What Type of Maintenance Does My Trailer Need?

Spring is here and trailers everywhere are being pulled out of storage to haul a variety of goods. The best time to check over your trailer and take care of any maintenance issues is now! Towing a trailer can be tricky business and confirming it so it’s safe should be a priority. To get started, check out these common maintenance tips and tricks:

Tires & Brakes

Be sure to take a look at the tires and brakes on both your trailer and the truck you will use to tow. Correct load rating and proper inflation of your tires can be critical. Look out for dry rot and wear on your trailer tires. Tires older than five years need to be observed closely, you can check the manufacture date on the sidewall of the tire. The DOT alphanumeric code includes the date of manufacture stated in the last four numbers. For instance, 2709 tells you tire was manufactured in the 27th week of 2009.

Make sure your brakes are working properly. You need more stopping distance while towing so having brakes that are even slightly spent could be a real hazard. Riding the brakes while towing can lead to overheating your brakes and possibly losing control.

Hitch & Safety Chains

Confirm the towing capacity limits on all gear and be sure the hitch ball is still firmly attached to the drawbar. Make sure that the coupler and hitch ball is sized correctly and fit together snugly. Your second line of defense is your safety chains, which are required. When choosing the thickness of your safety chain, confirm they will prevent the trailer from drifting, while still allowing it to turn easily. Also, crisscrossing your safety chains underneath the trailer's tongue can prevent the tongue from striking the ground in case the trailer becomes unhitched.

Wiring

Whether your truck and trailer came prewired or whether you needed to do your own trailer wiring, you need to confirm that nothing has short-circuited before you tow. Have someone stand behind the trailer while you run through a test of the brake lights and turn signals.

Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website at www.ricevilletrailers.com.

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References:

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-truck-mods/10-towing-maintenance-tips

https://trailerguys.com.au/faq/trailer-maintenance/

Choosing the Best Trailer for Your Needs

Image source: Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales

Farmhands, landscapers, agricultural, small business owners, and consumers at large often find business or life can be improved if they purchase a trailer. The next step is researching different types of trailers, consumers are finding they are overwhelmed at the array of choices.

One way to narrow down the trailer process decision is to start thinking about how you will use the trailer. Do you own a landscape business and know that you’ll be hauling a lot of brush?  Is this a trailer that you think you’ll be bringing to job sites and then closing safely? With you be hauling other vehicles, like an ATM?

Are you thinking you may want to lock up your trailer and not have to think about it or worry about theft, weather damage or another hazard? if that is the case then you’ll need an enclosed trailer which is different from an open application trailer.    

Before choosing a trailer, give some time and thought to how you will use different types of trailers available on the market.

Open Application Trailer:  Sometimes you just need an open application trailer, for hauling things like landscape brush, or perhaps supplies like bags of seed corn or potting soil. If this is the case, you are likely looking for an open trailer. There is a lot of flexibility in it, for example, you can buy optional side wall kits for hauling things like trees and branches, and ramps for loading the ATV.  

Enclosed Trailer:  Enclosed Trailers are widely used for purposes that can range from car haulers, bike trailers, to farm equipment trailers, utility trailers, motorcycle trailers, and more.  Many consumers appreciate enclosed trailers because they provide protection of the cargo, outfitted with track, rings, tie-down, shelving or floor to accommodate any time a cargo that needs hauling.

Special Considerations with an Enclosed Trailer:  Consider how far you will be traveling.  If you are only going a few miles or across town, an enclosed trailer with the standard features will suffice.  However, if you are traveling far, with something special (like a collector item or vintage car) you will want to purchase upgrades, enhancing the safety of the trailer.  Consider a mounted spare tire, stabilizers and tie-downs, and LED tail lights.

Finally, think about weight.  Be mindful of the weight of the trailer and the towing capacity of your vehicle. If you're hauling more than 3,000 pounds, the trailer you purchase should have its own braking system.

Contact Terry's Auto Body & Trailer Sales for all your trailer needs, repairs, and maintenance. Avoid disaster and keep your family safe while driving. Call 641-985-2536 or visit our website.

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Sources:

http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/machinery/choosing-utility-trailer/