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Trailer Spruce-Up By Rebecca Gimenez, PhD It’s time to tune up your trailer for this season’s towing needs. Here’s a point-by-point spring spruce-up checklist. ■ Check tires. Check all trailer tires and spares; they should have good tread (at least one-quarter inch) and be filled to the manufacturer’s recommendation. ■ Invest in spares. Stow at least two spare trailer tires; a blowout can damage other tires. ■ Rotate your tires. Tire rotation will even out the tread wear. While the tires are off to be rotated, lubricate the wheel bearings. Make sure the axle ends show minimal signs of wear. ■ Check the brakes. The brake pads/shoes might need to be replaced. Turn the drums/ rotors at least every 10,000 miles; more often if they stick, make unusual noises, or aren’t properly braking your trailer. ■ Tighten the lug nuts. When replacing the tires, tighten the lug nuts to the manufacturer’s suggested level manually so that you can loosen them in an emergency with a lug wrench roadside. Make sure they aren’t rusted or stripped. ■ Clean the mats. Wrestle the mats out of the trailer. Scrape, sweep, and hose out the dust, sweat, and urine from the trailer mats. Use a standard cleaning product, then use a pH
stabilizing product to finish the job. Add dry baking soda under the mats to minimize odors and the acidic effect of urine. ■ Check the floorboards. While the mats are out, make sure the floorboards are secured with screws, not just sitting on the metal channel. Use a screwdriver to check for weak places or rot in wood; replace flawed boards. Replace wood floors every 10 to 15 years with treated wood. Check metal floors and frames for rust, pinholes and weak spots. ■ Lubricate the metal. With spray lubricant, lubricate every metal part in your trailer, such as latches, hinges, pins, etc. This minimizes rust development and noise. For further noise reduction, tape down anything that hangs, bumps, jiggles, or swings. ■ Check the lights. Make sure all the trailer lights work including the parking, running, and brake lights, plus flashers and turn signals. Check for loose wires that need to be tied up inside and under the trailer, or any exposed or rubbed wires that might need a coat of electric tape or replacement. Brake and light problems are usually traced to a short. ■ Check the emergency-
brake-controller battery.
Invest in a system that bleeds power to the battery to charge it at all times. Make sure the plas-
USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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PHOTO BY CATE LAMM
Make sure all the trailer lights work, including the parking, running, and brake lights, plus flashers and turn signals.
tic switch is in good condition and that the cable is connected to your tow vehicle’s frame. ■ Check the brake controller. Verify that your brake controller is working. (Check the manufacturer’s instructions.) These instructions will usually ask you to drive at a slow speed towing your empty trailer, then engage only the trailer brakes. That way, you can adjust the brakes to a setting that complements the action of your tow vehicle. When you load your horses, adjust the setting to match the load. ■ Level your trailer. Is the trailer level? If your hitch is set too high or too low, you’ll have difficulty controlling your trailer. Plus, your horse will be standing at an angle, which will stress his joints.
Spring 2021
