Pre-Trip Inspection Tips for Your Cargo Trailer

Whether you use your cargo trailer for personal or commercial use, you’ll want to keep your goods safe and secure during transit. One fantastic way to ensure this is to perform a pre-ride inspection of your vehicle each time before hitting the road. This can help you avoid accidents, comply with legal requirements, and deliver your payloads timely. Here are a few essential tips to help you examine your cargo trailer for a safe and comfortable journey!

Tire Inspection

The condition of your tires can go a long way in keeping you safe and impacting your vehicle’s fuel economy. Inspect the tires of your towing setup—your cargo trailer and towing vehicle—to ensure that the tread depth is sufficient and there aren’t any signs of damage or cracking that can lead to a blowout. You’ll also want to adjust the air pressure to your manufacturer’s recommendations and change a faulty tire before commencing your journey.

Brake Inspection

Next, you’ll want to examine your towing setup’s braking system for responsiveness and wear and fix a faulty component before you hit the road. You'll want to be sure you inspect the brake pads and lines and top off any low-level brake fluids. You should also tune up your brakes to accelerate and stop your towing setup smoothly.

Connection Check

Another pre-ride inspecting tip is to check your cargo trailer setup for loose connections. This can cause your trailer to sway or detach from your towing vehicle during transit. To avoid this, check your trailer's hitch & safety chains and ensure everything is in good working order and secured tightly. Loose connections on a fully loaded cargo trailer can be dangerous, so avoid this at any cost.

Cargo Inspection

Finally, you’ll want to secure each item on your cargo trailer and distribute the weight evenly. Ideally, place 60% of the weight near the hitch and the remaining 40% at the rear of your cargo trailer. You’ll also want to balance the weight evenly from the left to the right side.

We hope you find these tips handy when inspecting your cargo trailer before each ride. If you need more ideas or are still searching for a reliable trailer for personal or business use, contact APC Trailers. We proudly serve Tucson, Phoenix, and Casa Grande, AZ, so reach out today!