Semi Trailer Maintenance Checklist

Most of the attention is usually on the truck cab, but maintaining your trailer is important, too. After all, it’s going to be doing a lot of the work and without it, you’d have a serious mess on your hands. What you don’t want to do is find out the hard way that your trailer can’t hold the load and you need to pull over in the middle of a haul. Not only is this annoying, it can be dangerous for other drivers on the road, so taking time to inspect and maintain your semi-trailer is going to be a must. Tallman Group has provided a list of basic tips for accomplishing this, but we’re happy to offer more specific advice if you have questions. Stop by one of our many locations and we’ll help you with all your maintenance and repair needs. We proudly serve all of Ontario, including the cities of Toronto and Ottawa. 

Tires, Brakes, and Suspension

There are certain parts of your trailer that are going to require slightly closer inspection than others, or at the very least you’ll want to do them more often. Take for example your tires. A flat tire can stall your run for hours and a popped tire on the road can lead to dangerous and scary situations for you and for other commuters. Making sure your tires are in good working condition is going to be important. This can come in a couple of forms. You can either do it yourself or you can install a tire pressure monitoring or inflation system that will alert you if there’s a problem. Either way, making sure your tires are properly inflated as recommended by the manufacturer is a must. You’ll also want to make sure they’re free of damage and not too worn down. 

Brakes are also going to require some attention. Check to make sure the drums are in good condition. Also locate the air chamber push rod and slack adjuster. Is the angle between the two a 90-degree angle? If not, you’ll need to get your brakes checked because they’re out of alignment.

Finally, inspect your suspension to ensure there aren’t any major signs of damage or wear and tear. You’ll also want to clear the area of any obstructions you may notice and make sure air springs are properly pressurized. You may also need to adjust the ride height position to make sure the suspension is getting properly used. 

Cargo Securement 

Have you checked your chains, hooks and straps lately? On your next circle check, take a close look at the wear and tear of your tie-downs and anchor points. If they have seen better days perhaps it is time to replace them to avoid an easily preventable accident and loss of cargo. Take a look at the MTO requirements here if you are in need of a refresher.

Lube-Grease All Parts

Lubrication is also an essential part to all the moving parts of your trailer. When certain areas aren’t well greased, you can run into a number of bigger maintenance issues because the gears and parts just keep grinding together. But it’s not enough to simply grease the moving parts. You’ll need the right kind of grease. 

Most greases are lithium-complex based, but there are some out there that are calcium based. They can both be very helpful for you, but you’ll want to keep track of which one you’re using, because you don’t want to mix them. You’ll also want to check out the grade of the grease, which indicates viscosity. Grease used for trailers is fairly thick, like a hearty paste. When you’re finally applying the grease, make sure you’re putting enough on that it helps wash out the old grease and gets rid of all the dirt and grime.

Scheduled Inspections

The best way to go about making sure you’re on top of your trailer maintenance is to set a schedule. This should include basic six month checks that inspect all the most essential parts of the trailer as well as annual maintenance checks. These annual checks are a little more thorough and will include more in depth, top-to-bottom inspections. If you don’t have the skills or the time to do these inspections yourself, consider setting up a plan with your local service centre.

Tallman Group has many experienced technicians at our locations across Ontario including Peel Truck & Trailer in Mississauga that are ready to help you with all your semi-trailer maintenance concerns, whether it’s a routine checkup or a more complex repair. Contact us and let us know how we can help you get back on the road. Book your service appointment with us, here.