Tips for Reliable Trailer Maintenance

For semi truck drivers, it’s generally the actual tractor that gets more maintenance attention than the trailer. However, the trailer also sees a lot of wear and tear and is subjected to near-constant exposure to the elements. While trailers are designed to last longer these days than they were in decades past, it is still important to keep up with at least a basic level of ongoing maintenance for your trailers.

With this in mind, here are just a few tips to help you ensure your trailers operate in peak condition, allowing you to avoid more significant truck and trailer repair in Centre County, PA:

• Maintain proper air pressure: Keeping the air pressure in the tires at the proper level is one of the best things you can do to maximize the lifespan of those tires. This means regularly checking your tires’ air pressure before you go out on long hauls and then filling them up to the manufacturer’s specified levels. If you’re still seeing unusual tire wear even though you’re maintaining good tire pressure, chances are you’ve got a problem with the suspension, alignment or undercarriage.
• Lubrication: A proper amount of lubrication is also crucial to excellent operation of your trailer. So how do you select the right grease? You must consider the grade and performance rating, as well as the type of thickening system used. Always add enough new grease to allow you to get rid of the old grease. The old grease doesn’t necessarily wear out, but it’s more likely to get jammed up with debris that makes it ineffective. More grease pushes that debris out of place.
• Check the trailer brakes: You should spend some time before trips checking the trailer brakes. Always look at the conditions of the drum while performing brake or wheel service. Specifically look at the angle that gets formed by the slack adjuster and air chamber push rod. If it’s not a 90-degree angle, the brake needs to be put back into the proper alignment.
• Keep it clean: A clean trailer makes it easier for you to spot problems with it. A good general rule is to thoroughly wash the trailer every 45 days or so, and to conduct a thorough inspection every 45 to 60 days. It’s a good idea to wash the trailer before, not after, this inspection. Cleaning your trailer also helps you prevent issues with corrosion that could happen after dirt or salt build up on the exterior.
• Consider the inside: Even if you do a great job of maintaining and inspecting the exterior of the trailer, you should still give the inside a little TLC as well. When you go inside, it can be easier to find holes in the roof, or broken elements of the trailer structure. Holes are especially important to find because they could result in damage to cargo and moisture buildup inside the trailer.

For more information about truck and trailer repair in Centre County, PA, contact S & R Repairs Towing & Recovery Inc. today.

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