Safe travel with your trailer in the winter

Winter is just around the corner; the days are getting shorter and colder. High time to get your trailer winterized so you can safely hit the road even in winter weather conditions. We give you 5 handy tips, to get your trailer safely through the winter.

Winter checklist:

Check your trailer tires

Check that the lighting is working properly

Check your tipper' s battery

Winter weather? Adjust your driving style

Clean the trailer regularly

Check your trailer tires

The safety of your trailer depends largely on the condition of its tires. Especially in the winter, you need to be confident that your trailer’s grip and handling will be optimal. Therefore, check tire pressure and tire tread weekly. Also inspect the tires for irregular wear and any cracks in the sidewall.

All Hapert trailers are delivered with M&S tires. These tires offer greater safety in snow and slippery conditions. This way, you will be prepared for any type of weather.

Not sure what the correct tire pressure is on your trailer, or how to measure the tread depth of a tire?

Would you prefer personalized advice on the condition of your tires? Or are you wondering if it is useful to change the tires on your trailer? If so, please visit your HAPERT dealer.

Check that the lighting is working properly

Winter brings long, dark days. Therefore, it is very important that you check your trailer’s lights every time before you drive off. You can perform the inspection using the checklist below:

Are your trailer’s taillights and brake lights working?
Are both rear turn signals functioning?
Is the license plate clearly illuminated?
Does the contour lighting work?

Always bring replacement bulbs and a wiring diagram, in case the lights fail on the road.

Check your tipper's battery

You also want to get the most out of your tipper during the winter. We therefore recommend that you check the condition of the battery regularly and recharge daily to 12.7 volts (battery condition 100%). Failure to do so will cause the battery to sulfate irrevocably. In other words, a hardening of the battery plates occurs as the lead sulfate starts to adhere to the plates. As a result, your trailer’s tipping system no longer functions.

NOTE: It is very important that you use the correct battery charger for your type of trailer. Also, always charge the battery with a trickle charger, never with a quick charger. For example, HAPERT’s battery chargers are technically fully adapted to all COBALT tippers. These battery chargers guarantee maximum performance and battery life. Just as importantly, you can fully rely on your tipper even during the cold winter.

Trailer battery winter storage

Are you going to disassemble your trailer battery over the winter? Then be sure to store them frost- and moisture-free. This is important to minimize self-discharge. A battery always discharges after a few months, which is why it is important to periodically check the condition of your trailer battery. At a battery voltage of 12.2 volts (which is at least 80% of its charging capacity), it will be necessary to continue charging with a charger, which has at least 10% of a battery’s capacity.

As an example, a 90ah battery should be charged with a charger of minimum 8A and maximum 10A to achieve optimal results.

Winter weather? Customize your rice language

Winter weather can create dangerous situations, including slippery roads due to rain, snow and sleet. But brine, poor visibility and darkness also pose risks. Therefore, always adjust your speed to the weather conditions. Also, keep adequate distance from your predecessor and keep as far ahead of you as possible.

Always bring replacement bulbs and a wiring diagram, in case the lights fail on the road.

Clean the trailer regularly

When there is a chance of slipperiness, salt (brine) is spread preventively to keep the roads safe. We recommend cleaning your trailer after it has come into contact with salt. In fact, zinc work can be permanently affected by brine. Especially on new trailers, where the zinc coating has not yet fully developed, white or black spots may appear. Incidentally, these stains do not adversely affect the protective effect of the zinc coating.

Always bring replacement bulbs and a wiring diagram, in case the lights fail on the road.