OHIOSTEEL Utility Trailer, Owner'S Manual

Page 1: ...ins safety information and instructions for your trailer You must read this manual before loading or towing your trailer You must follow all safety precautions and instructions Bumper Pull Trailers April 2011 Ohio Steel Industries 2575 Ferris Road Columbus Ohio 43224 ...

Page 2: ...ting Safety Defects 16 3 Tire Safety Information 17 3 1 Trailer Tire Information 17 3 2 Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit Trailer 18 3 2 1 Trailers 10 000 Pounds GVWR Or Less 18 3 2 2 Trailers Over 10 000 Pounds GVWR 18 3 3 Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit Tow Vehicle 19 3 4 Glossary Of Tire Terminology 19 3 5 Tire Safety Everything Rides On It 21 3 5 1 Safety First Basic Tire Maint...

Page 3: ...able 31 4 3 5 Attach Breakaway Brake Lanyard 31 4 3 5 1 Test Electric Brakes 31 4 3 5 2 Test Electric Breakaway Brakes 31 4 3 5 3 Test Surge Brakes If Equipped 32 4 3 5 4 Test Surge Breakaway System 33 4 4 Uncouple Trailer 33 4 5 Tongue Weight 33 4 5 1 Checking Tongue Weight 34 4 6 Adjust Hitch Height If Equipped 34 5 Loading And Unloading 36 5 1 Loading Trailer 36 5 1 1 Preparing Trailer For Load...

Page 4: ...lectric 46 9 2 2 1 Brake Shoes And Drums 46 9 2 2 2 Manually Adjusting Brake Shoes 47 9 2 2 3 Electric Brakes 47 9 2 2 4 Tow Vehicle Operated Electric Brakes 47 9 2 2 5 Electric Brake Magnets 47 9 2 3 Trailer Brakes Surge If Equipped 47 9 2 3 1 Surge Brake Master Cylinder 47 9 2 3 2 Hydraulic Surge Brake 48 9 2 3 3 Master Cylinder Bleeding 48 9 2 4 Trailer Connection To Tow Vehicle 48 9 2 4 1 Coup...

Page 5: ...please have the VIN number available for the dealer The VIN number is normally on the front left side of the trailer For future reference please write your VIN number in the space below ___________________________________________ This manual covers the basic trailer You must read understand and follow the instructions given by the trailer manufacturer tow vehicle and trailer hitch manufacturers Ke...

Page 6: ...ty 2 2 Major Hazards Loss of control of the trailer or trailer tow vehicle combination can result in death or serious injury The most common causes for loss of control of the trailer are Improper sizing the trailer for the tow vehicle or vice versa Excessive Speed Driving too fast for the conditions Improper braking and steering under sway conditions Overloading and or improper weight distribution...

Page 7: ...faces when driving a tow vehicle with a trailer than driving a tow vehicle without a trailer Anticipate the trailer swaying Swaying can be caused by excessive steering wind gusts roadway edges or by the trailer reaction to the pressure wave created by passing trucks and busses Use lower gear when driving down steep or long grades Use the engine and transmission as a brake Do not ride the brakes as...

Page 8: ...ke system If the breakaway brake system is not working do not tow the trailer Have it serviced or repaired 2 2 7 Matching Trailer And Hitch DANGER Be sure hitch and tow vehicle are rated for the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating GVWR of your trailer Use of a hitch with a load rating less than the load rating of the trailer can result in loss of control and may lead to death or serious injury Use of a to...

Page 9: ...ous injury WARNING Wheel nuts or bolts are prone to loosen after being first assembled Death or serious injury can result Check wheel nuts or bolts for tightness on a new trailer and after re mounting a wheel at 10 25 and 50 miles WARNING Inadequate wheel nut or bolt torque can cause a wheel to separate from the trailer leading to death or serious injury Verify wheel nuts or bolts are tight before...

Page 10: ...tire wheel axle or structural failure Be sure your trailer is evenly loaded left right Towing stability also depends on keeping the center of gravity as low as possible WARNING Improper tongue weight load distribution can result in loss of control of the trailer leading to death or serious injury Make certain that tongue weight is within the allowable range Be sure to Distribute the load evenly ri...

Page 11: ...ribe the alteration you are contemplating 2 2 15 Trailer Towing Guide Driving a vehicle with a trailer in tow is vastly different from driving the same vehicle without a trailer in tow Acceleration maneuverability and braking are all diminished with a trailer in tow It takes longer to get up to speed you need more room to turn and pass and more distance to stop when towing a trailer You will need ...

Page 12: ...troller manufacturer s literature Use your mirrors to verify that you have room to change lanes or pull into traffic Use your turn signals well in advance Allow plenty of stopping space for your trailer and tow vehicle Use lower gears for climbing and descending grades Do not ride the brakes while descending grades they may get so hot that they stop working Then you will potentially have a runaway...

Page 13: ...13 2 2 17 Safety Warning Labels On Your Trailer Depending on trailer configuration your trailer may not be equipped with all safety labels shown Safety ...

