Customer Reviews

Trailers: How to Design and Build

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I agree with the fellow who said this book is a bit of bait and switch. Everytime I thought he was going to get into the real details that I wanted, the author just referred to one of his other books. Without Vol. 2 this book will not give you enough information to build a trailer.

It does provide some high-level information, and might get you to asking the right questions, but for the price it ought to answer some of those questions. I cannot recommend this book.

If you don't know anything about trailer construction, this book will get you started and make you dangerous. But most of the information in this book can be obtained by walking around and carefully inspecting commercially built trailers, looking at component catalogues, then applying some plain common sense.

I was very disappointed in this book. It has a lot of general overview type information, and lots of pictures of what not to do, but not the specifics of exactly what to do or what design rules to follow. It spends an inordinate amount of time plugging the authors other books.

The essense of trailer design is to end up with something that will carry the load structurally and trail properly without adverse handling characteristics i.e. sway, and whipping. This book won't get you to that point.

These concepts are mentioned in the book but the author wants you to buy Volume 2 for the structural information and then buy, the as yet unpublished, volume 3 for the handling information. I see this as a little bit of bait and switch. Three books totaling $$+ retail is a bit much to pay for this information.

This book deserves zero stars. Every single chapter and sub-topic section of this book refers you to Volume 2 for more information. It is misleading to state that you can learn any of the following from this book:
"Table of contents by chapters:
1) Developing a design
2) Overall considerations
3) Suspension systems
4) Basic components
5) Accessories
6) Construction aspects"
Because you cannot not learn to do ANYTHING from this book alone. They might as well charge you $23.99 for a blank book which says SEE VOLUME 2 because this book is useless without volume 2. So unless you are willing to spend over $60 for this information, which I am not. YOU WILL BE STUCK WITH A NON-RETURNABLE USELESS ITEM.
After having been ripped off by M. M. Smith. I will try to educate as many people as possible not to trust this author.

I purchased vol. 1 & 2 in so that I could design and build a trailer. After reading the book I was more confused then when I had the idea of building the trailer. True, this book is informative but it would have been even better if the author had included various types of trailer designs, plans, matl's, etc. so that anyone can build an approved trailer design. Designing a trailer is not easy considering all the factors and computations involved for the average hobbist. So the title of this book can be misinterpreted depending if you're an engineer or hobbist. girardibanez@netpci.com

I have to agree with some of the other reviewers - Volume 1 is full of references to Volume 2 and Volume 3 (and I don't think Volume 3 is even in print!). Volume 1 is a good start BUT without Volume 2 it's nothing more than a strategy or planning tool - which is nice but it really doesn't get into any real meat. Don't get me wrong planning is an important step but a whole book on the strategy of building a trailer - give me a break!

My advise is to go to the library, borrow Volume 1 and then see if it's what you like THEN buy Volume 2.

Absolute GARBAGE. What a waste of my money. I expected to be able to build a trailer when I finished this book. NO WAY!! A whole lot of what not to do, and not much of what to do. I didn't think it possible to have read so much and have learned so little.
There are too many refernces to other volumes. This volume could have, (should have) been reduced to one or two chapters and then... " get to the business of building trailers." After reading this book, I have great reservations about buying volume II. (I agree with the other person that stated they wish they could give a zero rating)

I thought this book was a good introduction into trailer design basics. There were no cases of assumed familiarity with trailer components. That said, the author has a bad habit of making statements and refering to more detail in vols 2&3. When I got Vol 1 there was no 2 or 3. When I got 2 there was reference that some of the detail was reserved to be covered in vol 3 not yet published.

I purchased this and the "basic" volume. The first was too simple and failed to address any "how to's", this one would make a good engineer's text. I am a graduate engineer, but I pass on computing the moments of inertia for each potential design. The tables are there, so it would make a passable textbook. If that is what you want to do, this book may be for you. I assume that because of potential liability the author refuses to say (for example), "Here is the type and gauge steel you need to make the frame of a 7,000 lb GVWR 16 ft car hauler". The book is of no use to the person who wishes to "just do it".

I purchased this book because I wish to manufacture trailers. It will not teach one to do so. The title would be more accurate if it were to say, "A listing of the parts you might need to build a trailer". Being a dealer, I already knew the definition of a coupler.

I purchased this book for my husband who is in the process of constructing a trailer for the first time. He was impressed with the information for the beginning trailer maker. The author references an earlier book he has written called "Trailers How to Buy and Evaluate." Not having that book or the information sometimes leaves the reader feeling the lack of that information. Having said that, he still feels that it is a good all around guide.