With silage season just around the corner, now could be a good time to give farm trailers a once over. Geoff Ashcroft seeks advice from Simon Williams, of farm machinery hire company SW Hire.
Few operators would know trailer safety as well as Simon Williams and his team at Chippenham-based SW Hire.
As one of the biggest agricultural machinery hire firms in the UK, SW Hire has adopted some stringent processes to ensure its 100-plus trailer fleet is kept safe and legal, ahead of each hire to customers.
Mr Williams says: 鈥淲e make a point of checking over everything to make sure our kit is road-worthy and compliant before it goes out to a customer.鈥�
His business has adopted a pre-delivery inspection [PDI] type of process for each piece of kit which goes through the workshops ahead of a hire, which in most cases, can instigate a repair before failure.
Mr Williams says: 鈥淲e have found this is a much better process than carrying out servicing then parking a trailer in the yard where it could sit for several months. Trailers are not immune from deterioration when they are parked up.鈥�
Mr Williams says visual inspections and tick sheets make up most of the processes applied pre-hire, with every stage of a check capable of triggering action points which require further attention, adjustment or repair.
Error
He says: 鈥淢ost of the checks are straightforward, but we need to follow of process of due diligence to ensure human error is kept to a minimum. A pre-hire PDI has to be signed off by two people. And our paper trail backs up what is checked and what is replaced.鈥�
The firm is keen to maintain the highest standards of safety for its customers, but adds that most of the simple checks can be easily carried out by customers who have trailers on long-term hire.
He says: 鈥淟ights, wiring, body condition, hitches, tyres and brakes can be easily checked by any operator. There is no excuse for not carrying out a two-minute walk-around inspecting a trailer before heading out of the yard.鈥�
Hubs
At SW Hire, winter servicing involves bearing inspections, readjustment and repacking with grease. With hubs removed, there is an opportunity to inspect brake linings too.
Hitch
Ring hitches are prone to wear. While inspecting for cracks and stress points, consider the thickness of the ring too and compare it to a new one. This is one area where repair before failure is an essential practice.
Brakes
Check load-sensing valves and brake adjusters to ensure smooth actuation. SW Hire tightens brakes to the point of locking, then backs off one full turn. Mr Williams says: 鈥淲e have found that different makes of tractor have varying air brake pressures, so they all function differently.鈥�
Lights
Check condition and operation of lights. LEDs have the advantage of being brighter than traditional bulbs, but only if their lenses are clean. Replace broken lenses and repair damaged wiring and electrical sockets to ensure integrity of trailer lighting.
Tyres
Tyre wall inspections should also include the inside of the tyre against the body, not just the outside. Looks for splits, bulges and cracks, in addition to monitoring tread depth. Check and adjust pressures to maker鈥檚 specifications, as a slow puncture brings hassle should it manifest into requiring a roadside repair.
Suspension
Inspect axles and suspension for broken leaf springs. Rocking beam items could also require greasing.
Drawbar
Sprung drawbars have pivots, which are wear points. Grease as per the operator鈥檚 handbook and check the pin retaining bolts are also in place.
Wheelnuts
Using plastic wheel nut indicators provides an easy visual reference when inspecting for loose wheel nuts. A melted indicator could identify a hot running hub or a binding brake issue.
Operator's Manual
Does your trailer have an operator鈥檚 manual? It is an essential reference for tyre pressures, wheel nut torque settings, grease points and other trailer-specific maintenance requirements.
Handbrake
Handbrakes must be fully functioning and the corresponding cable must be securely attached and not frayed or corroded.
