A boat trailer is quite an essential piece of equipment for you to transport your boat safely and in the most convenient way possible. However, a boat trailer is not just a piece of equipment to cater to the needs of your boat. It's its own piece of machinery that also needs proper care to function correctly. One of the most vital parts on your boat trailer, that are also quite prone to malfunction, are the axles. To make sure you are caring for your axles in the best way possible, it's important that you know how to prevent axle failure and also how to take care of them if they were to malfunction.
Proper loading
Loading the trailer is one of the things that can extend the life length of your boat trailer axles. The axles probably won't break the first trip you drive with an improperly packed load, but if you repeat the improper loading over and over, this might cause significant wear to your axles. Make sure you load the boat so that it balances over the axles. Preferably, make sure the majority of the weight is put in front of the axles, as this lifts them rather than weighing them down, which causes an excessive amount of wear.
Check the alignment
You should also check the alignment of the axles, as this will make it easier to load you boat properly on top of the trailer. Use a straight rod that is long enough to reach across the trailer to compare the placement of both axles in a pair. Lay the rod against the tyres and if one tyre isn't touching the rod even if you've lain in straight, then you might need to readjust one of your axles. You could also hold the rod straight against one of the tyres and measure the distance to the frame of the trailer. If the distance varies between the two different tyres, your axles need to be aligned.
Repair at home
To change axles, you could either visit a professional or do it yourself. To change the tyre axles, you need the same equipment that you would need to change a tyre, which means you should make sure to perform the axle change at home. If your trailer breaks down while you're driving, you should call a towing truck rather than attempting to repair the axle on the road, as you will need the proper equipment and also a quality replacement axle ready. Carrying spare boat trailer parts with you while driving might be a good idea, but you should nevertheless try to perform all larger repairs at home.
Share19 November 2015
Hey! My name is Damian and this blog contains some very important information about caring for and protecting your auto. I am not an automotive expert but I do have some experiences which have taught me some important lessons. When I bought a new car a couple of years ago, I was so happy. However, that happiness turned to anger when someone broke into my car. They didn't manage to drive it away but I was super mad. My friend who works in an auto shop recommended that I buy some accessories to improve the security of my car. He also gave me some great tips on how I could keep my car secure.