7 minute read
Safe Travels
Get the rundown on eight essential aftermarket trailer accessories.
By Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD
Reflective strips, decals, and signs on your trailer increase your visibility to passing motorists and let them know you’re hauling live cargo. Shown are reflective signs from CAUTION HORSES Safety Products.
Engager Trailer Breakaway Kit with Charger and Tester. Aftermarket accessories are all those handy items you buy for your trailer after you drive it off the lot. They range from lights and locks to floor mats and hay nets. Here, I’ll give you a rundown of a few aftermarket accessories on the market today, including my tips and product recommendations.
Breakaway Battery
Description: Your trailer’s breakaway system is designed to stop your trailer via electric brakes in case your trailer and tow vehicle become disconnected. It’s powered by the breakaway battery. Expert tip: One step forward in safety in the last few years is a breakaway battery with a reliable charger. As soon as your tow vehicle and trailer are connected, the breakaway battery starts charging. Older models just came with a battery, which quickly loses its charge.
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Recommended: Hopkins Engager Breakaway Battery Kit; Pro Series Push to Test Breakaway Kit with Premium Integrated Charger; Tekonsha Push to Test Breakaway Kit with Premium Integrated Charger, all available from eTrailer.com.
Coupler Locks
Description: Coupler locks thwart trailer thieves by making it impossible for them to attach a vehicle to your trailer to drive it off. The lock fits into the hitch and is secured with the turn of a key.
Expert tips: Coupler locks are available for tag-along (bumperpull), gooseneck, and fifth-wheel hitches. Choose a steel model that has the locking interface in an accessible position for locking and unlocking ease. Also find one you can easily lubricate with graphite or white grease to keep it from rusting. Look for a high-quality lock, and make sure it has two keys. Recommended: Blaylock EZ Lock Trailer Coupler Lock; Blaylock EZ Lock Gooseneck Coupler Lock; Master Lock Trailer Coupler Lock, all from eTrailer.com; Gus Hill Industries; Heartland Lock, LLC.
Top to bottom: Blaylock EZ Lock Gooseneck Coupler Lock Combo. Master Lock Trailer Coupler Lock.
Drive-On Jack
Description: A drive-on jack is one that you can drive on tire onto while you change a damaged tire. This type of jack can be made from plastic, wood, aluminum, or steel. It should be at least five inches high and have a ramp. Expert tips: Use this simple tool if you’re replacing one tire at a time. When you shop for a drive-on jack, pay attention to its weight ratings—you’ll need something in the 10,000- to 15,000-pound weight range. The entire half of your trailer will be resting on the jack. Enlist a helper, so one person can place the jack while the other drives onto it. Recommended: Blaylock EZ Jack and Wheel Chock, available from eTrailer.com; Trailer-Aid, available from Trail Pals Horse Trailer Accessory Store.
Hay Nets
Description: Hay nets hold forage for your horse to eat inside and outside of your trailer while you’re traveling. Expert tips: Veterinarians recommend that your horse has access to forage while traveling to reduce his stress and help keep his digestive system functioning smoothly. Keeping your horse’s gut moving can lessen his risk for colic. Look for a hay net with small to medium openings, which slows down his eating to mimic a natural grazing pace. Recommended: Hay Chix; NAG Bags; The NibbleNet from Thin Air Canvas, Inc.; Professional’s Choice; SmartPak Equine, LLC; State Line Tack.
SmartPak Equine Small Hole Hay Net.
Hitch-Up Help
Description: There are numerous products that help you hitch up your trailer to your tow vehicle. Hitch cameras (which allow you to see the hitch as you align the ball with the coupler) fall in this category, as do products that ease the wiring connection from your tow vehicle to your trailer and those that offer other alignment help. Expert tip: When shopping for a
Swift Hitch, a backup camera system designed to assist with hitching up your trailer or monitoring while you’re on the road.
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hitch camera, look for one that’s battery-powered or that plugs into your tow vehicle’s 12-volt power supply, for ease of installation. Recommended: EZ Connector; Quick Coupler by Trailer Gear, Inc.; Swift Hitch Wireless Portable Back Up System.
Reflective Decals
Description: Reflective strips, decals, and signs on your trailer increase your visibility to passing motorists and let them know you’re hauling live cargo. Expert tips: Reflective decals enhance your trailer’s visibility day and night. You can’t use too many reflective decals on your trailer. Think feet of decals. You want to be seen in all lighting conditions, even when your brakes and lights aren’t working due to electrical failure or pulled-out wires. The words “Caution Horses” lets others know you’re hauling live horses. Recommended: 3M Diamond Reflective Conspicuity Tapes, available from Uline; CAUTION HORSES Safety Products.
Made from engineer-grade reflective vinyl, the CAUTION HORSES Sign Series will make your trailer more visible to drivers at night and during the day, and tell other motorists you’re hauling live cargo. eTrailer LED Interior/Exterior light.
Stall-Floor Covering
Description: Trailer-stall floor mats and flooring are designed to provide your horse with traction and cushioning. Mats also dampen some trailer vibration and help make the ride quieter. Mats also protect your trailer floor from wear-and-tear, as well as corrosive urine. Expert tips: Invest in high-quality, nonslip mats to absorb shock and encourage grip. If your floor mats become damaged, replace them. Holes allow urine to collect underneath, causing rust, rot, and other corrosion. Cut the mats to fit, or order them from the manufacturer of your specific brand and type of trailer. You can also upgrade the flooring itself. Recommended: Flex Mats Inc.; Linear Rubber Products, Inc.; Oregon Rubber Mat; Polylast Systems, LLC; Stall Savers.
Trailer Lights
Description: LED and analog lights that mount inside and outside of your trailer to enhance visibility. Expert tips: I prefer LED lights over analog lights, because they last longer, use less energy (thus don’t drain your battery as quickly), and are much brighter. Why stumble around in the dark? Before you buy lights, make sure you have the skills to run wiring for the specific lights you choose, or take them to a professional to install. Also consider your power source; you can only run so many lights without having a converter or relay for additional wattage, which is professionally set to handle the loading on your electrical system—and, of course, your alternator/battery—especially when your tow vehicle is turned off. Recommended: LED Rectangular Interior/Exterior Light; Tow-Rax Recessed LED Light, both available from eTrailer.com.
Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD (animal physiology), is president and a primary instructor for Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue. A Major in the United States Army Reserve, she’s a decorated Iraq War veteran and a past Logistics Officer for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinary Medical Assistance Team. She’s an invited lecturer on animal-rescue topics around the world and a noted equine journalist.
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