Your trailer needs to be in good condition if you want to get your boat safely to the water, launched, re-trailered and back home. Before the boating season begins, we suggest you give your trailer a thorough inspection and perform necessary maintenance to ensure that it is ready for use. The following checklist will help you in this endeavor and we'll link to other articles on specific trailer maintenance projects to help you get it all done.
- Trailer Prep Checklist
- Wheel Bearings
- Trailer Tires
- Trailer Lights
- Trailer Brakes
- Additional Maintenance
Trailer Prep Checklist
- Inspect and if necessary, repack wheel bearings with marine grease.
- Inspect tire condition. Look for cracks in the sidewalls and ensure that the tires have adequate tread and are inflated to the correct pressure. Replace trailer tires as necessary.
- Test brake lights and turn signal lights. Replace if not functioning. Secure all trailer light wires against abrasion and rewire if exposed and damaged.
- Check your trailer fenders and steps for damage. Replace if needed.
- Examine winch straps and cables along their entire length for fraying or corrosion. Replace if necessary.
- Replace any damaged wheel chocks.
- Replace any corroded or weakened safety chains.
- Inspect the brake pads and shoes for wear, adjust drum brakes, lubricate caliper pins and brake coupler moving parts.
Keep your bearings packed with bearing grease, which will prevent corrosion.
Wheel Bearings
Your trailer’s wheel bearings depend on marine grease to avoid rust caused by water collected during launch. That being said, it is important not to overpack the bearings or bearing protectors. To learn more about how bearings work, how they can become damaged and how to repack them, see our article Safe and Trouble-Free Trailering.
Trailer Tires
Statistics show that most trailering problems happen because of flat tires or bearing problems, so inspecting your tires is critical. Inspect the treads for wear, and replace the trailer tires if the wear bars are visible. Check the tire sidewalls for spiderweb cracks, which could be an early warning of a potential blowout. While checking the sidewalls, note some important information stamped there. Each tire has a Recommended Inflation Pressure, which is usually around 50 to 65psi (higher than a car's recommended 32 to 35psi). Also stamped on the tire is a Maximum Load Rating, the total amount of weight, including the boat, trailer and all gear, which the tire can carry. If your tire is rated at 600lb. and your trailer has a single axle, then 1200lb. is the rated total payload.
Use an accurate pressure gauge and inflate the tires to the proper level, and check your tire pressure before every trip. Check the pressure when the tires are cold because a few minutes of driving can raise the temperature and cause an inaccurate pressure reading. Do not rely on visual inspection; trailer tires have thicker sidewalls than automotive tires and can lose up to half their pressure without appearing to be under-inflated. Underinflated tires can overheat quickly, which can cause the plies in the tires to delaminate and lead to a blowout.
Make sure your spare tire is usable and well inflated and mounted securely with a spare tire carrier (you can mount the spare to the trailer frame with a U-bolt, but a real spare tire carrier is inexpensive). Do not mix radial and bias ply tires, and do not use a car tire as a spare, because trailer tires are more heavily built.
The Safe and Trouble-free Trailering article also provides advice on checking your tires, which are different from car tires and may show damage differently. Trailer Tire Basics provides more information on what those differences are.
Trailer Lights
If you are unfamiliar with your trailer light system, or if anything appears damaged in your checkup, our article Your Trailer's Light System explains trailer lights in detail, as well as trailer light wiring so you can perform safe repairs and maintenance.
Trailer Brakes
When inspecting your breaks, it is important to know what type of brakes you have. Check to see if you have disc brakes or drum brakes, and find out what braking system they’re connected to. You’ll want to lubricate moving parts and caliper pins, check the wear of pads and shoes and ensure the brakes are connected properly by testing them. If you want to learn more about trailer brakes, or if you’re interested in upgrading or replacing yours, our article Selecting Trailer Brakes covers everything you need to know.
If you’re entirely new to trailering, or if you have purchased a used trailer, we also have a Trailering Checklist that walks you through everyday use and maintenance to help you avoid bigger issues caused by neglect.
Additional Maintenance
Guide-on posts make retrailering your boat much easier. Illuminated models make retrailering your boat much easier at night.
If your trailer has been idle for an extended period, it might be time for a major overhaul. Before you use it again, do a spot check for rust; if you have a painted trailer, consider sanding and repainting it to protect the metal. Check your bunk carpet and supports for mold and damage, and consider making replacements to better protect the bottom of your boat. Rollers and bow stops should be free of cracks and rotate easily. If your trailer doesn’t already have them, consider installing guide-ons to make it easier to get your boat back on the trailer at the end of the day. If you’re looking to upgrade your trailer, now is the time. For more ideas, read Upgrading Your Boat's Trailer for ideas to get you started. Find replacement and upgrade parts online or in stores to get your trailer up to speed.