A trailer needs little maintenance, but it does need some. Poorly greased bearings, old tires or badly adjusted brakes cause most breakdowns on the road. Here is what to check, and when.
Before every trip
- Coupler closed and locked on the ball, pin in place
- Safety chains crossed and attached to the vehicle
- Plug connected, running lights, brake lights and turn signals working
- Tire pressure, cold, at the value on the sidewall or the trailer label
- Load evenly spread and tied down, ramp and doors locked
After the first few kilometres
A new trailer, or a wheel that was just put back on, needs its lug nuts re-torqued to spec after the first few kilometres: the axle maker gives the intervals, often around 15, 40 and 80 km. New electric brakes also need adjusting after the first few hundred kilometres.
Every season
Look at tire wear: uneven wear can point to a misaligned axle or overloading. Check the springs, shackles and suspension bolts, the condition of the deck and the tie-down points. On an enclosed trailer, inspect the roof and door seals, hinges and locks. On a dump or tilt trailer, check the hydraulic oil level, hoses, cylinder and battery charge.
Every year
Have the bearings inspected and greased, or about every 20,000 km if you travel a lot. Have the brakes, magnets, linings and wiring checked, along with the breakaway system and the coupler. Replace tires that are about six years old, even if they look fine: the manufacturing date is on the sidewall, in the last four digits of the DOT code.
Maintenance by trailer type
An enclosed trailer mainly needs its weather-tightness watched: roof, door and vent seals, and the floor along the walls. A dump or tilt trailer adds the hydraulic system: oil level, hoses, fittings, cylinder and battery, plus greasing the pivots. On a flatbed, the wood deck and ramps work the hardest: replace a split board and check the ramp springs. A utility trailer, finally, gets by with well-inflated tires, greased bearings and working lights.
Signs it is time for the workshop
- A hub much hotter than the others after a trip
- Grinding, clunking or rubbing at the wheels
- A trailer that pulls to one side or sways
- Brakes that lock up, pull or stop responding
- Lights that flicker or go out over bumps
- A dump box or deck that rises slowly or drifts down on its own
Salt and rust
The salt and calcium on our roads are a trailer’s worst enemy. After winter, wash it with fresh water, underside included, and rinse the brakes and springs. A galvanized trailer holds up much better, but still appreciates a good rinse. On a painted trailer, touch up chips before rust sets in.
Storage
Store the trailer on level ground, ideally under cover. Chock the wheels, take weight off the tires if it sits for a long time, and keep the battery of a dump or tilt trailer charged with its smart charger. Open an enclosed trailer now and then to air it out.
The manuals
Your trailer’s manual and those for its axles, brakes and hydraulic system give the manufacturer’s exact intervals. N&N, for example, publishes guides on the tires, battery and hydraulics of its trailers.
Maintenance at Martin Remorques
Our workshop handles the annual inspection, bearings, brakes, electrical, hydraulics and decks, and our parts department orders replacement parts. Book a workshop appointment before the season: your trailer will be ready when you need it.
