Spring has arrived with a prominent flourish, and for many agricultural businesses, it is the most dramatic period of change each year and when they need to prepare the most. Much of the winter, for many businesses, is about preparing for spring.
This means a lot of spring cleaning, preparing equipment, taking stock and getting ready to hit the ground running as soon as the environmental conditions allow you, but it also means taking the opportunity to ensure that all of your equipment is fit for purpose.
With our expertise in supplying and servicing Ifor Williams trailers, we are perfectly ready to help you get ready for spring, however your needs manifest.
With that in mind, here are the biggest reasons why spring is the perfect time to service your trailer, as well as a checklist of everything you need to get checked before you start.
Why Do Businesses Service Their Trailers In Spring?
Aside from being connected to other types of spring cleaning and typically being the start of the agricultural year, spring is the point when all of the wear, tear and adjustments made to prepare your equipment for the rigours of winter are no longer necessary.
If Your Trailer Was Used In Winter
If your trailer does not take a break for winter, then all of the steps you took to winterise your trailer will need to be tweaked or undone. The higher-grip snow tyres, inflation levels and suspension adjustments may be necessary in winter, but could make your trailer difficult to control in summer.
As well as this, the unique challenges of snow, salty roads and the corrosive slush that results can cause damage to exposed wiring and metal parts of your trailer, particularly if there are scrapes or gaps in your galvanisation.
If Your Trailer Was In Storage This Winter
If your trailer was put away for the winter, then you need to check that the extended time out of use has not caused issues to emerge or exacerbated existing problems.
Trailers tend to work best when they are being used and actively maintained, and periods where they languish in a garage or shed can cause seals to develop gaps, bearings to break, hoses to crack due to the effects of freezing weather on rubber, tyres to deflate due to the air temperature inside and other moving components to seize up.
A robust service and inspection at the start of spring before it is called into action can save you a lot of money and time on expensive and extensive repairs in the summer.
What Should Be Part Of Your Trailer Servicing Checklist?
If you get in touch with us, we can provide a tailored, bespoke servicing of your trailer based not only on the particularities of the Ifor Williams model you are using but also based on the needs of your particular business.
However, there are some general checks we will make, and you will be able to organise yourself to ensure that your trailer is ready to go this spring ahead of any inspection.
Here are just some of the most important checks to make.
Tyres
The tyres of your trailer are often the easiest part of your trailer to fix but can significantly affect the handling characteristics of your trailer and can cause potentially dangerous breakdowns if not spotted.
Here are some of the aspects of your tyres to check:
- Tyre Pressure – Changing air temperature can affect the pressure of your tyres, and the changing of the seasons can often leave them underinflated, building up unnecessary heat and risking early failure.
- Tread Depth – Check the depth of the tread across the entire tyre and make sure they are legal and safe to run. Legally, they need a depth of at least 1.6mm across the entire circumference.
- Wear Patterns – Uneven wear patterns may suggest an issue with wheel bearing, alignment or improper inflation.
- Tyre Damage – Check for cuts, bulges, cracks or anything which might signify damage or degradation.
Wheel Bearing
Wheel bearings are key to supporting your trailer’s load whilst travelling at typical road-going speed, and issues with the bearings can lead to seizure, separations and even fires.
- Noise or Play in the Wheels – Any unusual noise when spinning the wheel could be a sign of worn bearings.
- Bearing Seals – If there is any oil or grease leaking from the wheels, that could be a sign of contamination.
Brakes
Make sure that the brakes work, the components are not excessively worn, and the wiring has no issues, cuts or corrosion. Brakes that do not consistently function could create the risk of serious accidents.
Lights And Electrical Systems
Test all of the lights to ensure that your trailer is legal to use. This is particularly important after winter, as the electrical systems are one of the most common failures of a trailer kept in hibernation.
Frame, Structure And Connections
Test the frame and the hitching structure to ensure there are no fundamental structural issues that could potentially cause your trailer to malfunction whilst on the move.
Suspension System
The suspension is key to ensuring your trailer is stable whilst in operation. Even if your suspension system is functioning, it may need adjustment for the different road and off-road conditions found in spring.