TRAILERS—How to Design & Build, Volume 2, STRUCTURE, by M. M. Smith
This book is Volume 2 of a 2-volume series. It addresses designing a framework for the trailer which will be the most efficient and effective structure. This book discusses the various considerations and calculations necessary for the selection of appropriate materials and cross-sections. Welded and bolted joints are discussed along with a complete chapter on metal fatigue. Use of gussets and doublers to improve joint strength are shown. It is extensively illustrated with 90 drawings and 10 photographs, plus 68 tables and many charts and graphs.
This book is equivalent to an introductory class in strength and stress analysis, written for the reader who is familiar with and understands high school level algebra and trigonometry. The photos accompanying this listing show typical pages of the book to give you an idea to give you an idea of the type of content. Please look at them carefully to decide if this is the type of book that you want.
This book is NOT a set of plans for the wide variety of trailer configurations that could exist. Instead, Volume 2 is a basic introduction to the information one needs to design adequate strength in to a trailer’s framework. Structures in general cover a wide range of information, which we have attempted to condense for the purpose of this book. It is a beginning guide to more in-depth analysis.
(Note: Overall design of a trailer, including components and materials, is covered in Volume I.)
This book was published in 1995 and the last printing run was in 2006, from which a number were never sold, never used. We are now offering those copies for sale. In other words, new-old stock. The information provided is still current because very little has changed in the way of trailer features and available materials since the book was written.
Engineering calculations are an important part of designing anything. A trailer is no exception. Most people with a bit of technical aptitude can understand a great deal about strengths if given the opportunity. This book simplifies some of the complex engineering calculations into drawings, tables, charts, graphs and text to make it easier to grasp these concepts so important to the design of a good trailer. This book focuses on the generalities rather than the specifics of any one type of trailer, as there are boat, horse, utility, car hauling, and equipment hauling trailers, all with differences in configuration and requirements. In fact many have told us they have used the information to build other things such as storage racks and equipment carts.
About the author:
M. M. Smith is a mechanical-structural engineer whose unique trailer designs became an industry standard, copied by many. His background included design work on Indy and sports racing cars, plus acting as an engineer/project manager on a land speed record car. This experience helped lead to Smith's high-strength and light-weight approach to trailer design.