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Customer Story – Teardrop Camper Build

January 13, 2023 by Mechanic
Building a Teardrop Camper

We see them around, on the highway heading for a weekend away.  They always look so cool and just beg you to find your own adventure.  Just a cute little teardrop camper set to take someone for a great vacation.

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Camper, Customer Story, Customize, DIY, Teardrop, Trailer, Welding 1 Comment

Trailer Design – Meeting Your Goals

November 29, 2022September 17, 2022 by Mechanic
Trailer Design Sketch

It looks easy.  Trailer design is not like building a rocket, but it’s also not as easy as putting a few pieces of metal together.  Good trailer design includes meeting goals and ending up with something that will tow well, and perform to your needs.

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Categories Adventures Tags Best Practices, Customize, Design, Strength, Trailer Leave a comment

Trailer Suspension Mounting – Misdirection !!

October 3, 2022May 14, 2022 by Mechanic
Suspension Mounting Too Close

Shopping online is both a boon and a bust.  It’s great access to a wide variety of components, but it’s a bummer when misleading info causes extra work and frustration.  That brings us to this Customer Story of misguided

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Customer Story, Customize, Measurements, Steel, Strength, Trailer, Welding 1 Comment

Easy Gantry Crane Lift Conversion

November 29, 2022January 22, 2022 by Mechanic
Gantry Crane Lift Feature

The beauty of a gantry crane is the beam overhead, and the clear access for lifting things.  To make them more useful, telescoping legs put the top beam at a height appropriate for the job — in your garage, or outside, or wherever.  One of the challenges

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Categories News, Plans Info Tags Conversion, Customize, Gantry Crane, Plans, Safety, Strength Leave a comment

Tilt Top Trailer Conversion Plans

October 10, 2022January 4, 2022 by Mechanic
Trailer Conversion to Tilt Top

It’s time to welcome the tilt top trailer.  You, as customers and readers, request this a lot, for a while.  So, now we have it.  Rather than revisiting the design for all our trailers in all the sizes, we now offer conversion plans.  These are an added option

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Categories News, Plans Info Tags Build, Customize, Plans, Tilt Top, Tongue, Trailer Leave a comment

From Cheap Kit to Improved Trailer

March 11, 2023July 26, 2021 by Mechanic
Harbor Freight Improvement

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

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Customer Story, Customize, DIY, Trailer Leave a comment

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

Customer Story – A Unique Trailer Build

June 12, 2021January 16, 2021 by Mechanic
A Unique Trailer Project

There is always something to learn when looking at someone’s DIY project.  This customer story about a unique trailer build is no exception.

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Customer Story, Customize, DIY, Trailer, Welding Leave a comment

Customer Story – A Trailer Rebuild

June 15, 2021December 2, 2020 by Mechanic
Trailer Conversion Customer Story

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.

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Customer Story, Customize, DIY, Trailer, Welding Leave a comment

Which Trailer Plans Should I Buy?

December 15, 2022May 26, 2020 by Mechanic
Which Trailer Plans To Buy?

I want to build a trailer, but there are so many possibilities – and some things are mutually exclusive.  How do I narrow my thoughts?  What things do I really need?  And, most important, How do I choose which Trailer Plans to buy?

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Categories Plans Info Tags Best Practices, Customize, Options, Plans, Trailer 6 Comments

Excellent Small Car Trailer Caught In The Wild

October 3, 2022October 2, 2019 by Mechanic
Small Trailer with Big Benefits

Caught on the streets, this small trailer provides big benefits.  It’s an excellent example of using a trailer instead of a truck, and this business owner understands efficiency.

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Categories Solutions! Tags Bolts, Customize, Deck-Over, Hitch, Solutions!, Tongue Leave a comment

Making Changes To The Plans

February 19, 2022July 20, 2019 by Mechanic
Custom Changes To The Plans

I can’t find quite the right plans for the trailer I want to build.  Can I make changes to the plans at Mechanical Elements to fit my needs?

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Categories Plans Info Tags Aluminum, Customize, Deck-Over, DIY, Plans, Torsion Leave a comment

What is a “Specialty Trailer”?

October 25, 2021May 24, 2019 by Mechanic
Specialty Trailer ??

When someone asked “What is a Specialty Trailer?”, I had to really think about it.  Words are important in descriptions.  Certainly it does not mean “Special”, as in “Unique” because almost all DIY

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Categories Plans Info Tags Customize, Plans, Quality, Trailer 2 Comments

How To Make A Trailer Longer

December 29, 2021May 11, 2019 by Mechanic
How To Make A Trailer Longer

Sometimes I wish my trailer was longer.  Is there an easy way to make a trailer longer?  Is that even possible?  And, what are the limits

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Categories Adventures Tags Aluminum, Customize, DIY, Force, Steel, Strength Leave a comment

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

Building A Better Folding Trailer Tongue

November 23, 2022April 11, 2018 by Mechanic
Folding Trailer Tongue Finished

Intrigued by the cool potential of saving storage space, increased security, and removal of a shin knocker to step over, this new folding trailer tongue adds greater utility to a trailer.

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Categories Adventures, Mechanics Tips Tags Build, Customize, Tongue, Trailer, Welding 6 Comments

The Economics of DIY Projects

June 19, 2021January 23, 2018 by Mechanic
Cost and DIY Project Economics

“I want to build a new trailer.”  That’s an awesome thing to say, and it’s even better to do.  Yet, many such adventures don’t launch because of project economics?  What does it cost to build? 

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Categories Adventures Tags Analysis, Build, Cost, Customize, DIY, Plans, Trailer Leave a comment

Convenient Trailer Tongue Hinge For Storage

December 31, 2022December 29, 2017 by Mechanic
Storage Tip With Trailer Tongue Hinge

Need to store your trailer in a smaller space?  Consider adding a trailer tongue hinge like these.  It’s helpful, for sure, but has some definite things to consider.

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Categories Mechanics Tips Tags Chain, Customize, Hitch, Safety, Tips, Tongue, Trailer 2 Comments

How Do We Make The Plans?

June 23, 2021December 9, 2017 by Mechanic
How We Make The Plans

What goes into the engineering of Do It Yourself Plans?  How do we make them?  When you purchase and download project plans from Mechanical Elements, you get a TON of work and information, much more than first meets the eye.

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Categories Plans Info Tags Build, Customize, DIY, Plans Leave a comment

Creativity in a DIY Pack Trailer

June 25, 2021May 15, 2017 by Mechanic
Makeshift DIY Truck and Trailer

The coolest thing I saw last week was this guy with a very creative DIY approach to a pack trailer — and, of course, his tow vehicle!

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Categories Customer Stories Tags Customize, DIY, Trailer Leave a comment
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