Here is a subjective list of the things that you should take
into consideration when buying a trailer. Not all manufacturers/dealer
may not like the things that we take up here, but they are free
to comment on it. All comments will be published on this page.
Our e-mail address is given at the bottom of this page.
WHEN YOU ARE BUYING A TRAILER, REMEMBER TO ASK AT
THE LEAST THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FROM THE DEALER
If the dealer does not know, he is only interested in getting
your money so go to another dealer.
General
ABS brakes are appreciated on vehicles, collision tests are
performed, and new accessories and airbags are developed. Vehicle
condition is also inspected each and every year.
But what if you happen to encounter a fully loaded brakeless
trailer of almost the same weight as your car? The trailer may
have three times thicker sides than you car has, carry rubber
torsion suspension straight from the 30’s, and nobody
bothers to inspect it officially. If the trailer collides into
your car, the outcome is almost always so disastrous that the
insurance company has to redeem the car! As for the trailer,
all you have to is to kick the sides to their original shape
and continue your journey until the wheels come off –
which they will do, because nobody bothers to grease their bearings.
It is the lawmaker’s fault to permit, for example, that
the heavier the load, the lighter (and in practise weaker) the
trailer can be. This means that the heaviest loads are permitted
on the weakest trailers! Some ignorant dealers market their
trailers under this apparent “carrying capacity”.
Trailers assembled of mere sheet metal parts in a hurry are
nothing but trouble no matter how precisely they had been laser-cut.
Some people even make towbars of mere sheet metal!
Strength calculations are not required for trailers either so
everyone is free to make a version of his own. This is exactly
how trailers are usually made. Type approval does not guarantee
anything, because it only requires that lights and other things
are in place and meet the relevant regulations. Structural things
are not checked at all. However, all towbars must be inspected
as of 2007 so untested ones will be rejected at technical inspection.
“Buying a trailer is not a joke even if it made you laugh.”
So ask your dealer:
1. IS THIS A BARGAIN-PRICED TRAILER
WHOSE SIDES WILL FLAP DURING THE RIDE?
There are thousands of nicely taped trailers on the market
that have no side or mudguard supports, for instance. Instead
they have rock-hard rubber torsion axles and collapsing sides
and react to every groove on the road. With vibrating mudguards,
they may amuse those driving behind them, but sometimes they
may be dangerous. The answer to this question should be No!
If it isn’t, move to the next model until you get a Yes!
Continue to ask questions. Also remember to look beneath the
trailer. Is there anything else there than just an axle
and towbar? You will also see whether there are wire
joints, because these will turn out problematic.
2. IS THE TRAILER HOT-GALVANIZED?
Only a hot-galvanized trailer will resist corrosion
whereas an electrically galvanized and painted trailer will
be corroded in a couple of years. Even aluminium is
sensitive to road salt (corrosion). Only heaven knows how much
a plywood trailer can take. It is worth remembering here that
in hot-galvanization, the object is dipped into a special pool.
This is why Rautaruukki’s hot-galvanized sheet metal passes
through a dipping phase in a factory in Hämeenlinna.
3. WHAT TYP OF SUSPENSION
DOES THE TRAILER HAVE?
Only leaf springs and combined shock absorbers give the trailer
a smooth, balanced ride. The popular rubber torsion
“suspension” is not a suspension but an inexpensive
way to make axles – adopted in Germany in the 30’s.
This “suspension” makes the trailer bump
quite a lot especially when empty, because even its tyres yield
more than pressed solid rubber. If there are shock absorbers
on the rubber torsion axle, they are nothing but ornaments,
because tyres are softer than the “suspension”.
4. HOW HIGH IS
THE SIDE?
The minimum required trailer side height today is 30 cm. If
the sides are lower, additional side parts must be purchased.
Extra parts raise the price considerably and are technically
inferior and impractical. Also check that the sides
and mudguards are supported. They must have special
side supports, because otherwise the mudguards will flap during
the ride and the sides collapse when you tighten the straps
– to the amusement of your neighbour.
5. HOW LONG IS
THE TOWBAR?
