Tire Care During Long-Term Storage

A trailer that sits all winter without preparation is harder on itself than one that gets used. Tires flat-spot, batteries die, water sits in low spots, and seals dry out. Two hours in November saves a service ticket in April.

This guide reflects what we see in our shop in Elkhart, Indiana, working on light-duty trailer axles up to 10,000 lb. We don't service over-10k commercial axles — that's a different specification regime — but everything below that ceiling lives in our daily wheelhouse: utility, boat, snowmobile, cargo, motorcycle, ATV, and small enclosed trailers.

Tire prep

Inflate to max sidewall pressure and either jack the trailer off the ground or rotate the tires monthly. UV-blocking tire covers earn their cost back in extended tire life. If you can store indoors, do it.

Bearings and seals

If you didn't service bearings in the fall, do it now. Old grease oxidizes over a long sit. While you're there, repack and replace seals — a $30 service that keeps the spring trip from being its first failure.

Electrical

Disconnect or top-charge the breakaway battery. Coat the 7-pin with dielectric grease and cover it. Crack the trailer interior for a cup of moisture absorber.

Frame and suspension

Hit grease zerks. Check spring U-bolts and shackle bolts for tightness. Look at every weld for the kind of fine surface rust that turns into a real problem if water sits in it for four months.

Fall 2021 note

Fall is the smartest service window of the year. Get ahead of winter while the shops aren't slammed. If your trailer hasn't been through a real inspection this season, now is the right time to bring it in. We schedule preventative service ahead of the busy travel windows precisely so customers don't get stuck waiting two weeks during peak season.

When to call us

Most of what we cover above is owner-level work. The line we draw at the shop: anything that involves the spindle, brake hydraulics, axle replacement, or a suspension change that touches the frame, we'd rather do ourselves. Bearings, brake shoes, lights, jacks, couplers — those you can do at home or bring to us, your call.

Axle Inc. is the area's authorized Dexter Group distributor and we stock parts for trailer axles up to 10,000 lb. If you have a trailer in that range and you're in northern Indiana or southern Michigan, call (574) 264-9434 or schedule online at axle.setmore.com.