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Loading a trailer correctly and safely.
Nearly all of us have cause to tow a trailer at some point or another.
Whether it’s just a tip run or you’re loading up for a weekend away - it’s
important that you load your trailer correctly. An incorrectly loaded
trailer can be a danger to you and other road users.
From a failed wheel bearing or hub, to trailer swaying or fishtailing at
high speeds, trailers are not something to be glazed over when it comes to
safety.
We’ll be referring to box trailers in this article, although the advice
applies to caravans, car trailers, tip trailers and so on.
When loading a trailer, the commonly followed rule of thumb is that 5-10%
of the trailer weight is placed on the tow ball. For a 2000kg trailer,
having up to 200kg on the tow ball is usually advised. It’s important not
to exceed the maximum tow ball weight for your vehicle and specific tow
hitch setup and most hitches will have a specification plate installed
into them for maximum towing loads.
Having too much weight far back on a trailer can introduce a side to side
swaying at high speeds. This can be mitigated with anti-sway hitch
attachments though in practice it’s good to load your trailer so it’s
slightly front-heavy anyway.
Correct trailer maintenance
Fortunately for most trailers, maintenance is usually a few simple checks.
Wheel bearings should be inspected every 10,000kms. Bearings will start to
have symptoms before they fail, often that wheel will be noisy or have a
slight wobble to it, this can be difficult to feel or notice depending on
how heavy the trailer is.
Looking after wheel bearings and hubs is easy. Make sure they’re packed
with high quality lithium grease. If you’re using a boat trailer, park up
and wait for the hubs to cool before submerging them underwater at the
boat ramp. The hot grease cooling rapidly will draw water into the bearing
races and cause corrosion.
Another way to tell if your bearings or hubs need attention is by paying
attention to how hot they get during normal use. This is usually pretty
easy to do after taking a short trip with the trailer, you can feel the
center of the wheel where the hub dust cap is. It’s expected hubs will get
warm (about as hot as a cup of tea) but if they’re far too hot to touch,
get your trailer looked at immediately. Failure is imminent.
Trailer lights and electrical.
Because most trailers spend a lot of time being stored outside in the
elements, it is important to check the lights and electrical systems every
time you use the trailer. Often the electrical connector can suffer
corrosion as a result of being stored outside. A wire brush and contact
cleaner will usually get you back on the road again.
Tyre specifications and maintenance.
All tyres sold in Australia have basic information stamped on the
sidewall. We have an article about this here! On the tyre
sidewall will be a letter that refers to the load index. This shows what
the tyre is able to cope with when it comes to heavy loads. Be sure to get
a tyre that will handle the weight of the trailer, plus the payload.
It’s important to note the date of manufacture on your trailer tyres due
to the low kms trailers usually travel. Trailer tyres ought to be replaced
based on age, rather than tread depth. Tyres should be inspected every few
months once they reach 5 years old. If you see chipping on the sidewall,
cracks or other defects appearing, the tyre should be replaced.
Contact the team at Donnellans the Tyremen!
If you’re winding up for a road trip only to find your trailer needs some
attention, get in touch with the friendly staff at Donnellans the Tyreman.
We don’t just do tyres, we offer a wide range of mechanical services too,
including
alignments,
wheel balancing,logbook servicing
as well as suspension and brake system upgrades!
Drop in today or call:
