Towing your trailer in the winter can be a challenging task, especially if your trailer is not serviced properly. During the winter months, you can experience many different road conditions, from slush and snow to black ice. So if you plan to haul your trailer during the winter months, here are some key things to keep in mind to help make it less stressful:
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Service Wheel Bearings
Regularly servicing wheel bearings is an integral part of ensuring a stress-free haul. We recommend servicing your wheel bearings every year or 12,000 km, whichever comes first. At the very least, wheel bearing failure can cause you to be stranded on the side of the road and at the very worst, could result in an accident.
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Brake Adjustment
As with all drum brakes, your trailer brakes will need to be adjusted from time to time. When brakes are out of adjustment, they can cause your wheels to lock up. This is due to the brake assembly having to expand further to make contact with the drum surface, in turn, your brakes will jam with less power, causing the brakes to lock up. Brake lockup makes it difficult to keep your truck and trailer in control and can cause your trailer to skid, lose traction, and jackknife.
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Electrical
During the winter months, many of our customer experience electrical issues. This can be caused by corrosion in electrical connections, to snow and ice buildup. Using properly sealed electrical connections can help to prevent corrosion (see our blog post on types of connections here). With ice and snow build up on exposed wiring, connections can get pulled or ripped apart. Using proper connectors as well as securing wiring that is exposed can help prevent electrical issues.
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Wheels and Tires
When temperatures drop outside, so does the air pressure in your tires. Always ensure tires and filled to manufacturers suggested rating, as well as torquing the wheel nuts before your next trip.
If you plan to tow your trailer this winter, would like a piece of mind knowing your trailer is safe and reliable, come in today and ask us about our Service and Inspect Packages for your trailer. We will service your brakes and bearings, as well as run your trailer through a full 40 point inspection.