How to Care for your Trailer

How to care for your Trailer

Extending the life of your trailer can be helped  by following these simple rule:

Please Note: New trailers are now issued a 3 year WoF. Because your trailer WILL NOT have a yearly WoF inspection , it is imperative that you check your trailer regularly. We recommend every 6 months.

Regular maintenance forms part of the warranty guarantee. Please refer to Warranty information below

MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST

  • Wheel Bearings to be checked /adjusted after 2 months, from purchase and 6 monthly thereafter. If required re-pack Wheel Bearings with suitable grease
  • Check that Wheel Nuts are tight after 2 weeks.
  • Check that all lights are going (check plugs and wiring).
  • Check coupling bolts, u-bolts, shackle bolts and bushes.
  • Grease all grease points on tandem and/or braked trailers (Coupler and rocker suspension)
  • Brake caliper slides should be lubricated to ensure smooth and effective braking

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  • Do not exceed the recommended Gross Vehicle Mass (the combined weight of Trailer only – Tare (weight of an empty trailer) and load- (Payload) with any Trailer. GVM quoted is for normal road use. Please remember if you have a cage and a spare tyre, these weights will be needed to be added to the Tare weight Any overloading will void all warranties
  • Be aware of your towing vehicle load capacity and stay within its limits as well as the trailers load capacity.
  • If your load is unbalanced too far to the front of the trailer, you will struggle to lift the drawbar onto your towing vehicle. Likewise if the load is too far back, the drawbar will tend to lift very easily and in extreme cases tilt the trailer’s rear to the ground. In both cases, the load needs to be repositioned.
  • Always load your trailer with the bulk of the weight over the trailers axle(s). If possible keep the load as low as possible to the trailer deck as is practical.
  • If possible cover the Trailer or store the Trailer under cover when not in use
  • Refuse should not be left in the Trailer and after use the Trailer should be cleaned, particularly inside. Always wash your trailer down after carrying any acidic or alkaline materials. This includes grass clippings and fertilizer.
  • If you use your Trailer near salt water, corrosive chemicals or materials- wash it down after use.

Prevention is better than cure, our environment is corrosive and harsh on metal.

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JOCKEY WHEEL

Your trailer is fitted with a Jockey Wheel to allow you to move the trailer a few centimetres in every direction. The jockey wheel is intended to be used to move only empty trailers around. Attempting to move a loaded trailer on the Jockey Wheel, could result in damage to the Jockey Wheel. Care should be taken to ensure that there is not an excessive amount of weight put on the Jockey Wheel. If large weights are to be supported the Jockey Wheel should be replaced with a Heavy Duty Machinery Stand.

TRAILER CAGE

Trailer Cages are designed for containing loads they are not suitable for carrying loads across the cage ends. Loads such as pipe or timber should be carried using purpose built H frames.

TYRE PRESSURES (currently 40 PSI)

It is important to keep your tyres correctly inflated for the load you’re carrying. Heavy loads increase the tyre pressure to 50 psi.

WIRING

Yellow – Left indicator
Green – Right indicator
Brown/Black- Tail
Black /White- Earth
Red- Brake

WARRANTY

The Goods will be free from any manufacturers’ faults or defects arising out of reasonable and normal use.
The trailer has a 12 months part and 24 months structural warranty.

The following provisions apply to this warranty:
(a) It applies only to the original purchaser;
(b) It covers parts and labour, but not freight (freight is on a return to base basis);
(c) It does not cover any damage caused by incorrect or inappropriate use or unauthorized attempt to repair or alter the Goods;
(d) It does not cover damage or wear caused by accident, neglect, vandalism or environmental damage;
(e) In order to validate any warranty claim you must have carried out regular and reasonable servicing and maintenance checks on your Trailer. This must be recorded on the maintenance schedule
Consequential damages will not be covered under the terms of the warranty
Any work undertaken without consultation with Elite will not be covered under warranty
A written Repair Quote must be supplied and approved by Elite Trailers and Floats Ltd prior to any work commencing that is done outside of Elite.
A corresponding Order Number will be provided on approval.
Warranty repair invoices that do not follow this procedure with not be accepted
Please refer to the General Terms and Condition page

****** If any issues should arise with your Elite Trailer during the warranty period please contact us as soon as possible on 0800 222 172 to discuss.******