Preventative Maintenance on New Trailer?

[kwk]

I just bought a new Venture 2800S trailer for my 18' Wellcraft. Is there anything I should check before towing or anything I can do before I put it in the salt water to help slow down corrosion?

 

[JB]

Re: Preventative Maintenance on New Trailer?

Hi, KWK.<br /><br />The most neglected item in trailer maintenance is bearings. They should be cleaned and packed with quality grease. The axle nut should be torqued to factory spec and backed out only enough to allow the cotter pin to be inserted. There should be zero play in the wheel, side to side, and it should spin freely.<br /><br />Install Bearing Buddies or an equivalent and pump enough additional grease to compress the springs. Then put caps on them.<br /><br />After every launch/load cycle, pressure wash the entire trailer at a coin-op carwash, with particular attention to the springs and the inside of the wheels/hubs.<br /><br />It will last a lot longer than trailers not treated this way.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Preventative Maintenance on New Trailer?

I would get a can of Penatrol (sold as a paint leverler) and liberally brush/saturate springs, shakles axle, etc. It penatrates the metal. It dries clear. I use this with a heavy coat of Rustoleum as a rust preventative.

 

[JerseyJim]

Re: Preventative Maintenance on New Trailer?

kwk i just bought a venture trailer as well - the vrt4100 ...i picked it up yesterday<br /><br />the dealer instructed me to pack the hubs with fresh grease before dumping it in the water...at least every 2 trips, as the hot grease inside the hub meets the cold water and wreaks havoc. <br /><br />also he instructed me that i should maintain the brake axle with 2 new sets of parts every year...I forget WHICH parts he was talking about - I'll call him this winter when im ready to winterize.. I dunno if you got brakes or not on your 2800s. <br /><br />these venture trailers are galvanized, so they are pretty well protected against salt water - however I would suggest you flush the brakes (if applicable) and spray the trailer down with the hose after each trip

 

[kwk]

Re: Preventative Maintenance on New Trailer?

JerseyJim,<br /><br />Why does the grease need to be repacked straight from the factory? Do you mean a complete repacking where I pull everything apart and clean and repack the bearings, or just repack the grease in the hub area?