go one step farther.  Drive-Over Fender Trailers are a game changer for loading and transporting wide stance vehicles.  So, by request,

Estimate Cost to Build a Trailer

Tackling the question of cost before starting a project is always a challenge.  There can be a lot involved, yet, it is pretty important.  So, we will take a look at the process of estimating cost prior to starting a project.  In this article, to illustrate, we will use the example

Truss Style Trailer Frame

Have you ever thought about truss structures for the main beams of a trailer?  Trusses have some really nice advantages for stiffness and lightweight – mostly when the beams get long.  They also come with a few disadvantages that are worth talking about.