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Axle

Independent Trailer Suspension – Are You Being Taken For A Ride?

March 11, 2023August 17, 2022 by Mechanic
Independent Trailer Suspension?

I see a lot of comments on websites and hear references once in a while about the wonders of independent trailer suspension.  What do you think?  Does it deliver on the hype?  Or is it a sales hoax?  We will look at some video

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Categories Adventures Tags Analysis, Axle, Force, Spring, Tandem, Torsion, Trailer, Triple 2 Comments

How To Mount A Trailer Axle Straight

March 11, 2023July 4, 2022 by Mechanic
Mount A Trailer Axle

Of all the important things to do when building a trailer, getting the axle(s) right is near the top of the list.  It is the position on the trailer, yes, and proper alignment as well.  In this article we look at “How to Mount a Trailer Axle(s) Straight and True.”

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Measurements, Quality, Stability, Tandem Leave a comment

Torsion Axle Conversion Plans

February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 by Mechanic
Torsion Axle Conversion Plans

By far, the most common trailer suspension is leaf springs.  They’re cheap, straightforward, easy to repair and a bunch of other things.  That said, there are definitely benefits in other suspension styles, too.  Torsion is the 2nd most common

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Categories News, Plans Info Tags Axle, Conversion, Engineering, Torsion, Trailer Leave a comment

Can I Use An Axle-Less Suspension

February 6, 2023February 2, 2022 by Mechanic
Compare Axle-Less

Axle-Less trailers.  Yes, that’s a thing, and we get a lot of questions about this unique suspension.  Some people ask if it’s any good?  Other’s ask if it will work with our trailer plans?  Still others ask about using them for tandems?  We even get questions about using it

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Categories Adventures, Plans Info Tags Axle, Fixture, Force, Stability, Torsion 2 Comments

Why Special Order Axles?

April 1, 2022May 5, 2021 by Mechanic
What Is The Right Trailer Axle Size?

Some 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

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Categories Plans Info Tags Axle, Best Practices, Customize, Plans, Spring Leave a comment

Low Profile Trailer Suspension

June 12, 2021April 2, 2021 by Mechanic
Low & Lean 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

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Categories Adventures Tags Axle, Force, Spring, Suspension, Tandem, Torsion Leave a comment

The Trailer Breakaway Kit

March 17, 2023December 18, 2020 by Mechanic
Trailer Wiring For 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.

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Electric, Safety, Wires Leave a comment

Wheels And Tires For Your Trailer

August 23, 2021November 7, 2020 by Mechanic
What Tires For My 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.

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Best Practices, Safety, Tire, Trailer Leave a comment

Engineering: Welding Trailer Spring Brackets

June 15, 2021September 24, 2020 by Mechanic
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

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Force, Safety, Spring, Strength, Welding 7 Comments

More Trailer Plans For Torsion Axles

February 19, 2022March 14, 2020 by Mechanic
More Trailer Plans for Torsion Axles

More New Product Announcements:  The Mechanical Elements line of DIY Trailer Blueprints has just expanded – AGAIN – with more trailer plans for torsion axles.  These new trailer plans fill

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Categories News, Plans Info Tags Axle, Online, Plans, Torsion, Trailer Leave a comment

Converting A Trailer

June 16, 2021February 24, 2020 by Mechanic
Converting a Trailer

The concept of re-purposing or converting a trailer is absolutely awesome.  My hat’s off to anyone who can find a way to reuse and convert something from end-of-life to new-again.  We need more of that in our world!

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Axle, Best Practices, Calculation, Customer Story, Stability, Trailer 1 Comment

Calculating Axle Position

February 22, 2023September 19, 2019 by Mechanic

There is always more to the story.  Our previous post titled “Where Does The Axle Go?” has spawned a lot of great questions.  Here is one particular question asking for some very relevant info about calculating axle position.

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Force, Trailer, Triple 4 Comments

Why Shouldn’t I Use Torsion Axles In Tandem Or Triple?

February 11, 2023August 12, 2019 by Mechanic
Study of Torsion Axles In Triple

Torsion axles are awesome, so Why not use torsion axles in tandem?  It’s a frequent question, along with the corollary “Why shouldn’t I have torsion axles in triple?” Good questions, especially in light of all the misinformation

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Analysis, Axle, Spring, Tire, Torsion, Video 29 Comments

Old Time Tiny House Trailers

June 18, 2021June 4, 2019 by Mechanic
Looking At Old Time Tiny House Trailers

The Tiny House Craze is cool and feels New, but it’s actually one of those things that has come around — though with a twist.  There is a lot to learn from the past if we take a few minutes

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Categories Adventures Tags Axle, DIY, Foundation, Tandem, Tiny House, Trailer 7 Comments

The Value Of Spring Length

May 13, 2022March 11, 2019 by Mechanic
Trailer Axle Suspension - Leaf Spring Length

Why choose a long or short leaf spring for your trailer?  They come in different sizes, not only for strength, but also in trailer leaf spring length.  So, why do I want long ones or short ones?  Does it even matter?

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Spring, Tandem, Trailer 11 Comments

Overslung or Underslung Trailer Springs?

October 10, 2022January 9, 2019 by Mechanic
Overslung or Underslung Trailer Springs

Because you asked . . . What are the advantages of Overslung – OR – Underslung trailer springs?  They both have a good purpose, so let’s discuss it.  The concepts are pretty easy to see with some good graphics.

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Spring, Stability 14 Comments

Trailer Axles 101 – What You Need To Know

October 5, 2022November 21, 2018 by Mechanic
Trailer Axles - Springs - Wheels - and Tires

I’ll just drop by the parts store and grab an axle . . . . Well, trailer axles are not quite that simple, but knowing a few important details, we can certainly get the right one.  Here’s a quick guide to trailer axles

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Calculation, Spring, Strength, Tire, Torsion, Trailer 14 Comments

The Walking Beam Trailer Suspension For Smaller Trailers

October 6, 2022October 18, 2018 by Mechanic
Walking Beam Trailer Suspension With Twin Torsion Axles

Plans are now available for the Twin Torsion Axle Walking Beam Trailer Suspension.  This was introduced on a build early in 2018, with posts about the trailer including a video of the suspension in action.

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Categories News, Plans Info Tags Axle, Build, Plans, Tandem, Torsion, Video Leave a comment

Value & Pitfalls Of Low Trailer Deck Height

November 1, 2022October 10, 2018 by Mechanic
Plus and Minus of Low Trailer Deck Height

To some people a low trailer deck height really matters, to others not so much.  Yet you read about it in trailer descriptions a lot.  So, what are the trade-offs for a low deck?  And how do you achieve it?  Is it even worth it?

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Tiny House, Tire, Torsion, Trailer 2 Comments

How To Make A Lower Trailer Deck

October 25, 2021October 10, 2018 by Mechanic
Making A Lower Trailer Deck Height

Many things contribute to a low trailer deck, and often they conflict with other needs for the trailer.  Here is a list of ways to build a lower trailer deck — and some potential trade-offs 

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Axle, Customize, Spring, Trailer Leave a comment
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