Trailer Maintenance

[YeahSure]

Can anyone give me a quick run down on trailer maintenance? Things I need to be doing/checking for every time. I just bought my first boat for real cheap and I want to be as safe as possible.

And can somebody explain to me how the coupler pin works to lock it in place? I see the hole that says lock and I can barely slide it in there but once it's in the coupler can still unlock? Thanks for the help

[burleytog]

If you lie down and look up inside the coupler, you'll see a 'shoe' on the rear of the coupler.  The lever on top of the coupler moves that towards the ball and locks. 

If you're having trouble locking the coupler, you need to adjust the shoe.  There should be a nut on the back of the shoe.  You'll need to loosen that up a bit.  Play with it until the coupler locks securely and you're able to get the safety clip in place.

Make sure you grease the inside of the coupler with a good grease.  I see far too many people run their couplers and balls dry.

As for other trailer maintenance, check your lights, ground, bunks, tires (tread, sidewalls and air pressure), winch and strap.

Wheel bearings are the most important part.  Jack up one side of the trailer and see if there is any wobble in the wheel.  Repacking the bearings would be a good thing to do with a new-to-you trailer.

[slonezp]

Make sure the coupler size and the ball size match.

[burleytog]

Make sure the coupler size and the ball size match.

Yep.  Sounds stupid, but I've seen people try to use a 1 7/8" ball with a 2" coupler and vice versa.  Good way to get yourself into trouble.

[Long Mike]

As Burley said, it's difficult to couple if your balls are dry.  Make sure to use a good lubricant. 

[burleytog]

As Burley said, it's difficult to couple if your balls are dry. Make sure to use a good lubricant.

You're just a dirty old man Mike.  Dirty I say. :-X

[Long Mike]

Thank you!  I try my best.

[YeahSure]

I think I may need to loosen the one piece a little to get the pin to go in easier, but how does the pin work when its in place? It just hangs there on my trailer and if I lift the coupler latch up it still can unlock, I dont understand how the pin is supposed to stop it unless I am using it wrong?

[burleytog]

I think I may need to loosen the one piece a little to get the pin to go in easier, but how does the pin work when its in place? It just hangs there on my trailer and if I lift the coupler latch up it still can unlock, I dont understand how the pin is supposed to stop it unless I am using it wrong?

[NBR]

I put the front of the hitch socket on the middle of the ball open the hitch and slide the trailer forward which keeps the hitch from being pushed out of position.

Other tips are right on. I go over every bolt and other fasteners to be sure they are tight every spring and usually again during the summer.

[YeahSure]

I think I may need to loosen the one piece a little to get the pin to go in easier, but how does the pin work when its in place? It just hangs there on my trailer and if I lift the coupler latch up it still can unlock, I dont understand how the pin is supposed to stop it unless I am using it wrong?

Oddly mine doesn't look the same, its an 86 trailer though, it has a small hole below the lever and says lock with an arrow pointing towards it, When I hook the pin through it though it doesn't do much to stop it, I might have to take a picture if nobody is getting what i'm saying

[Fishing Rhino]

I think I may need to loosen the one piece a little to get the pin to go in easier, but how does the pin work when its in place? It just hangs there on my trailer and if I lift the coupler latch up it still can unlock, I dont understand how the pin is supposed to stop it unless I am using it wrong?

Oddly mine doesn't look the same, its an 86 trailer though, it has a small hole below the lever and says lock with an arrow pointing towards it, When I hook the pin through it though it doesn't do much to stop it, I might have to take a picture if nobody is getting what i'm saying

Do you have brakes on your trailer?  If you do, that could be a lockout for your brakes.  Occasionally, when backing up over soft ground or launching  where a wheel may roll into a depression, unless the braking mechanism is locked out, the brakes will be applied, and you will not be able to back up any further.  The "brake lock" pin does not go through the tongue.  It only goes through one side to prevent the inner section from sliding and applying the brakes.

My coupler is not like the one posted, but it works the same.  The coupler lock for it goes through the tongue, and is about four inches long. 

Mine looks like the one in this owner's manual.  The brake lockout on mine is different.

http://www.nitroowners.com/~library/1180/Trailer%20Owners%20Manual%20Info.pdf

[YeahSure]

Here it is. There's the hole below the arrow and the lock sign I assumed was for the coupler pin, but it doesnt seem to do much when In just hangs there.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM2381425002P?sid=IDx20101019x00001a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=SPM2381425002

That's the pin I'm referring to.

[Fishing Rhino]

If I'm not mistaken, that "strap" that goes around the front of the coupler in your photo, should pivot upward, holding the release handle in place.

The "lock" probably keeps the strap from falling back in front of the coupler.  I'd have to look at the mechanism to see just how the lock works.

