Month: July 2026

Whilst a heatwave can be extremely troublesome for your trailer if you have not bought the right model and prepared yourself as much as you can for the elements, the weather following a period of extreme heat can be particularly troublesome.

Some of these issues can be fixed by choosing the right model from a local, trusted, official distributor of Ifor Williams trailers, as they can point you in the right direction, answer any questions you may have and even provide essential summer servicing and advice.

If you have the time to plan, then you can typically weatherproof your trailer, regardless of whether it is a HBX horsebox, a Beavertail trailer or anything in between. But what happens if you do not have any advance warning?

Extreme weather phenomena can often lead to other types of extreme weather, and the end of a heatwave is often followed by sudden thunderstorms and flash flooding, as well as strong winds and sudden drops in temperature that can affect the ride of your trailer.

Proaction is better than reaction, but if your only choice is to react, here are some top tips to keep yourself safe when the conditions suddenly turn harsh but are unavoidable.

 

Should You Stop To Inspect Your Trailer?

Bad weather exploits the weaknesses of your towing setup, from a trailer’s brakes to its connection to your towing vehicle, so if the weather suddenly gets out of control whilst you are on the road, look for somewhere where you can safely stop and have a look at it.

Specifically, make sure that the hitch is secure, all of the electrical links between trailer and towing vehicle are securely in place and that your tyres, brakes and lights are all functioning properly.

In extreme weather, be it extreme heat, thunderstorms or a series of adverse environments, the tolerances for your trailer setup will be reduced, and small problems can become huge if you do not prepare.

Stopping also gives you a chance to check the weather forecast. If it appears like the storm is only temporary, it may save you time, money and stress waiting for the bad weather to be more manageable before continuing your journey, especially with live cargo.

 

Should You Slow Down In Extreme Weather?

The most important tip when driving in extreme weather conditions is to reduce your speed considerably, whether you are dealing with a heatwave or the rain that often arrives in its aftermath.

The faster you go, the longer it takes to slow down, and both your thinking and braking distances are significantly increased when driving in adverse weather or at night.

Ultimately, slowing down to save driving speeds is by far the fastest way to travel in adverse weather. It is far better to take your time and ensure your load gets to your destination in the best possible condition than risk not making it at all.

 

Should You Avoid Sharp Turns In Extreme Weather?

When you are towing a trailer, you should adopt an anticipatory, defensive driving style regardless of the conditions, but it is especially important during very hot, very cold, very wet and very windy weather to avoid any reflexive actions or sharp turns as much as possible.

Avoid emergency braking situations unless they are unavoidable, do not put your foot down to accelerate from a standstill and avoid sudden swerves to change lanes or make harder turns.

All of these manoeuvres risk jackknifing the trailer at the best of times, but with less traction due to ice, snow, wet tarmac or issues caused by extreme heat, they can potentially lead to accidents.

 

Do You Need To Use Your Lights And Indicators More In Extreme Weather?

Whether due to heat haze, fog, snow or rain showers, your visibility is naturally significantly worse in poor weather, which means that you need to be as clear as possible when it comes to your position relative to other road users.

Make sure your lights and indicators work on the back of your trailer and turn on your fog lights to ensure other drivers can see you as clearly as possible.

Indicate a lane change or turn as soon as you can, as this will give other motorists a chance to see you and react accordingly.

Keep in mind that even if you have a relatively visible trailer, drivers will work on where your lights are to determine your road position and whether it is safe to change lanes or overtake, so make yourself as easy to see as possible.

If you are in the market for a new trailer for your construction business, you will need to think carefully about what kind of trailer you buy. 

In fact, our top tip is to think about all the potential use cases for your trailer before you begin browsing the options available to you. 

This is because there are several kinds of trailers available for those working in construction and you don’t want to invest in a trailer that doesn’t meet your needs.

The main options are:

• General duty trailers
• Plant trailers
• Tipper trailers

Each of these types of trailer has merit in a construction environment, which is why you need to be clear about what you need a trailer for. Let’s look at each in turn. 

 

General duty trailers

General duty trailers are designed to be versatile. They have sturdy, stainless steel sides to protect whatever you’re transporting and will normally come with a tailboard or rear ramp to assist with loading and unloading.

This type of trailer is available in both single axle and double axle models, providing options to suit many types of loads and making it a good all-round construction trailer. 

 

Plant trailers

As their name suggests, plant trailers are designed specifically to transport compact plant machinery, such as excavators, skid steer loaders and telehandlers. 

For a construction business, being able to easily and securely transport equipment from one site to the next is essential. Easy loading of equipment is obviously vital, which is why all plant trailers are equipped with a ramp. 

When you’re choosing a plant trailer, make sure you consider what load it needs to be able to carry so that you can purchase a plant trailer that works for your stock of equipment. 

 

Tipper trailers

Tipper trailers are a staple piece of equipment in the construction industry, allowing you to transport materials to your site and offload them by tipping the trailer up at one end. Such trailers are available in single axle and double axle configurations.

Think carefully about how large a stock of materials you often need to transport to or from your building sites when making your selection.

A twin axle tipper trailer will typically be able to carry heavier loads safely than a single axle model. 

