Field Notes
Guides, gear, and build features
Field Notes is where ModShops USA shares practical reference for enthusiasts: how to choose a shop, what good work costs, gear worth running, and features on the builders behind real rigs. It is written to be useful first and to help you find the right shop near you, second.
IndustryOct 27, 20266 min read
Buying a Built Rig Instead of Building One
What to have inspected on a modified 4x4 before you buy it, who should do the inspection, and when building your own is the better call.
IndustryOct 16, 20266 min read
Booking Shop Time for a Winter Build While the Bays Are Still Open
Shops fill their winter bench time in the fall. How off-season scheduling works, what to have ready when you call, and which jobs need a slot.
IndustrySep 11, 20266 min read
Overland Rig or Rock Crawler: Two Builds That Pull in Opposite Directions
Where overland and rock-crawler builds genuinely conflict — payload, gearing, tires, center of gravity — and why picking a direction first saves money.
IndustryAug 14, 20266 min read
The Conversation to Have Before You Commit to a Full Build
A full build is defined in a conversation, not a parts list. What a build consultation should cover, and the signs a shop is skipping it.
IndustryAug 11, 20266 min read
Telling a Fabrication Shop From an Installer
Installers fit parts that already exist. Fabrication shops build parts that don't. How to tell which one you're talking to before you describe the job.
IndustryJul 24, 20266 min read
Why Some Shops Won't Touch Someone Else's Parts
Why some shops refuse to install parts you bought online: the warranty, liability, and comeback-work reasons, and how to tell a fair no from a margin grab.