Page 14: ...14 Safety ...

Page 15: ...t you and others against death or serious injury all applicable labels shown must be on the trailer and must be legible If any of these labels are missing or cannot be read contact your dealer for replacement labels Safety ...

Page 16: ...igation and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles it may order a recall and remedy campaign However NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you your dealer or Ohio Steel Industries To contact NHTSA you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll free at 1 888 327 4236 TTY 1 800 424 9153 or go to http www safercar gov or write to Administrator NHTSA 1200 Ne...

Page 17: ...wn the road than to be idle During use the tire releases lubricants that are beneficial to tire life Using the trailer tires often also helps prevent flat spots from developing The main cause of tire failure is improper inflation Check the cold tire inflation pressures at least once a week for proper inflation levels Cold means that the tires are at the same temperature as the surrounding air such...

Page 18: ...er for an extended period make sure the tires are fully inflated to the maximum rated pressure and that you store them in a cool dry place such as a garage Use tire covers to protect the trailer tires from the harsh effects of the sun 3 2 Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit Trailer Determining the load limits of a trailer includes more than understanding the load limits of the tires alone On ...

Page 19: ...bber which when inflated bears the load Chunking The breaking away of pieces of the tread or sidewall Cold inflation pressure The pressure in the tire before you drive Cord The strands forming the plies in the tire Cord separation The parting of cords from adjacent rubber compounds Cracking Any parting within the tread sidewall or inner liner of the tire extending to cord material CT A pneumatic t...

Page 20: ...r which can be mounted on a vehicle Normal occupant weight This means 68 kilograms 150 lbs times the number of occupants specified in the second column of Table I of 49 CFR 571 110 Occupant distribution The distribution of occupants in a vehicle as specified in the third column of Table I of 49 CFR 571 110 Open splice Any parting at any junction of tread sidewall or innerliner that extends to cord...

Page 21: ...vehicle handling Help protect you and others from avoidable breakdowns and accidents Improve fuel economy Increase the life of your tires This booklet presents a comprehensive overview of tire safety including information on the following topics Basic tire maintenance Uniform Tire Quality Grading System Rim diameter This means the nominal diameter of the bead seat Rim size designation This means t...

Page 22: ...ight a vehicle can safely carry and the vehicle s tire size The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is referred to as the recommended cold inflation pressure As you will read below it is difficult to obtain the recommended tire pressure if your tires are not cold Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle tire manufacturers list the maximum permissible inflation press...

Page 23: ... they appear even with the outside of the tread it is time to replace your tires Another method for checking tread depth is to place a penny in the tread with Lincoln s head upside down and facing you If you can see the top of Lincoln s head you are ready for new tires 3 5 8 Tire Balance And Wheel Alignment To avoid vibration or shaking of the vehicle when a tire rotates the tire must be properly ...

Page 24: ...quires a recall Tire Ply Composition and Materials Used The number of plies indicates the number of layers of rubber coated fabric in the tire In general the greater the number of plies the more weight a tire can support Tire manufacturers also must indicate the materials in the tire which include steel nylon polyester and others Maximum Load Rating This number indicates the maximum load in kilogr...

Page 25: ...s 3 5 10 4 Tire Safety Tips Preventing Tire Damage Slow down if you have to go over a pothole or other object in the road Do not run over curbs or other foreign objects in the roadway and try not to strike the curb when parking Tire Safety Checklist Check tire pressure regularly at least once a month including the spare Inspect tires for uneven wear patterns on the tread cracks foreign objects or ...

Page 26: ...pport It is the lowest of axle wheel or tire rating Sometimes the tire or wheel rating is lower than the axle manufacturers rating and will then determine GAWR The sum total of the GAWR for all trailer axles may be less than the GVWR for the trailer because some of the trailer load is carried by the tow vehicle rather than by the trailer axle s The total weight of the cargo and trailer must not ex...

Page 27: ... brake lanyard such that the switch will only activate pin pulls out if the coupler connection comes loose Jack A device on the trailer that is used to raise and lower the trailer tongue WARNING An improperly coupled trailer can result in death or serious injury Do not move the trailer until Coupler is secured and locked to hitch Safety chains are secured to tow vehicle Trailer jack s are fully re...

Page 28: ...rface of the coupler to be above the top of the hitch ball 4 3 1 2 PREPARE COUPLER AND HITCH 1 Lubricate hitch ball and inside of coupler with a thin layer of automotive bearing grease 2 Remove safety latch pin and open coupler locking mechanism In the open position coupler is able to drop fully onto hitch ball See the coupler instructions for details of placing the coupler in the open position 3 ...

Page 29: ... 4 3 2 1 Before Coupling Trailer To Tow Vehicle 1 Be sure the size and rating of pintle match the size and rating of the ring Hitch ring and pintles are marked with their size and rating WARNING Ring to pintle mismatch can result in uncoupling leading to death or serious injury Be sure the LOAD RATING of the pintle is equal or greater than the load rating of the ring Be sure the SIZE of the pintle...

