NOTE. This guide outlines basic maintenance procedures. These procedures should only be completed by someone proficient in mechanical maintenance and repair. Trailer owners are strongly encouraged to use their dealer for any repair - especially with the components that effect safety (such as brakes and bearings), we urge trailer owners to have that maintenance completed by their dealer. We are often asked for a condensed version of maintenance tips that every trailer owner should know. This is our list: 1. Wash your trailer after dipping in saltwater. Saltwater is incredibly corrosive. Rinsing off the trailer will greatly prolong your trailer’s useful life. This includes flushing your drum brakes. 2. Check your tire pressure. Trailer tires are different from car tires so check the tire sidewall for correct tire pressure (often 50-65 psi - much higher than your tow vehicle). 3. Check your tire tread. Use the penny test by inserting a penny into the tread. The tread should touch the top of Abe Lincoln’s head. 4. Check the lights. Have someone depress the brake pedal and use the turn signal while you stand behind the vehicle and ensure the correct lights illuminate. 5. Use tie down straps. These inexpensive straps help secure your boat to the trailer. Every boat should be secured with several tie-down straps. Your winch strap is not a tie down strap. 6. Check to make sure all of your fasteners are tight. 7. If you are storing your boat be sure to block and cover your trailer tires. Remember rubber degrades when exposed to sunlight and also rots when exposed to the ground. You may wish to shade your tires. Moving your trailer periodically or jacking your trailer off the ground will help reduce dry rotting of your tires. 8. Use safety chains correctly. Chris-cross the chains below the tongue. 9. Do not put too much weight on your trailer. Gear can add a lot of weight - even if your boat can handle all of the gear, look at the weight rating on your trailer and do not exceed the maximum weight. 10. Grease your bearings. You can learn more about this procedure in the manual but remember if you do not have good grease in your hubs, your trailer cannot roll. As you do with your car, we strongly encourage trailer owners to carry some equipment in the event of an emergency. We always recommend that you carry a trailer kit. Contents can include a spare wheel and tire, lug wrench, wheel chocks, bearing grease, extra hub assembly, extra line (for the winch and tie-down straps), replacement light bulbs, wheel bearings and road flares (or road markers). - Back to the top - The following chart serves as a basic guideline for scheduling your trailer maintenance. Your maintenance may be different based on your local conditions, type of trailer and frequency of trailer use. Your dealer is the best reference concerning any unique maintenance needs you may have.
(x2): Semi-annual (every 6 months) check. See detailed procedure (on repacking bearings). Please contact your authorized dealer for service, parts or maintenance needs.
- Back to the top -General ChecklistNever tow before you check the following: 1. Coupler securely engages your hitch. The coupler and hitch ball must be rated for the same size. The size should be imprinted on both the ball and the hitch. 2. Safety Chains are safely secured to trailer and tow vehicle in a chris-cross fashion under the tongue. 3. Jack is fully cranked up (and parallel to tongue if swivel jack). 4. All fasteners / bolts are properly tightened. Pay particular attention to the lug nuts (tightened to 85 ft-lbs). 5. Boat is securely tied down with tie-down straps. Your winch strap is not a tie-down strap. A winch controls your boat in a horizontal direction. Tie-downs control your boat in the vertical direction. You must have bow-eye and transom tie down straps securely attached whenever the trailer is in use. 6. Tires are properly inflated- read the tire sidewall to determine the correct tire pressure required. This rating will be different than your tow vehicle. Also check for tire wear, cracks, bubbles or foreign objects imbedded in the tire. Bias ply trailers are not designed for speeds in excess of 65 mph. 7. Brake lights and other trailer lights are working. 8. If the trailer is equipped with brakes, make sure they are functioning by lightly testing before getting on a major road.
9. If the trailer is
equipped with brakes, connect the breakaway cable (located on
top of actuator) to the tow vehicle.
- Back to the top - There are generally two types of couplers. One, the lever type is currently being used in production. It has a lever on top of the coupler that engages the pawl & secures the trailer to the hitch ball. The second type of coupler is a hand-wheel type. On the top of this coupler is a small hand-wheel that is turned to engage / disengage the trailer from the hitch ball. 1. Visually inspect hitch, ball and coupler for signs of wear or damage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||