TRAILER MAINTENANCE
Preventive maintenance of the trailer will save us many trouble, but every two years service on a manufacturer will offer the trailer many years of life. Initially we address what we can do.
- Inspect the lighting board
- Keep electrical contacts clean and treat with moisture repellent spray
- Keep the ball and coupling well greased
- Protect wheel bearings by allowing them to cool before immersion in water
- Hose down the trailer after use and check wheels if they have been immersed in water
Τowing tips
- Ensure that the vehicle, trailer and tyres are in good condition
- Always fit the breakaway cable or secondary coupling properly
- Use cable ties to keep the electrical cable clear of the road
- Always check lights before leaving on a journey
- Secure and stow items safely within the craft
- Ensure that the boat and trailer are correctly balanced
- Keep the centre of gravity of the load as low as possible
- Check the nose weight with bathroom scales and blocks at the coupling height
- Do not exceed weight limits
- When coupling up to your vehicle, it is easier to swing a trailer sideways than pull it forward
- Reposition your vehicle if necessary rather than make hard work of manoeuvring
- Stop shortly after beginning a journey to recheck the load
- Use gears to assist braking when descending steep hills
- Check wheel hubs for heat to ensure that the brakes are not binding
- Never disconnect trailer brakes\
- Carry wheel chocks to help manoeuvre on steep slipways
- Carry a spare wheel
LAUNCHING SAFELY
- Prepare well before starting
- Undo all straps and electrical cables
- Always attach a safety line to the boat
- Use a rope attached to the car on steep slipways
- Keep hands clear if the winch handle spins out of control
- Take extra care underfoot if the slipway is slippery
- Make sure that the vehicle driver is aware of your presence if you are behind the trailers
