Utility trailer maintenance

[Milkman]

Ok, I know this is the deer hunting forum. Almost all deer hunters have at least one utility trailer. Some of us have 2 or more.
I am planning to repack wheel bearings on my 16 ft trailer tomorrow. It got me wondering about what sort of maintenance program y’all have for your trailer.

Let’s hear about tire, tail lights, bearings, hitches, etc. maintenance you are doing. How often.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Sometimes I wish I was mechanically inclined so I could do this type of stuff. Other times when I am sitting around with my feet propped up in the shade watching someone else work I am happy that I am not mechanically inclined.

Looking forward to the replies Marvin. Good thread

 

[Buck70]

Once a year, I inspect/repack wheel bearings, reseal wood floor and crawl under and check leaf springs.

 

[reflexman]

Check tires and as said above repack bearings cover tires if they’re in direct sunlight.Nothing worse than a dry rotted tire with tons of tread.And last but not least go through the frame of the trailer look for cracks in the welds etc. I had a trailer almost come apart on me when weld broke going over the Jacksonville bridge fun stuff for everybody.

 

[SC Hunter]

Sometimes I wish I was mechanically inclined so I could do this type of stuff. Other times when I am sitting around with my feet propped up in the shade watching someone else work I am happy that I am not mechanically inclined.

Looking forward to the replies Marvin. Good thread

Samsies!! I can pack wheel bearing and change bulbs and such but otherwise I'm useless. I can sit there and drink beer while somebody else does it though.

 

[reflexman]

Replacing the factory bearing caps with buddy bearings or the equivalent with grease fittings dramatically increase the life of the bearing

 

[Matthewmathis8]

I have one of those bearing buddy deals that you fill with grease and put it in a vice and squeeze it to press grease into the bearing. Very handy item and will put so much grease into a bearing that it will almost double the weight of it.

 

[Lilly001]

Fix it when it breaks.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Trailer maintenance is a lot easier than fixing it on the roadside.
I check a trailer nearly every pull. Especially the locking pin is number one.
A hub will last forever if it’s greased.

 

[Nicodemus]

I clean and repack the wheel bearings on my boat trailers and utility trailers every other year, and do a visual overall inspection on all of them before every use.

 

[Stumpsitter]

I'm fanatical about trailer maint. I put 1800 miles a month on my 20 footer. Bearings are easy. Grease. Grease and grease some more.once a month at a minimum. Most trailers have electric breaks that work off of your hitch and ball for the electrical ground. Wire wheel your ball and inside your hitch for proper brake and light functions. Keep them rust free. Spray inside hitch with wd 40 .

 

[reflexman]

Being broke down on the side of the road not only will ruin your trip but can be Very dangerous

 

[Stumpsitter]

I travel with a floor jack and impact wrench. I can change a tire faster than nascar, well almost.

 

[Lilly001]

I travel with a floor jack and impact wrench. I can change a tire faster than nascar, well almost.

I'm set up for it. Jack, t wrench, warning cones, flashlights, extra lug nuts , etc.
Heck, I often stop to help just because I can.
It never hurts to pay it ahead.

 

[Milkman]

I travel with a floor jack and impact wrench. I can change a tire faster than nascar, well almost.

My sweetheart got me a really strong Hitachi cordless 1/2 inch impact wrench. That thing is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Squadron77]

I replace my tires when they dry rot, I replace bearings when the go bad and I fix the lights when the state trooper writes me a warning.

 

[Milkman]

I won’t pull a trailer without a good spare tire.

 

[Milkman]

Fix it when it breaks.

You wait until it breaks down before doing anything??

 

[Lilly001]

You wait until it breaks down before doing anything??

Not always, but I have six trailers. And I've had more.
Keeping up with them all when I might go a couple month before using one sometimes gets out of hand.
Add in 2 tractors, a couple boats, a utv and an atv plus a gaggle of implements and it can become a full time job.
Two trucks, two cars, and then all of the shop machines.
I often feel like a one armed wall paper hanger.
I'm sure glad I'm retired.
(This is also between two farms, one in Fl and one in Ga.)

 

[Stumpsitter]

That's not retired