Groovy car accessories

Posted on: 29 June 2021

If you are shopping for a car accessory to help haul heavy luggage and machines, such as quad bikes, you need to buy a trailer. However, car trailers cost money, and if you are on a budget, a pre-owned trailer is an excellent alternative. Notably, used car trailers have normal wear and tear signs, meaning that you must carefully inspect a unit before committing. This article highlights critical parts to examine on a pre-owned car trailer.

Sway Bars

Naturally, a trailer tends to sway as you drive and reversing proves particularly challenging for drivers. Sway bars connected to a car give a driver significant control over trailers. Besides, it ensures a smooth ride during long travels and when maneuvering tight spaces. Due to their importance, it is crucial to inspect sway bars on a used car trailer. Thus, you need to be wary of rust signs on a sway bar because corrosion affects the level of control over a trailer. Inspect every inch of a trailer's sway bars and ensure they are clean. Avoid a pre-owned car trailer whose sway bar has welds because the points affect structural integrity. 

Safety Chains

A trailer is hooked to a truck via a hitch, and the connection must be tight to avoid disconnection. However, you can never be sure that a trailer will stay in place, which is why safety chains are mandatory. They act as the last line of defence should a trailer come off a hitch. Therefore, the safety chains deserve adequate attention when shopping for a used car trailer. Look for rusted, bent, or cracked links, which can cause fatal failure along a trailer's safety chain. Most importantly, a safety chain in excellent condition guarantees peace of mind since you do not have to worry about a trailer causing an accident should it detach from your truck.

Hitch Ball and Trailer Coupler

The hitch and coupler connection experiences a lot of movement during operation. As such, the hitch and trailer coupler must be protected from the high temperatures synonymous with constant friction. High-temperature grease is brilliant for a car trailer coupling because it prevents premature wear and tear resulting from prolonged grinding. When shopping for a used car trailer, pay close attention to the hitch ball and trailer coupler and look for signs of a worn-out metal surface. Deep marks on the coupler could suggest poor maintenance by the previous owner.