Experienced Trailer Maintenance

Stay on the Road Safely with Trailer Maintenance

The best way to stay on the road is to do regular maintenance on your trailer. The mechanics at APOGEE INDUSTRIES, LLC can take care of the maintenance you need, so you can keep working. You can count on great customer service, fast turnaround times, and competitive prices. Call or visit today for trailer maintenance.

Before your next trip, check our list of maintenance items below. Make sure you’ll be safe every time you go on the road.

Tires, Bearings, and Lights Maintenance

• Check all tires for pressure as stated on the outer wall of the tire
• Check wheel bearings every 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) or every 6 months (whichever comes first) or before a trip of that length
• Check grease in the hub and replace damaged components – follow step-by-step instructions to repack wheel bearings.
• Examine your trailer’s electrical connector so prongs are clean and secure, and use a wire brush with electrical contact cleaner and dielectric grease for maximum conductivity

Coupler and Hitch Maintenance

Always check the vehicle owner’s manual if you’ve changed vehicles, so you can confirm it’s capable of towing your trailer. The minimum hitch required is a class 2 hitch with a 2 ball. Check to make sure the hitch is set to the correct height – when latched to the trailer, the tongue of the trailer should be parallel to the ground.

Side Gates and Bumps

• Make sure all hardware is secure and shows no signs of corrosion
• Replace loose or damaged hardware
• Check that all ring snap pins and safety straps are installed correctly and functioning as they should (utility trailers)
• Check that all hinges, locking bars, and pins are properly secured (landscape trailers)
• If you take time to check these items before your trip, you can save time, money, and the hassle of problems on the road. For all your trailer needs, APOGEE INDUSTRIES has the parts and accessories you need, and our experienced mechanic can also provide repair and maintenance for your trailer. Visit us today and be sure to ask about our 5% discount for first responders, military personnel, and veterans.

Trailers and Brakes

Florida law requires brakes on any new trailer with a gross weight rating (GVWR) more than 3,000 pounds. When purchasing another trailer, ensure the producer’s ID sticker obviously recognizes a GVWR. Then make sure the trailer is equipped with the correct braking equipment.

Single axles trailers are normally appraised as much as 2,990 pounds and don’t need brakes. Double pivot trailers without any brakes can’t be appraised more than 3,000 pounds, paying little heed to it’s planned limit. Contingent upon the heaviness of the trailer, this may leave almost no legitimate burden conveying limit. Double pivot trailers with brakes on one hub can have an expanded GVWR however will be not exactly if the two axles were outfitted with brakes.

To legitimately pull the most extreme plan heap of any double hub trailer, it should be outfitted with brakes on the two axles. All boat trailers with more than one pivot are needed to have brakes on all axles or the trailer limit should be de-appraised.

Contingent upon the age of your present trailer, you might be grandfathered in with lower brake hardware necessities. It is the duty of the trailer proprietor/administrator to keep up trailer brakes in working condition.

Know Your Load Carry Capacity

When buying a trailer it’s critical to understand what its heap conveying limit is. You can infer this by taking the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and deduct the vacant load of the trailer. This is your “usable” weight. While looking, have a thought of how much weight your proposed burden might be.

We get numerous trailers into our administration office that have been horribly over-burden. Since the trailer may in great shape your heap, it doesn’t mean it can really uphold your heap. Be especially mindful of huge, pair pivot trailers. These trailers regularly have a high vacant load because of their size. If not worked with weighty enough axles and springs, the usable weight may just be half of the GVWR. An excessive number of huge trailers are sold with just medium-obligation axles. This permits sellers to bring down the cost. Never acknowledge the pitch, “This trailer will do whatever you need it to do”.

Take into consideration what your usage may be in the future. We have numerous clients that grow out of their trailers in a couple of years. It’s less expensive to purchase the following size trailer now than a second trailer later.