Winter can be a challenging time of year to care for cars and other outdoor equipment like dump trailers. The moisture from snow and ice as well as the salt on the roads can wreak havoc on the body of a trailer. When you purchase a dump trailer for sale, it is important to maintain the trailer to keep it in good condition. Here are some ways to maintain your dump trailer during the winter months. 

Inspect Often 

The steel or aluminum body of a dump trailer is prone to rusting and corroding, so it is necessary to inspect the body regularly to see if there are places that you need to touch up before the problem becomes worse. Some signs to look for include scratches and chips in the paint, which are easier to fix when they are small. Also check for areas on the body where moisture can accumulate, making those areas especially prone to rust. 

Clean Regularly

Cleaning your dump trailer on a regular basis prevents build-up from dirt, mud, and salt. Take special care to clean underneath the trailer, where substances can accumulate without being noticed and cause rust just as easily as they can on the upper portion of the trailer. While washing or rinsing your vehicle is not the most pleasant activity when it is cold outside, it will save you time and hassle in the long run by keeping the equipment clean and free of corrosion and rust. Regular cleaning also ensures that the lights on the trailer are visible to other drivers on the road, keeping you in line with safety rules and regulations. 

Maintain Your Tires

The winter months are an especially critical time to keep an eye on things like tire pressure. It is a good idea to equip your trailer with winter tires during this time, as standard or all-season tires do not work as well in snow and ice. But even with proper winter tires, keep an eye out for:

• Loss of tire pressure, since a drop in temperature or a large fluctuation in temperature, can cause the air in the tires to contract 
• Loss of traction, which can make driving on snow and ice even more dangerous than it is already
• Degradation of the rubber on the tires, since cold temperatures can cause the rubber to become hard and brittle

If you have access to a garage where you can store your dump trailer, take advantage of this in the winter and keep your trailer in the garage away from the elements when not using or cleaning the trailer. 

De-ice When Needed

Using a spray to release ice off of a piece of equipment is sometimes necessary when you live someplace cold and moist that receives snow or freezing rain, resulting in a build-up of ice. Excess ice on a dump trailer and its connected vehicle can cause many problems, including frozen locks which can keep you from being able to access and attach your trailer as needed. Ice accumulation can also cause the trailer to be much heavier than it would be otherwise, making it more difficult and costly to pull, as heavier equipment requires more gasoline per kilometre to pull using the attached vehicle. Save time and money by carrying a de-icer with you at all times, since you never know when the weather might change from sunny to snow or freezing rain. 

Find Your Custom Dump Trailer

Visit Millroad Manufacturing and find a standard or custom dump trailer that is perfectly suited to your needs. Our high-quality products are some of the best that you can find in Canada, and you have the option of building your own trailer with custom lengths and widths.