Not only a boat but storing a boat trailer is also essential, whether it for winter or long term storage. And doing it in the wrong way will create many problems in the future. Here are some helpful tips for storing the boat trailer for winter or long term.
- Wash the boat trailer thoroughly before storing it.
- Check the tires and lubricate the ball bearings (hub).
- Check the trailer coupler and the hitch lock.
- Check the boat trailer plugs and wirings.
- Check the trailer winch and winch strap.
- Check the bunks and rollers.
- Check all the wirings and apply lubricant to bolts.
- Check the trailer jack.
- Fill the brake fluid.
Those are the essential steps you need to do before storing the boat trailer for winter or long term storage. The overall process depends on where you are going to store the boat (inside the garage or outside), and you will keep the boat on a trailer or not?
Whatever the way you store the boat (with/without a boat and inside or outside), you should do some of the checks to ensure that it will work well after the winter or long-term storage. And it is good to block the trailer, so it helps the suspension system, and boat tires to prevent cracks or become flat over the winter or long-term storage.
The primary process is to clean the boat trailer properly and spray the lubricate (wd 40) on the metal to prevent corrosion over the storage period. The second essential process is to check the tires and to lubricate the ball bearings. These are the vital tasks to do while storing the boat for winter or long-term.
If you didn’t winterize the boat, then check my article on Winterizing the boat (don’t worry, it will open in new tab) for a detailed step by step procedure.
A wd 40 spray is a lubricant, and it is essential for preventing corrosion over the storage period. Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
1. Wash the boat trailer thoroughly before storing it
Washing the boat trailer is the first thing to do while storing the boat trailer. You can do it while cleaning the boat. By washing the boat trailer with fresh water, it will remove all the dirt particles that stuck to the boat trailer, and you can prevent the trailer form corrosion as well.
If any dirt particles stuck to the boat for a long time, they will look ugly and can damage the trailer over the winter storage. Clean or wash the boat trailer every time after boating so that you can avoid all the problems such as corrosion in advance.
If you go for boating in saltwater, then clean the boat trailer and boat after every use. Saltwater can corrode the trailer quickly than freshwater. Use any cleaner to clean the trailer properly. After cleaning the trailer, dry the trailer completely.
After drying the boat trailer completely, then start doing the rest of the process. Don’t start the winterizing process if the boat is wet.
A pressure washer will help a lot with cleaning and washing the boat trailer and boat as well. Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
2. Check the tires and lubricate the ball bearings (hub)
This is the essential task to do while storing the boat trailer for winter or long-term storage. It would create a problem in the future if you didn’t do this step or didn’t do it properly. First, start with lubricating the ball bearings (hub) and then check the tire pressure and condition.
Check the grease in ball bearings (hub)
- Open the cap of the hub and check the grease color. First, by checking the color of the grease itself, you can tell whether you need to clean the hub (center part of the tire) entirely or not.
- Suppose if the grease color you are using is red and if the color of the grease inside the hub is different (maybe brown or some other color than red), then you need to clean the hub entirely.
- The grease color changes if the grease is mixed with water or rust particles, which can damage the hub if you didn’t change it before the long-term or winter storage.
- Next, check the grease zerk level. If you open the cap of the hub, you will find nipple kind of a pin at the center, and if the pin went inside or sucked backward, then it indicates the grease level is less.
- If you pump the grease, the grease will be stored behind the pin. On the back of the pin, there will be a spring, and that will push the grease towards the ball bearings, which helps the tire to work smoothly.
- If the grease level is less, then the pin will go inside or sucked backward. So, if the pin went inside, then pump the grease into the hub.
A grease gun will help a lot to do that process easily and quickly. Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
Check the tire pressure and for any cracks
Now that you have checked the ball bearings, after that, check the tire pressure and for any cracks.
- Look for cracks on the sides of the tire. If you find any cracks on the tire’s sides, then the tiers will not last over the winter or long-term storage, so change the tire. Otherwise, you will get a flat tire quickly.
- The cracks will form on the tire sides if you didn’t use it for a long time or kept the trailer outside (exposing the tires to sun rays directly).
- Next, check the tire pressure. After checking for cracks and if you don’t see any cracks on the sides, then check the tire pressure. You can see the pressure values on the tire (in small letters).
- Fill the air if the pressure is less; otherwise, no need to fill. If tire pressure is low, and if you store it over the winter, it can damage the tire (cracks can form) during the winter or long-term storage.
- If there are no cracks and pressure is full, then you are done with the tire checking. Finally, cover the tire with any cover to prevent any damage from sunlight or snow or rain if you keep the trailer outside.
Grease is essential for trailer maintenance. Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
After cleaning that, you are done with tires and trailer bearings. Then wrap a cover around the tire if you keep the boat trailer outside to prevent any damage from rain or snow or light. The best option is to remove the tires (completely off the trailer) and block your trailer if possible.