 

What to look at when evaluating construction trailers

There are several specifications to pay attention to when you are choosing a construction trailer, regardless of what type of trailer you decide to buy.

The most important are:

• Ease of use
• Load capacity
• Materials it’s made from
• Safety features

Ease of use

None of us want to invest in equipment that is hard to use. Trailers are supposed to facilitate the delivery of your work, so make sure you look for features like ramps and removable tailboards to make loading and unloading simple.

How quick and easy it is to hook your trailer up to a towing vehicle is also worth considering. 

 

Load capacity 

Arguably the most important factor to consider. Make sure that any trailer you buy is able to carry more than the heaviest load you anticipate needing to transport. This will ensure you are always able to use it safely.

As well as the gross weight rating of the trailer, look at its shape and size. Is it long enough to fit the materials or machinery you need to transport? 

 

Materials it’s made from

Trailers that operate in construction environments can take a beating. They will be driven over uneven terrain and the loads they carry are often heavy and potentially sharp or awkward shapes.

You want to invest in a trailer that stands the test of time. This is why Ifor Williams trailers stand out, because they are renowned for their quality and durability. 

The materials you want to look for are galvanised steel or aluminium, because these metals can withstand heavy loads and are suitable for use whatever the weather. But don’t stop at the material the trailer is made from. Also look at the quality of its construction. 

Does it look sturdy? Is there extra support for the sections that will be carrying the load? What coating does the platform have to ensure it will last? 

 

Safety features

Safety is a key consideration, so make sure you look for not only basic safety features like lights and reflectors, but also brakes (if applicable) and breakaway cables. 

Although designed for checks once you’ve bought a trailer, the government’s advice about how to tow safely are a useful starting point to make sure you cover all the safety basics. 

The summer months are often the peak period for trailer use, particularly in the agricultural sector, but this also coincides with some of the most punishing and brutal conditions your trailer is likely to face all year.

This means that ensuring that your trailer has undergone a service and had any small issues repaired is key, as these weaknesses will be stressed further by the summer heat.

Most businesses do not stop during heatwaves, and many journeys with trailers still need to take place even on the hottest days. This makes it essential that you know how to safely tow your trailer.

Here are some of our top tips and most critical pieces of advice to ensure you tow safely, your trailer avoids damage, and you do not experience any extra hidden costs.

 

How Are Your Trailer’s Tyres Affected By The Heat?

Heat causes air to expand, and this, in combination with a heavy load, can cause tyres to end up under such intense pressure that they can start wearing or cracking very quickly. A trailer tyre blowout on a motorway is a highly dangerous situation.

Make sure to check that both the trailer and towing vehicle are at the right pressure before you start driving, and check the condition of your tyres in case there are signs of degradation. 

A trip to a trailer specialist is far cheaper than a trip to an emergency garage.

 

Is Your Towing Vehicle’s Cooling System Sufficient For Towing?

Your car naturally runs hotter when towing a vehicle due to the additional weight, but this effect is magnified when under the blazing hot sun.

Make sure your trailer is being towed in such a way that it is not blocking airflow in and out of the towing vehicle, check the coolant has been topped up, the radiator is working fine and that there are no obvious issues with the cooling system.

Towing on a motorway, particularly uphill and in a traffic jam, can potentially cause your car to overheat.

 

Are Your Brakes Suitable For Towing In Hot Weather?

Brakes generate significant heat by design, but in hot conditions brakes have to work exponentially harder than other parts of your trailer.

This can lead to brake fade, which causes brakes to be significantly less effective and have a longer stopping distance than expected.

Of all the components of your trailer that you must ensure are properly serviced and adjusted for the heat, your brakes must be properly aligned, adjusted and fit for purpose.

If that is not possible or you are travelling specifically to your nearest trailer servicing experts, get a feel for how your trailer slows down and take into account the fact you have a much longer stopping distance to think about.

 

Can Your Towing Load Be Affected By The Heat?

Ropes, ratchet straps, tarpaulins, zip-ties, and all of the materials used to secure loads in the back of your trailer can be affected by the heat and create enough slack to cause loads to move around in the back of your trailer.

Slow down and find somewhere safe to stop to check your trailer load if you feel anything unusual or strange. If everything seems normal, stop after a few miles and check all of your straps regardless to ensure your load is secure.

Thankfully, once you are in the hot conditions, any further expansions or changes will be more subtle and less impactful.

 

Should You Avoid Travelling In The Middle Of The Day?

Whilst for some businesses this is unavoidable, you should try to make every effort possible not to drive during peak sunlight hours, which is typically between 11am and 3pm depending on the day.

Instead, opt to drive in the morning or evening, and give yourself time to allow yourself and your trailer to cool down effectively at a service station or a shaded car park.

Similarly, avoid rush hour traffic where at all possible. Heat can cause components to wear out much faster, and this is made worse by standing still and having to constantly start and stop.

 

Are You Keeping Yourself Cool As Well?

The most important part of your trailer and towing vehicle setup is the driver. You need to ensure that you keep hydrated, are as comfortable as possible and are able to focus on the driving at hand.

This usually means ensuring that your air conditioning is working effectively, you feel cool and comfortable, and you have adjusted the mirrors to avoid the potential for glare as much as possible.