5 Tips to Keep Your Trailer and Hitch Happy This Winter

February 16, 2015 by JTI Trailer & Hitch Experts 1 Comment

Cleveland Winters are never “easy” but this year’s temperature fluctuations (and great variety of precipitation)  seems a little tougher than usual. What does that mean for your trailer?

5 Things You Should Do For Your Trailer (and Hitch) This Winter

1. Wash the salt off your trailer and hitch. It’s the curse of the snowbelt: the salt that keeps us safe on the road creates problems for our vehicles. Keep your machine clean.

2. If you’re not using your hitch, REMOVE THE BALL MOUNT. The gunk and temperature extremes just cause excess wear. (Bonus: people who park behind you will appreciate it.)

3. Buy $4 worth of “insurance” called dielectric grease. Use it to keep moisture out of your wires and prevent corrosion on your battery posts.

4. Put a plug on it! Inexpensive but extremely valuable (and a piece of cake to use!) 4-flat connector covers protect your wiring from whatever the street throws at ’em.

5. Plan on repacking your bearings this spring – or at least once each year. Winter’s constant freezing and thawing and refreezing practically guarantees moisture will get in the bearings, creating corrosion. The solution: clean and repack them. (Yes, we can do it for you: 440.232.4311)

Bonus tip: Check your tire pressure often and adjust as needed! Cleveland’s roller-coaster temps play havoc with tire air pressure, and improper inflation can cause uneven wear on your tires, leading to vibration and worse, unstable handling. ___________________________________________________________________________________

It’s been a long winter, and we are definitely thinking about spring! If you’re looking for a hitch-mount bike rack, a pop-up tent trailer, or dreaming about other fun you can have with a hitch, we can help! Call us at 440.232.4311 or stop in to our Oakwood Village showroom, where we’re open Monday – Friday 8am-5pm & Saturday 8am-2pm. Our Twitter @JTI_Inc and Facebook pages are open 24 hours 😉 __________________________________________________________________________________