Safety Checks Before Hauling

Completing safety checks on your trailer before every trip is a good habit to have in order to avoid headaches later down the road. Safety never goes out of style.

Check the Coupler
Making sure the trailer is securely fastened is the first priority. Important questions to ask yourself would be:

• Is the trailer is locked down properly?
• Is the safety pin attached?
• Are your safety chains hooked?
• Are you using the right size ball (1 7/8”, 2”, or 2 5/16”)?   
• Double check that your jack is secure and the breakaway cable is properly attached.

Check the Lug Nuts
The only way to be certain that lug nuts are tight is to take a lug wrench and go over all of them. It may be a good idea to use a torque wrench to check them from time to time.

Tires
Examine the tires, looking for signs of uneven wear or cracks. Check the air pressure regularly. In order to get the most accurate reading, check the tires when they are cool.

Lighting Check
Checking the lights requires two people. One person will need to be in the tow vehicle to operate the lights while the outside person checks:

• Turn Signals
• Tail Lights
• Wiring harness connections and make sure they are tight.
  

It only takes a few minutes to perform these quick and simple trailer checks to ensure the safety of everyone on the road