How to Maintain a Trailer

Operating and storing a trailer through various weather conditions will eventually lead to wear and tear that can make operating it dangerous.  Perform these routine maintenance steps to keep your trailer at its optimal performance level.

Do a walk around inspection of your trailer each time you hitch it to a vehicle.  Check for visible damage to the walls, floor, tail lights, tires, and to the wiring harness.  Look under the trailer to see if there is anything hanging down that may drag the ground.  If the walls or floor of the trailer are made of wood, keep the wood treated to avoid rotting.  If you find rotten boards, replace them immediately.  If the majority of the trailer is metal, apply a fresh coat of paint at least once a year and touch up scratches or exposed metal to help prevent rust.

Check the wiring harness for breaks or brittle wires.  Replace any corroded wires or connectors and try to run them through a piece of conduit if possible.  Ask someone to assist you with checking brake lights and turn signals.  Replace any burned-out bulbs.  Verify that the license tag has an up-to-date renewal sticker and that the registration for the trailer is in the glove box of the vehicle which will tow it.

Inspect the trailer hitch and be sure the ball is attached tightly.  With the trailer attached to the hitch, test the connection by pulling up on it aggressively, but be careful not to strain your back.  The safety chains should be clean and rust-free and they should be attached each time the trailer is used.

Use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressure in the trailer’s tires.  Do not load too much cargo onto the trailer as to exceed the recommended towing capacity.  If you are not sure about this limit, check the trailer manufacturer’s website for details or look in the owner’s manual if you have a copy.  Do these routine checks to ensure the safety of your cargo as well as everyone who will be traveling on the same road.

How to Back Up a Trailer

So you just bought a new trailer and you are learning how to drive with it? Things seem pretty easy at first. The trailer just tags along and follows you wherever you go. Now put the vehicle in reverse and try to maneuver the trailer into a parking spot or up to a specific place on a loading dock. Reverse driving with a trailer is not quite as easy as forward driving, but with practice, it will become second nature. Here are a few tips on how to back up your trailer with ease

Be sure that the trailer, or some part of the back of it, is visible to you as you drive. If the vehicle is taller than the trailer, attach something to the trailer on one or both of the back corners that extends up high enough to be seen by the driver. A flag or colored post would be perfect for this task.

Remember, when you are driving in reverse, the trailer will travel in the opposite direction of the way the steering wheel is turned. If you are backing up a trailer and it turns way too far, don't panic, just drive the vehicle forward until the trailer straightens out. A helpful tip for backing into driveways is to drive past the driveway or entrance on the same side of the road as the entrance until the trailer has just passed it. You should turn the vehicle at the end of this approach so that it is facing the opposite side of the road at a slight angle. When you begin to back up, you will notice that the trailer maneuvers much easier and doesn't have as far to travel to make the turn. You will need to turn the steering wheel towards the direction of the opposite side of the road as you back up. This approach will help to keep the vehicle from having to venture off-road in order to correctly angle the trailer. Just be mindful of traffic in both directions as you attempt this.

For practice, find a parking lot with few or no cars to practice driving in reverse. Weekends are a good time for this. Take along some obstacles like road cones to set up different scenarios and learn the best way to approach each one. Also practice driving backwards with a trailer in a straight line and learn how to judge distances. If you spend much of your time driving the trailer by yourself, it may not be a bad idea to install a sensor on the back that will detect when an object is within a certain distance of the back of the trailer. If there are people around, it doesn't hurt to ask someone stand behind the trailer to help you as you back up. Most people won't mind offering a helping hand.