You’ve seen them, the inexpensive bolt-together Harbor Freight trailer kits. While they pack a lot of function, they unfortunately are often something like a rattle trap. (Not always, of course.) While they have a cheap rap, they sell a lot
Articles – From the Mechanic
Join the discussion with the Mechanic on all sorts of DIY Project topics, including news, tips and about building things. DIY is our specialty. Enjoy the articles, then comment when things catch your attention. To filter the posts, just select a category from the top line. If there is a topic you'd like to see, please request it. This site is for you.Bent Tongue — Judging A Weak Trailer
When buying a trailer, how can we decide if it’s well built, or just cheap? How do you know if it’s strong or weak? While there are always tale-tale signs, we’ll use this example of a trailer with a bent tongue to illustrate.
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.
Engineering: Calculate Beam Loading (Intro)
As a simplistic introduction to beam loading, this article discusses the complications in calculating stresses and deflection. While it’s pretty easy to calculate beam loading for simple theoretical cases, very few beams are actually simple. A trailer frame, for instance,
Why Special Order Axles?
Some of your Trailer Plans don’t use a standard axle size. Why not? Good question, along with the also common “Why should I special order the trailer axle?
There are a few common-ish axle sizes that some manufacturers stock.
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?
Low Profile Trailer Suspension
Every once in a while something unique catches my eye. This time it’s a low profile trailer suspension that does much the same as torsion axles — but in a way to allow tandem axle load sharing. As I’ve looked at it more, there are some really interesting advantages
You Don’t Have The Plans I Need. Now What?
Sometimes looking for the right plans for the trailer you need is a needle in a haystack. Every site has something, but not exact. What’s next? When you really need a particular trailer that others don’t offer,
Dangling By A Single Trailer Chain
If you ever doubt the sanity of safety chains, then see this example of where a single trailer chain literally saved lives. The story is amazing from all angles –
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,
Wide and Wider Tiny House Trailer Plans
What if . . . You want to live Tiny, but not “that” tiny? Sure, there are a lot of attractive elements with living Tiny, but to some, the 8 foot width is just too tight. If that’s you, go with a wider tiny house built with these new trailer plans!
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.
On The Road – Rattle Traps We Call Trailers
Are you ever scared by what you see in tow rolling along down the highway? I am often surprised at the contraptions that pass for legal. Join me. Let’s make a collection of photos here for a few good laughs — Scary trailers on the road.
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
Customer Story – A Unique Trailer Build
There is always something to learn when looking at someone’s DIY project. This customer story about a unique trailer build is no exception.
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.
Customer Story – A Trailer Rebuild
An excellent customer story about a complete trailer rebuild. We talk about it once in awhile, and we give some advice, but this is the first customer story that is truly about doing a full rebuild and reformat.
Introducing Plans For Deck-Over Trailers
More new plans, and even more coming. You’ve been asking for robust Deck-Over Trailers, so that’s what we’re working on. The first are here, and