Month: November 2025

Any piece of equipment that is used as often as an industrial or agricultural trailer needs to be able to last for a long time in heavy-duty conditions. No business has the time to waste on a tool that is not hard-wearing enough for their needs.

This is the reason why we offer Ifor Williams trailers and have a comprehensive trailer servicing process to ensure that your trailer is ideally suited for your needs, safe to use on the road and ready for your next job.

It is vital that you keep your trailer well-maintained in part because it is legally required, but also because a trailer kept in a dangerous condition is increasing the risk of a sudden, dangerous situation that could take control of a vehicle away from you.

Proactivity is always better than reactivity and will save you money in the long run.

With that in mind, here are some of the most common signs of a serious issue, what it tends to mean, and what you can do about it whilst waiting for your service.

Warning Lights Or Malfunctions

Trailers and caravans need to have a complete set of lights, brakes and turn signals that are connected to your towing vehicle, but if there is an issue with the connection between the car and the trailer, it can cause these lights to not work properly.

Make sure to test your lights and indicators before you start travelling, as it is one of the expected safety checks and could constitute using a vehicle in a dangerous condition in some situations, particularly when driving at night with lights that are not working.

Beyond this, if the lights are not working, it could be a sign that the electrical systems on your trailer are also not functioning, which could affect other electrical systems, such as brakes.

Strange Noises

Whilst heavy-duty trailers are not always going to be quiet on bumpy roads, there is a clear difference between noises that demonstrate that the trailer’s suspension, bearings and brakes are working fine, and noises that clearly indicate a problem.

If your brakes squeak or grind when you apply them, that is typically a sign that there is an issue with the system or the pads that should be addressed sooner rather than later.

Similarly, scraping, clunking, and banging can also be signs that there are unaddressed issues that should be looked into by a professional.

Braking Problems

Braking should be as controlled, even and quick in response as they are with your towing vehicle, and if there are any issues with how the trailer reacts under braking, it could be a sign of a potentially serious issue with your braking system.

This could be caused by brake pads that are worn, warped or not functioning correctly, it could be caused by leaks in your brake fluid, or it could be the result of electrical issues if your trailer has electrically assisted braking systems.

Braking is even more important with a trailer than it is already when driving a vehicle without one, as problems with your braking system can potentially lead to a loss of control or a road traffic accident.

A trailer should not feel difficult to stop, and if it does, or if it feels significantly different, it may be time for a service.

Steering Issues

Similarly, trailers should not be that much more difficult to control than your towing vehicle, and a trailer certainly should not cause unexpected or unwanted steering responses.

If the trailer feels somewhat unpredictable when driving, if it favours or actively tries to steer in one direction, if it has a tendency to snake or is otherwise difficult to maintain control of, it is typically indicative of a serious and potentially dangerous issue with your trailer.

It is most commonly an issue with either wheel alignment, the suspension system or the axle, but it can be an issue with uneven tyre pressure or warped brakes, depending on the particular loss of control.

In any case, if you do not feel comfortable controlling the trailer, you should contact an expert as soon as possible to diagnose and solve any problems.

Uneven Tyre Wear

Tyres are often an underestimated part of your trailer, and they can both contribute to and be an early symptom of a problem with it.

If the tyres of your trailer wear at different rates, if there are flat spots on them, a sudden loss of pressure or noticeable damage to the tread, get them checked to avoid a potentially dangerous blowout.

The vast majority of farm animals in the UK are transported in a trailer at some point in their lives, whether that is to move them from one part of a farm to another or for a longer journey to a livestock market or an abattoir. 

If you are in the market for a new livestock trailer, there are a number of factors it’s important to consider, including what animals you’ll be transporting and how far, how easy it is to load your livestock into your trailer and how stable the trailer is when you’re towing it. 

What load weighting should I look for in a livestock trailer?

The gross weight your trailer needs to handle will depend on what type of animals you are going to be transporting. When you are comparing the specifications of different trailers, take the gross weight listed and deduct the unladen weight from it. This will show you how much weight your trailer can safely hold. 

From there, you can work out if it is suitable for your purposes. Obviously if you will be transporting cows, you will need a trailer that can handle greater weights than if you are transporting sheep, for instance. 

What features should I look for in a livestock trailer to ensure animal welfare?

The welfare of any animals being transported should be at the heart of the process. One of the most important features of any livestock trailer is ventilation. Your animals need to have adequate airflow for the duration of their journey to ensure that they don’t become unwell or suffocate while you’re on the road. 