If you keep the boat on the trailer, then blocking the trailer would be a perfect choice so that the tires won’t get affected or flattened (due to the boat weight) during the winter or long-term storage. Most probably, nothing will happen to the tires if you keep the boat on the trailer for the storage. Still, you can block the trailer if you are more concerned about tires.
Check this video on cleaning the tire hub to understand everything properly so you can DIY.
3. Check the trailer coupler and the hitch lock
Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
First, check the coupler. Clean the coupler with the cleaner properly. If the coupler is rusted, clean it properly and apply lube (wd 40) on the coupler and under the coupler as well to prevent corrosion during the winter or long-term storage.
Next, check the hitch lock. Hitch lock is also an essential part to check. Clean the hitch lock with the cleaner properly. If it is rusted, then clean it properly and apply lube (wd 40), after that actuate the lock a few times so that the lube will go inside the lock properly.
Ensure the whole setup (coupler and the hitch lock) is working well and change it if it is not working properly. Finally, spray the lube (wd 40) on the hitch lock, coupler, and under the coupler to prevents corrosion during the winter or long-term storage.
4. Check the boat trailer plugs and wirings
Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
Check the trailer plugs. First, check whether they are working well or not (if not, replace them). Then clean the plug pins if they are rusted, and apply the lube (wd 40) to prevent corrosion during the winter or long-term storage, and put it back.
Next, check the trailer light wirings. Inspect for any scratches and make the necessary changes if the cables wear off. Change the wirings if necessary.
Then, check the trailer lights. If you are using old lights (not modern LEDs), then open the cap or cover of the lights and spray lube (wd 40) if they are rusted or to prevent corrosion during the storage as well. If you are using modern led lights, then don’t spray lube (because it won’t work for modern LEDs), and you need to replace them if they are rusted or not working.
5. Check the trailer winch and winch strap
Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
Check the winch and winch strap. Clean the winch properly with any cleaner, inspect for any damage, and apply lube (wd 40) to prevent rust. After that, check the winch strap and unwind the strap entirely from the winch and check for any damage in the strap and replace it if it is damaged.
Next, check the snap hook. After checking the winch and the winch strap, check the snap hook. If the snap hook is rusted, then clean the hook, and apply lube (wd 40). Finally, spray the lube (wd40) all over the winch and the metal area near it to prevent corrosion during the winter or long-term storage.
6. Check the bunks and roller
Check the bunks. Inspect the bunks for tear and any scratches on them. Replace them if there wear off. Apply lube (wd 40) on the metals under the bunks to prevent corrosion over the winter or long-term storage.
Check the rollers. If you have a roller, then inspect whether they are rolling smoothly or not. Change them or repair them if they are not working correctly. Finally, apply lube (wd 40) to prevent corrosion over the winter or long-term storage.
7. Check all the wirings and apply lubricant to bolts
Check all the wirings on the trailer, such as light or LED wires and break wires if you have one. Inspect for any scratches and make the necessary changes if any of the cables wear off.
Next, check all the bolts of the trailer and tighten them if any of them are loose. Then apply lube (wd 40) over them. If any of the bolts are rusted, clean them properly to avoid any problems in the future or change them.
8. Check the trailer jack
Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
Clean the jack with cleaner properly. If the jack is rusted, then take a hard bristle brush and apply some lube (wd 40) and rub the surface properly, and then and again lubricate the jack properly. After applying the lube (wd 40), actuate the jack a few times so that the lube goes inside the jack properly.
If you have any chains around the jack and coupler, clean them as well. After that, apply lube (wd 40) to prevent corrosion during the winter or long-term storage.
9. Fill the brake fluid
Check the product in Amazon, click here, or click the image.
If you have brakes for the trailer, then fill the brake fluid. And if you know how to check the breaks condition, go ahead and do it. Otherwise, don’t do any unnecessary things damaging the beak system. Finally, spray lube (wd40) over the brakes as well to prevent corrosion during the winter or long-term storage.
DOT 3 or DOT 4 is what should be used in your boat trailer. DOT 5 cannot be used in trailer brake systems unless stated explicitly by the actuator and brake manufacturer.
If you didn’t winterize the boat, then check my article on Winterizing the boat (don’t worry, it will open in new tab) for a detailed step by step procedure.
Also, check my article on Storing a boat without a trailer (don’t worry, it will open in new tab) to easily store a boat without a trailer.
Key takeaway
The primary process is to clean the boat trailer properly and spray the lubricate (wd 40) on the metal to prevent corrosion over the storage period. The second essential process is to check the tires and to lubricate the ball bearings. These are the vital tasks to do while storing the boat for winter or long-term.