Winter Maintenance Tips for Your Dump Trailer

Every season comes with major concerns and, as always, preparation is essential. As the summer season comes to an end, you must think of how to take care of your dump trailers. This may seem like a non-issue to some folks, but when springtime comes around; you realize how high the cost of negligence can be. Trailer maintenance doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult. All that is required is a little will, effort, and proper preparation.

With just a few maintenance steps, you will ensure the longevity of your dump trailer and avoid expensive repairs when spring comes.

Clean It

During the winter, no one ever wants to be outside washing anything and with this, it is easy for the trailer to get a little messy. However, if you want your trailer in pristine condition during spring, then you have to wash it as often as possible. This can even mean simply spraying with a hose now and then. Doing this will help remove harmful salt from the trailer and limit rust.

Tire Maintenance

When tires are put in storage for a long period, then the risk of damage becomes higher. Tires degrade easier when not properly maintained in storage during the winter. One way to ensure good maintenance of the tires during the winter months is to take care of the valve stems. You can do this by caring for and protecting them from dirt. As a result, you will be preventing tire leakage.

Properly Store It

If you do not plan to use your dump trailers over the winter season, then proper storage is essential. It’s recommended that you store your trailer indoors to prevent components freezing. One way is to keep it in a cool and dark garage with its tires inflated. Remember that asphalt is the best surface for storing the tires.

Inspect For Rust And Corrosion On All Steel Parts

It’s recommended that you inspect your trailer thoroughly before storage. As you do these, check to see if there are any paint chips or scrapes that require some touch-ups. What you must keep in mind is that these areas may develop rust over time if not attended to right away. Whether you own an all-steel trailer or not, inspection is essential. Give special attention to the seams where tubing attaches to the side sheet metal. This is because moisture easily gets trapped in this area.

Greasing

When you put your trailer for storage, you must understand that there is a high risk of corrosion. Therefore, it is important that you put in place measures against corrosion. One effective way is to keep greasing the steer axles. Greasing will help you even if you plan to use your trailer during the winter months. Greasing helps protect against the chemicals used to melt snow on the roads.

Emergency Kit With De-Icing Solutions

Even after taking care of all the maintenance items for your dump trailers, you must ensure that you have an emergency kit. This is so that you always have what is essential for any repair needs that may arise during the winter months ahead. For instance, deicing sprays often come in handy when you want to remove ice from the brakes and other parts of the trailer.

Taking time to properly prepare to store your trailer during the winter will prove to be of great benefit. You will essentially be protecting your investment in the long run by preventing any possible damage. By maintaining your dump trailers properly, you will get to appreciate the many attached benefits.