This means that vents are key features on any livestock trailer. Similarly, you need to ensure that the trailer is made of a material that promotes temperature regulation. This is why most livestock trailers are made from aluminum, because it reflects heat in the summer which makes conditions in the trailer more comfortable. 

You also need to check the height of the livestock trailer to ensure it provides sufficient headroom for the animals you’ll be transporting. Naturally, sheep and pigs need less head room than cows or llamas, for instance. 

What is the best way to load animals into a livestock trailer?

You will usually need a ramp to help your animals get into the trailer. This is where Ifor Williams livestock trailers stand out thanks to their EasyLoad ramp and folding deck system. 

This makes it easy to deploy the deck and ramp within minutes, without the need for any additional tools or equipment. Two gas springs assisted the process of deploying the ramp. Once the ramp is secured, you can use it to load your livestock onto your trailer. 

Stowing the ramp and deck is just as easy as deploying it, which means you will be on your way within minutes of loading your animals and securing the gate of the trailer. 

For additional support and security while loading livestock, you can also add a ramp gate extension to your trailer system.

How can I tell how stable a trailer will be when I’m towing it?

Until you start towing a trailer, particularly when it’s fully laden, it can be hard to know how it will handle. However, the reviews or experiences of other farmers can help here. In addition, there is plenty of evidence that the Ifor Williams trailers remain stable on varied terrain. 

The company has designed its trailers with farmers in mind, which means they are both durable and stable when being towed. One of the key components of Ifor Williams’ livestock trailers is the beam axle and leaf spring suspension system. 

This mimics similar systems used in other commercial vehicles where stability when under load is essential. It offers excellent stability and therefore provides a smoother journey for both you and your livestock. 

How far you’ll transport livestock in your trailer

When you are investing in a new livestock trailer you also need to consider how far you will be transporting animals. If you will be transporting animals for distances of greater than 65km or on journeys of longer than eight hours, you’ll need what’s known as transporter authorisation. 

You’ll also need a certificate of competence for transporting animals and you may be required to have an attendant with you who is responsible for managing the animals’ welfare. 

If you are transporting animals for longer distances, you also need to consider food and water provision as well as their comfort during the journey. This may therefore affect the type of trailer you decide to purchase.

To some people, the prime time for horse racing is the spring and summer, whether it is for steeple chasing or flat racing. After all, the ides of March are accompanied by the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National is in April and Royal Ascot takes place in June.

November is the last month of the flat racing season, but there are still some great jump chasing events in the late autumn and winter, as well as some wonderful courses that come into their own at this time of year.

For this reason, there will be no shortage of horse box trailers on the roads and in the fields over the coming months, with a busy programme and many courses staging their biggest and best events in the months ahead.

Be Ready For Winter Road Conditions

Needless to say, this is the time when you will most need trailers that are robust and reliable. The road conditions will be far from ideal on many occasions, with plenty of wet leaves now, some inevitable big rain days and also some snow and ice not far away.

The motorways might be well gritted, but you can be sure that sooner or later you’ll have to get up a road that isn’t. Moreover, you’ll no doubt be parking on a few fields that are soft to say the very least. You need to know your trailer is one you can trust and can handle the wear and tear that the season brings.

Having ensured your horse or horses can get safely to and from the course, you can focus on the racing ahead, with some superb venues offering great racing over the next few months.

Famous Venues, Big Events

Aintree is one place to note this month and next, with three meetings at the Grand National venue, including racing on Boxing Day. It might not quite have the glamour of the epic race made famous by the likes of Red Rum and Aldaniti, but It still offers the chance for runners, riders and spectators alike to enjoy a visit to one of the world’s most famous race venues.

If the English Grand National is not until next April (as is Scotland’s), the Welsh version is coming much sooner. Chepstow is the venue for this event and this year’s edition will take place on Saturday December 27th, one of seven races on the day.

After the brilliant victory of Val Dancer last year, there are high hopes that 2025 will be just as spectacular.

Chepstow might have the most glamorous race of the winter season, but some courses stand out for their excellent conditions for racing over the winter season.

All-Weather Wonders

The UK currently has seven all-weather courses, designed to ensure the racing goes ahead come sun, rain, wind, sleet, snow or a plague of frogs. These are located at Lingfield, Kempton Park, Wolverhampton, Southwell, Chelmsford, Newcastle and Dundalk.

Lingfield is the oldest of these, being established in the 1890s, although the current Polytrack surface was laid in the 1990s. Able to host all formats of racing, it has over 100 days of racing a year, so expect it to be busy through the winter (and not just on its all-weather surface).

Not all of the all-weather courses will be in use throughout the winter; for instance, Wolverhampton is a flat course so although there will be several meetings this month, some under its floodlights, that will then be it until the new flat season starts next year.