It is towbar length that often determines how long items you
can carry on a trailer, as you can lay the other end of the
pile of planks, for example, on top of the towbar if the bar
is long enough. Besides, when reversing, a long towbar helps
you turn the trailer easily without latching it. Minimum towbar
length for every trailer is 140 cm, not less!
6. IS THERE A
TIPPER ON THE TRAILER?
The tipper helps loading and unloading and is a must when loading
machines, for instance.
7. IF YOU ARE BUYING A MULTI-AXLE
TRAILER, DOES IT HAVE A ROCKING BOGEY?
Some trailers have two rigid axles located one after the other,
which is the worst alternative in view of keeping the trailer
under control during the ride. (Not in heavy trailers). Such
trailers tend to go on two or three wheels on a bumpy road and
constantly shake the towing vehicle unless the wheels have separate
suspension, which in turn is a very rare and expensive alternative.
The rocking bogey is the opposite of having two rigid axles
and halves the bumps. It is also the best axle choice in view
of balanced ride and lateral friction if the road is slippery.
Carrying capacity is also larger, because the capacity of the
commonly used 155R13 tyres ends totally at 900 kilograms. Besides,
a tipper can be used on a rocking-bogey trailer but not on a
two-axle one.
8. HOW MUCH DOES
IT WEIGH?
The trailer must of course weigh enough, because otherwise it
has been poorly built. The thumb of rule is that the minimum
weight of a 250 cm long trailer should be about 180 kg (brakeless).
If it is not, the trailer has been made of too weak and thin
materials and it will not prove a long-life tool. An aluminium
trailer may weigh somewhat less, but it must always have leaf
springs, as otherwise lightness will turn out a problem and
make the trailer even more bumpy than a heavier steel trailer
with a rubber torsion axle.
9. HOW THICK IS THE BOTTOM PLATE?
12 mm is enough. Not less, because otherwise
the trailer will be floppy and you must change the bottom plate
often, due to holes. The bottom plate should be made of weather-resistant
plywood mounted with the rough surface up. In timber-framed
trailers the bottom plate is admittedly thick, but then everything
has been mounted on it. This is the cheapest way of making a
trailer. If you think you can trust in a timber-framed trailer,
just go ahead and buy a “cheap” trailer. At least
there are trailer parts in store when the wood has rottened.
10. WHAT ARE THE WHEEL BEARINGS
LIKE?
Bearings are not manufactured in Finland so “Finnish axles”
always have foreign bearings. There are some differences between
hubs, but in practise the best hubs are made by the Germans
(BPW, KNOTT etc.). It is important to make sure that the trailer
has maintenance-free compact bearings of the same type as in
cars, because then you do not have to tighten or grease them.
Many people easily neglect trailer maintenance, ending up on
the roadside when a non-maintained conical roller bearing has
jammed and thrown the wheel away – hopefully not causing
any damage.
11. WARRANTY AND SERVICING
Trailer manufactures usually give a 1-year warranty to their
trailers. If the warranty is longer, such as 2 years, it is
a clear sign that the product is of high quality and that the
manufacturer trusts in it. Hot-galvanization, which is performed
by dipping the steel into a zinc pool, always withstands corrosion
even without a separate anti-corrosion warranty. Galvanization
will remain intact for the entire trailer lifespan, i.e. more
than 20 years. Taking things for granted cannot be a warranty.
Trailers are also sold by companies lacking any understanding
or will to maintain and repair their trailers, not to mention
to supply any spare parts for them. They are only interested
in getting you money. Remember that a trailer is not a product
that you use once and then throw away.
Dealers who have professional attitude to their work and know
what they sell can answer all the above basic questions. If
they cannot or do not want to answer, go to another store. If
the dealer is committed to what he does, he will not tell you
that it is your duty to get a license plate to the trailer.
Finally:
There are also other reliable trailer manufacturers in Finland
so the trailer does not have to be a FARMI PRO. It is up to
the customer what trailer he chooses.
Buying a trailer is not a joke even if it made you laugh.
Jorma Heliander,
Managing Director,
Juhanin Pojat Oy
