Before you can win, you have to get there
Tire Health
It’s been a long, ugly winter and most race car trailers end up being stored out in the elements. If you don’t check out those tires and make certain that they are road worthy, your most valuable possession may end up in the ditch. Look for uneven tire wear, worn out tires or tires that have just lived longer than expected. If they look bad now, replace them as they probably will not make it through the summer. Oh and don’t forget to check out the spare tire!
Tire Pressures
When is the last time that you checked out the air pressure in the trailer tires? Tires will lose pressure during cold winter temperatures. Low tire pressures will lead to excessive heat and possibly a blow out.
Wiring / Lights
Not everyone on the road can drive as well as you can. Make sure that brake lights, running lights and flasher are all in working order. If the connector to the tow rig is bad, replace it now!
If you are fortunate enough to have an enclosed trailer, don’t forget to make sure that all of the inside lights and power outlets are in working order.
Brakes
Now is the time to make sure that your brakes will do their job. A panic stop with bad brakes is probably not the right time to find out that pads are worn out or that electrical connections are poor.
Every time that you head out with the truck and trailer, you should adjust the brake controller. If it doesn’t work as intended, you might want to replace it.
Axels
Check out the axles and be certain that they are straight and properly attached. Now is the best time to grease up the wheel bearings, not when stopped alongside the highway with a problem.
The Outside
It’s probably time to give the outside of the trailer a bath with soap and water. It you have leaks, fix them now before you have rotting and mold.
Don’t forget to add the decals that will fulfill promise that you made to the new sponsor!
The Load
Load the car and equipment so that the majority of the weight is over the axels. Too much weight on the front of the trailer will make the hauler carry more of the load and that can lead to unnecessary wear in shocks, springs and tires. If the weight is too far to the rear of the trailer, that can cause it to sway and reduce control.
Be sure that you have plenty of D-hooks and tie down locations so that everything is safely tied down. If straps are showing signs of excessive wear, replace them immediately. Tie things down so that if one strap should brake the other strap will get things to the track without damage.
Ball and Chains
As the ball is what connects the trailer to the hauler it is very important. Check it out for excessive wear or cracks. The trailer ball should be greased regularly to prevent wear and rust which can lead to early failure.
If your trailer should break away, the safety chains are there to hopefully catch it but they need to be installed correctly. Safety chains should be crossed without too much slack. The chains should be tight enough to make sure that the trailer will not dig into the ground as contact with the pavement could result in loss of control and a bad ending.