Maintaining your Trailer Smartly
May 19, 2015Last Updated on September 30, 2024 by Matthew Sholly
Last Updated on September 30, 2024 by allprotrailersuperstore
Now that you’ve bought a trailer and owned it for several months it’s time to begin learning how to best take care of it. Like most things in life, how well you take care of them will determine how long it lasts and how well it runs. With your trailer, there is lots of information available to you for proper maintenance. Today we are going to dig into that information and make it straightforward and easy for you to quickly read so that you get down to business.
Washing Your Trailer
Start washing your trailer by using warm soapy water, but remember to use a soap that will go easy on the paint and finish of your trailer. Washing your trailer regularly will help prevent rust and make you appear more professional. Most trailers will be clean and work well when you first buy them, but if you don’t wash them well after they’re done hauling for a project they can develop problems. Make sure you clean the nooks and crannies and if you have an enclosed trailer be sure to clean the inside there. Don’t use a power washer when cleaning your trailer because it can damage the paint and the walls of it.
After you finish washing check for any rust patches and be sure to sand them away and repaint those areas with the correct paint and apply a finish afterward. This will stop rust in its tracks and keep your trailer lasting longer.
Grease and Lubricate Trailer Wheel Bearings
It may not be the first thought that comes to your mind, but greasing all of the moving parts of your trailer after every long tow or on a regular basis is important. The strain of hauling all of that heavy material and the dust and dirt from the different loads you’re hauling have a habit of getting into the moving parts. Be sure to grease pretty much every moving part. The most important part is most likely your wheel bearings because they are metal on metal and will heat up a lot when hauling heavy loads, especially in the summer.
Inspecting Trailer Tires
You may not be towing your trailer every day, but when you are it is probably carrying a heavy load which means the tires are under a lot of pressure. Regularly inspect them for proper air pressure and tread depth. The weight of your cargo may require you to adjust the air pressure in the tires. If your trailer has smaller tires it’s important to note they will make more revolutions then full sized ones thereby heating up faster; so pay attention to their temperature in the summer.
When you own a trailer and aren’t using it be sure to store it somewhere out of the elements or at least cover it to provide protection. You will see trailers, which don’t receive proper care and maintenance, have shorter lifespans than those which do. Regular maintenance and care also helps protect you and others from unexpected accidents which can save lives.
