Summer is hard on trailers. Black bitumen, 40-degree days and a loaded axle cook tyres and bearings faster than any other time of year. A trailer that was fine in July can come unstuck on the first hot run down the highway.

Here’s what heat does, what to check before you go, and how to drive it out.

What Heat Does to a Trailer

  • Tyre pressure climbs. A hot road can push pressure up by 4 psi or more. A tyre that was already low runs hotter again, and heat is what kills tyres.

  • Old rubber gives up. Trailer tyres often sit parked in the sun for years, then get a heavy load on a hot day. Cracked sidewalls fail without warning.

  • Bearings run hotter. Old or dry grease breaks down in the heat. A bearing that was just noisy in winter can seize in January.

  • Brake drums and hubs heat up. Long downhill runs with a heavy load add to it.

  • Straps and tarps stretch. Loads settle and loosen as everything warms up.

Tyres: The Check That Stops Most Summer Breakdowns

Do this the day before, not at the servo on the way out.

  • Check pressure cold. Use the number on the tyre placard or the sidewall max, not a guess. Never let air out of a hot tyre. It’s meant to be higher.

  • Look for the date code. Four digits on the sidewall: week and year. 2321 means week 23 of 2021. Many tyre makers say to get tyres checked or replaced at around 6 years, whatever the tread looks like.

  • Check for cracking. Look between the tread blocks and on the sidewall. Hairline cracks mean the rubber is perishing.

  • Check the spare. Is it there, is it pumped up, does the wheel nut size fit the trailer? Many people find out at the roadside that it doesn’t.

  • Carry a jack that works on a trailer. The one in the ute might not reach.

Bearings and Hubs: The Hand Test

Bearings are the second big summer failure. You can check them for free.

  • Pull over after 30 to 45 minutes and put the back of your hand near each hub.

  • Warm is normal. Too hot to hold your hand against is not.

  • If one hub is clearly hotter than the other side, stop. It’s a bearing or a dragging brake.

  • A humming or grinding noise from a wheel means don’t leave it for later.

  • Don’t hose hot hubs. Cold water on hot metal pushes water past the seals and into the bearing.

Bushfire Season: What a Trailer Can Start

Dry grass and a trailer are a bad mix. Most trailer fires on roadsides come from a few simple things.

  • Dragging safety chains. Chains hanging too low throw sparks on bitumen. Cross them under the drawbar and keep them off the ground.

  • A wheel running on the rim. A flat tyre that gets driven on sends sparks and metal onto the verge. Stop as soon as you know it’s flat.

  • Parking on long grass. A hot hub or wheel can ignite it. Pull onto gravel or bare dirt.

  • Total Fire Ban days. Check your state fire service (CFA in Victoria, CFS in South Australia, RFS in NSW) before a long trip. Rules vary on what you can do and where.

Driving and Planning for the Heat

  • Leave early. Cooler morning air is easier on tyres, and a trailer on a quiet road is easier to handle.

  • Stop every two hours. Check hubs, tyres and straps, and drink some water.

  • Expect more fuel use. A loaded trailer in heat with the aircon going will use a lot more fuel. Don’t push your tank range.

  • Take water. For you, not just the radiator. If you break down on a country road, it can be a long wait.

  • Book early for Christmas and January. Moves, tip runs and holiday gear all peak together. Lock in your pickup before the week you need it.

Before You Leave: The 6-Point Summer Check

  • Tyre pressure checked cold, date codes under about 6 years

  • No cracks or bulges on the sidewalls

  • Spare tyre pumped up, with a jack and wheel brace

  • Safety chains crossed and clear of the ground

  • Hubs cool to the touch after the first stop

  • Water in the car and a charged phone

The Short Version

Heat cooks tyres and bearings. Check pressure cold, read the date code, hand-test the hubs at your first stop, and keep chains off the road. It costs 10 minutes and saves a roadside wait in 40-degree heat.

Need a trailer for the holidays? Check availability and book your trailer with TrailerLink before the Christmas rush.