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.
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.
Is there an easy way to build an adjustable length trailer tongue? This may seem like an odd question, yet it has come up many times. While the question seems simple and direct, there are actually a lot of pieces to give a good answer. If you are ready, we can dive into a few…
When you get into the details, trailer axles are not as simple as we often like to think. Dimensions we most often discuss are: Capacity (strength), Spring Centers (where they mount on the trailer frame), and Hub Face (distance between the wheels). These all
Question from a customer: “Do you have any articles that speak about single axle vs double axle advantages?” Specifically, with the same load carrying capacity. Something like a 14 foot trailer with a single axle @ 7,000 lbs – or – 2 axles at @ 3,500 lbs each?
Announcing TRAILER PARTS KITS for the Mechanical Elements Trailer Plans! On their way for you! Certainly, having all the right parts can make the start of your trailer building project easier.
Starting at the main wiring connector, trailer wire colors help us trace the conductors to all the proper electrical connections. The colors are specified by the various wiring standards such as the SAE ( Traditional ) standards, or the newer RV Standard for trailer wiring.
For good ride quality in your car, Shock Absorbers are super important. So why don’t they use more shock absorbers for trailers? Do they make a difference with trailer ride? These are good questions that need a some background,
For most people trailer brakes are just part of the trailer – something we hook up and expect to work. That is great most of the time. However, for those who want to dig a little deeper, especially with tandem axle brakes, there is a whole world of things to consider
What can we do to make the best Tiny House Trailer design even better? That is not a simple task, because it is already fantastic. Yet, we do have many years of feedback from our most excellent customers! So, here are the details of how we make the best even better.
This topic comes from a custom trailer builder we work with. He asked: “Will you please look at this tiny home trailer video? I have a customer that wants me to build one like this – with insulation cavities and 1/2″ anchor bolts. They want a triple