Summer Trailer Maintenance- Brakes

It's official! It's that time of year where we're traveling near and far and nothing is more important while you're on the road than making sure your trailer is safe, and road ready! There are a few main things to keep in mind when you're gearing up for your summer activities and "summerizing" (hahahaha) your trailer! We'll go over one thing on the trailer maintenance list every week.

First things first, before you even begin packing it is imperative to get all the basic maintenance taken care of on your trailer and make sure everything is functioning as it should be. This will give you peace of mind for safe travels.

A quick overview of maintenance is pretty easy if you keep up with regular service:

• Brakes and Bearings
• Electrical Components
• Breakaway System
• Couplers and Jacks_­
• Tires
• Battery
• Safety Chains

Today we are just going to detail brakes.

Brakes should be tested to ensure good operating condition every time you take your trailer down the road, especially after sitting over an extended period of time.

Brake pads should be checked regularly for cracking, abnormal wear patterns, and drum/magnet life.

Every 12 months or 10,000 miles brake lines should be checked for contamination and wear.

Your brake cylinders should be looked over for leaks and sticking as well as making sure brake lines have no cracks or kinks.

Hydraulic Brake cylinders need to be inspected for water deposits and/or rust that would compromise the integrity of the brakes. Make sure to bleed any trapped air in the lines.

Clean, inspect, and re-pack bearing as well as replacing grease seals at least every 2 years under light use. However, this should be done yearly if over 5,000-6,000 miles are traveled.

I hope this helped, I'll be back with another aspect of maintenance next week!