Nonetheless, all-weather surfaces do add a new feature to the racing calendar, as some horses run better on them than others. Moreover, when the weather is bad, that will give such runners an advantage on those who thrive when the going is soft.

All-weather surfaces also mean that you know the event won’t be called, off, which means you may have to drive the horse and trailer box through all sorts of poor on-road conditions to get to the course.

Make The Most Of The Winter

While a venue like Wolverhampton or Newcastle is in a city, others are in fairly small towns, so you may pass through more rural areas where there are fewer major roads and more chance of running into challenging conditions in winter.

The fact that the jump racing calendar remains packed through the darkest and coldest days of the year is heartening for those who enjoy going to racing or getting in the saddle, while the horses benefit from not having to run on a hot day (just look at the footage of the aftermath of a race at Ascot in June and the buckets of water being poured over them!).

With a robust trailer to make sure you can get the and back, the racing community can make the absolute most of this time of year.

Winter has finally arrived, and for many in the agricultural sector who live on rural roads or who still have to travel great distances on business, the colder weather and shorter days can cause issues.

In particular, operating a trailer safely is about ensuring that your trailer is serviced by expert mechanics who are well-versed in working with the particular make and model, that you have the right towing vehicle, that it is secured properly and that you feel comfortable driving in the conditions.

This is not only a legal requirement, as trailers need to be serviced to ensure they can be towed safely enough, but they also help to offer peace of mind and make what can be a difficult time of the year less arduous.

With that in mind, here are some top tips to ensure you drive safely with a trailer from December up until the start of spring.

Inspect Your Trailer Closely

In general, you should check your trailer for any issues every time you use it, but especially make sure to give everything a test before you set off on a wet, icy or snowy day.

In particular, make sure that your brakes, suspension, lights, signals and tyre pressures are all in working order and at the right levels for your vehicle and the trailer.

Depending on how much snow or ice there is, it may be worth considering fitting all-weather tyres, snow chains or even snow tyres, particularly if you are primarily driving off-road. Traction is everything, and you will want to ensure your car and trailer are as stable as possible.

Finally, make sure the links between your car and trailer are properly connected as well, as you are likely to need your lights more during winter nights and foggy days.

Front-Load Your Trailer

Weight distribution and the right centre of gravity are critical if you want to have a comfortable, safe journey and avoid potential snaking. Part of this is ensuring that your trailer’s suspension is working, your brakes are consistent and equal and that it is securely attached to your towing vehicle so the trailer does not favour a certain direction.

Another major part is ensuring that any load you fit to your trailer is primarily added to the front of your trailer, as close to the towing vehicle as possible.

Aim for a 60:40 ratio, where three-fifths of the load is in the frontmost half, ensure that the trailer is not overloaded in any section, and secure cargo tightly to stop it shifting and changing the handling dynamics whilst steering.

Finally, consider looking into weight distribution hitches to help evenly distribute the weight of the trailer across the towing vehicle itself, further improving the centre of gravity and helping with handling performance.

Gradually Accelerate And Brake

When driving, you want to ensure that the tyres grip the road as much as possible, and the best way to ensure this is to avoid sudden bursts of acceleration or braking.

Keep a safe distance from cars ahead to ensure you do not have to react suddenly, apply your brakes gently and progressively push down on the throttle pedal to slowly get to your cruising speed.

Avoid sudden braking if at all possible; the slippery conditions can cause the trailer to jerk suddenly and cause a complete loss of control.

Keep Further Away From Cars In Front

Consider staying further than two car lengths away from the car in front, as your stopping distances will significantly increase in icy conditions, and many people will similarly react less quickly.

Check your mirrors and be mindful of what the cars in front, behind and to the side of you are doing.

As well as this, look for potential patches of black ice or changes in road conditions.

Be Extra Careful In Foggy Conditions And Snowstorms

Blizzards and foggy conditions can be particularly treacherous, as not only can it be difficult to see other vehicles, but it can be difficult for them to see you.

If you are struggling, turn on low-beam headlamps or fog lights to boost your visibility, and turn on the hazard lights on your trailer to ensure that other drivers can see you there.

Trust your judgement as well; if you feel like the visibility and weather conditions have reached a point that it is dangerous to continue, find a safe location and pull over until the storm clears somewhat.

Steer In The Direction Of The Skid

If you do lose control and start skidding, do not panic. Firmly slamming on the brakes will make the situation worse.

Instead, gradually steer into the skid in the direction you want to go without overcorrecting. Avoid sudden movements and use your brakes carefully to gradually build up traction again.