Oil Spill Resources

Protecting Your Trailer

Since the unfortunate explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling platform, there have been a great number of negative and far-reaching effects for many Americans. EZ Loader hopes that there will be a quick and successful completion of the cleanup efforts. This accident has had a negative impact not only on natural resources, businesses, and individuals, but it has also presented some difficult questions for the marine industry. We at EZ Loader would like to address concerns expressed about the affect of the oil on boat trailers.

While there are many uncertainties of the effects this oil may have on boat trailers, there is one outcome that EZ Loader considers being a potential problem. This problem is with the brakes on the trailers. Contamination of the brake friction materials and braking surfaces with oil could cause premature failure of the brakes. Some of the symptoms of this failure may include loss of braking, brake lockup, and brake chatter. The amount of oil in the water that would be required to produce these symptoms and potential failure is unknown.

Avoiding the use of your trailer in contaminated waters would be the most certain way to mitigate the occurrence of a potential problem, however we realize that this may also not be a practical solution. If you use your trailer in contaminated waters, EZ Loader recommends that you are vigilant for the symptoms of brake failure and other anomalies that may occur. If you notice any unusual operational problems or experience the symptoms described here, have your trailer serviced immediately by an authorized technician.