[YeahSure]

If I'm not mistaken, that "strap" that goes around the front of the coupler in your photo, should pivot upward, holding the release handle in place.

The "lock" probably keeps the strap from falling back in front of the coupler. I'd have to look at the mechanism to see just how the lock works.

You have it right, the lever lifts up and that comes up then after the ball is in you lock it down. I just dont understand how the lock works, there is nothing in it in the picture, and I can barely fit the coupler pin in there, I have no clue how its supposed to work or what is supposed to go there

[Fishing Rhino]

Here's what I'd do.  Get everything hitched up, and buttoned down, with the strap over the lever.  Drill a hole through the strap and lever that is large enough to receive a lock. 

You'll accomplish two things.  You'll be sure the coupler cannot uncouple on its own, and it would make it a bit more difficult for someone to steal your trailer from your tow vehicle.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Make sure the coupler size and the ball size match.

Yep. Sounds stupid, but I've seen people try to use a 1 7/8" ball with a 2" coupler and vice versa. Good way to get yourself into trouble.

Guy bought a jon boat/trailer of mine 3 or 4 years ago.  Has the wrong ball size (which I told many times before he came) and I tell him there is an auto parts store just around the corner to get a new ball.  "I don't need one" he says and he thinks he can make it home about 100 miles away.  I urge him that its not going to work.  He insists rudely that it will.  So I shut my mouth.  He leaves and to my surprise he makes it around the corner of my house.  Fifteen minutes later here he comes running and knocking at my door asking to borrow my 2" ball because it came loose in the middle of the first busy intersection out of my neighborhood.  : ;D

[=Matt 5.0=]

Don't forget to check your trailer hitch bolts. Mine were loose by the end of last year. Could have been catostrophic.

[YeahSure]

Here's what I'd do. Get everything hitched up, and buttoned down, with the strap over the lever. Drill a hole through the strap and lever that is large enough to receive a lock.

You'll accomplish two things. You'll be sure the coupler cannot uncouple on its own, and it would make it a bit more difficult for someone to steal your trailer from your tow vehicle.

Is there a specific type of strap that is used? I did not receive nor have I come across anything like that yet. Sorry for all the beginner questions  :

[Al Wolbach]

If I'm not mistaken, that "strap" that goes around the front of the coupler in your photo, should pivot upward, holding the release handle in place.

The "lock" probably keeps the strap from falling back in front of the coupler. I'd have to look at the mechanism to see just how the lock works.

Rhino, I believe the strap is in the travel position(locked onto the ball) in the picture. When a lock is installed it prevents the strap from rotating up and open for trailer removal...............Al

[tntitans21399]

I have a trailer with that same type of connection.  You just push it forward and it locks in place.  You have to pull up and back to unlock it.  The down side is you can't really lock it onto the truck.  What I do when I use the trailer is put a lock around the safety chains so someone can't just pick it up and move it.  They will need to cut the chain or lock which is hard to get around with the chain hooked into it.  hen when I a not using the trailer I ave a lock trailer lock that goes into the coupler so no one can hook it up to a truck's ball and us the lock for the chains to lock them tight to the trailer so thy cant be used either.

One thing you need to do when hooking up to the trailer is when you have the trailer on the ball, you may have to drive forward just a hair.  If the the vehicle is pushing back it is hard to push the coupler up to lock.  So if you go forward for a hair it takes the pressure off and makes it easy to lock the coupler.  If not you will be trying to push the trailer back away from the vehicle which is easy unloaded but not so fun with weight. 

Another trailer care to look at is before you leave for each trip is to make sure the lights work on the trailer.  The flashers, turn, and running lights are easy but checking the brake lights aren't.  I usually put a block on the brake pedal to apply the brakes so I can check the brake lights.

If it is a older trailer you might want to jack the trailer up and grab the tires at 3 and 9 a clock and move the side opposites toward you & away and see if their is any wiggling.  Then spin the tire and listen to see if you hear a sound from the bearings.  Bearings last a long time, but over time of being dunked in the water and more mile put on it the bearings with wear down, and when one goes out the others will too.  Usually 2 on each wheel (one on the outside and one on the inside of wheel).  Very easy to replace.

Ofcourse checking the tire pressure before the trip of the weekend is also a top priority.  A tire blow out isn't good when you have a single axle trailer.  With a double axle you are still able to keep moving.  Most blow outs happen because a tire is low and runs on a flat tire.  Also while you check the tire pressure you can take a quick look at the trends to see if they are good and not showing any wires or anything abnormal. 

[BassThumb]

Don't forget to check your trailer hitch bolts. Mine were loose by the end of last year. Could have been catostrophic.

Which bolts are you talking about?  Where the trailer tongue receiver is bolted to the truck frame?