Trailering Magazine Archives - Trailering Maintenance
Shelter From The Storm
By Bob Adriance with Pat Piper
Here are some smart ways
to keep winter away
from your trailer:
If your trailer is going to spend the
off-season outside exposed to the
elements, protect your investment
and spend some time to eliminate potential
problems.
-Avoid parking the trailer under a tree,
thinking it will be "protected." Winter
storms (and heavy snow) can break tree
limbs and if the trailer is beneath, well, you
may be cleaning up more than just broken
branches. If the trailer will be in the driveway,
face the hitch away from the street so
it becomes difficult for potential thieves to
pull up and take it away. Lock the trailer
hitch. BoatU.S. Marine Insurance records
indicate a boat on a trailer is far more
likely to be stolen than a boat in a slip.
-Trailer tires deteriorate in sunlight
and can have their lives extended by taking
them off the trailer and storing them
in the garage (put blocks under the trailer
frame and cover the hubs and brakes with
a plastic trash bag to keep them dry).
Removing the tires also deters thieves. If
the tires must remain on the trailer on the
lawn, position the trailer so each tire rests
on a piece of plywood. This is done to
avoid dry rot, which can occur when tires
remain on grass in the same place over a
long period of time. Cover each tire with a
heavy plastic garbage bag to prevent exposure
to the sun. Block each tire to keep
the trailer from moving. Cover the hubs
with thick plastic, such as the garbage bag
referred to earlier, and secure it tightly. If
the tires remain on the trailer during the
winter, move the trailer from time to time
so as to avoid "flat spotting," which is the
result of a tire sitting in the same position
over a long period of time.
-Put a block of wood under the trailer
jack to raise the bow and allow rainwater
and melting snow to drain.
-The plug: Rainwater and melting
snow can't run out if the drain plug is
attached. Some boat owners take the
plug off the boat completely but many
have told stories about not being able to
find it when the season is about to begin.
Other boat owners will attach it to the
steering wheel, the throttle, or best of all,
the ignition key, which should also be
brought inside. It's your call; just be sure
to remove it when winterizing.
-Spray a lubricant such as WD-40 on
the metal trailer roller assembly and, if
possible, spin the rollers a few times. Do
the same for winch gears and electrical
connections to keep moisture away. If
you have a galvanized-steel trailer, sand off
any scratches, prime, and then repaint to
prevent future rust problems.
Don't skimp on winterizing your boat.
Your owner's manual will provide specific
steps that need to be taken prior to the
first cold spell. If you're unsure about
doing this, go to BoatUS.com/Seaworthy/
Winter/ or take the boat to the dealer
where a professional can winterize it.
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