Page 30: ... the tongue jack to raise the tow vehicle more than 1 inch 5 If the ring cannot be secured to the pintle do not tow the trailer Contact your dealer for assistance 6 Lower the trailer so that its entire tongue weight is held by the hitch and continue retracting the jack to its fully retraced position CAUTION Drop leg jacks may be spring loaded and may rapidly return to the raise position when relea...

Page 31: ...c actuator will engage or the electric brake pullpin will be pulled out before all of the slack in the safety chains is taken up Do not connect the lanyard to a safety chain hitch ball or hitch ball assembly This would keep the breakaway brake system from operating when it is needed 4 3 5 1 Test Electric Brakes If your trailer has electric brakes your tow vehicle will have an electric brake contro...

Page 32: ... result in ineffective brakes leading to loss of control serious injury or death If you do not use your trailer for three or more months or during winter months Store the battery indoors and Charge the battery every three months Replace the breakaway brake battery according to the intervals specified by battery manufacturer 4 3 5 3 Test Surge Brakes If Equipped Hydraulic surge actuator systems pro...

Page 33: ...le trailer from the tow vehicle 1 Park the trailer on a firm level surface and block trailer tires 2 Disconnect electrical connector 3 Disconnect breakaway brake switch lanyard 4 Disconnect safety chains from tow vehicle 5 Unlock the coupler and open it 6 Before extending jack make certain the ground surface below the jack pad will support the tongue load 7 Rotate jack handle to extend the jack an...

Page 34: ...he Gross Combined Weight Rating GCWR for your towing vehicle Some scales allow you to get individual axle weights also If this is possible get the tow vehicles front and rear axle weights to make sure they are in the same proportion as the tow vehicle alone and that the rear axle is not overloaded 4 6 Adjust Hitch Height If Equipped The height of the hitch on the trailer must be adjusted so that t...

Page 35: ... hitch height is adjusted Contact your dealer for the proper grade and size of lock nut 6 Raise or lower the hitch as necessary 7 Install bolts and new lock nuts 8 Tighten lock nuts to torque specified by your dealer 9 Couple the trailer to the tow vehicle and verify that the trailer is level front to rear Adjust if necessary 10 Unload trailer See Loading And Unloading Coupling To Tow Vehicle ...

Page 36: ...ht distribution and proper tongue weight The total weight of the trailer and its contents must never exceed the total weight rating of the trailer Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR Do not transport people containers of hazardous substances or flammable liquids The exception is fuel in the tank of vehicles or equipment being hauled WARNING Do not transport flammable explosive poisonous or other d...

Page 37: ...r 2 Release deck latch pin to pivot trailer deck for loading WARNING Loading a pivoting deck trailer before retracting the deck catch pin can crack the catch pin which can cause loss of cargo or loss of control of the trailer Death or serious injury may result Before loading the trailer retract the deck catch pin If the deck catch pin becomes bent do not straighten it Replace the deck catch pin be...

Page 38: ... firm and level surface 3 Clear the area around the trailer 4 Remove chains straps and tensioning devices 5 Release deck latch pin to pivot trailer deck for unloading WARNING Unloading a pivoting deck trailer before retracting the deck catch pin can crack the catch pin which can cause loss of cargo or loss of control of the trailer Death or serious injury may result Before unloading the trailer re...

Page 39: ...omponent being compatible with the safe and reliable operation of the hydraulic system Under no circumstances should you alter the hydraulic pressure or flow rate in the hydraulic system DANGER Crushing hazard An altered or component substituted hydraulic system may malfunction resulting in the tilt deck falling without warning NEVER alter or substitute any hydraulic system component Always have t...

Page 40: ...oupling To Tow Vehicle section of this manual Test Tail Stop and Turn Lights Test trailer brakes Safety breakaway lanyard fastened to tow vehicle not to safety chains See Coupling To Tow Vehicle section of this manual Cargo properly loaded balanced and tied down See the appropriate Loading And Unloading section of this manual Tongue weight and weight distribution set up Ramps secured for travel Fi...

Page 41: ...les are fitted with a mechanism that will automatically adjust the brake shoes Read your axle and brake manual to see if your brakes adjust automatically If you do not have the axle and brake manual contact your dealer for assistance If your trailer is not fitted with automatically adjusting brakes the brakes will need to be manually adjusted See section 9 for instructions 7 3 Synchronizing Brake ...

Page 42: ...uipped If the trailer is used daily it is recommended that the battery charger be plugged in after each days use The battery may be located in a tongue mounted battery box or a side mounted box The accessory battery must be kept in a charged condition during storage The battery could freeze and break if it becomes discharged If the battery is not fully charged the hydraulic pump will lose pressure...

Page 43: ...ration Check master cylinder level Section 4 and 9 Shoes And Drums Adjust Section 9 Safety Chains And Hooks Check for wear damage Section 4 Coupler And Hitch Ball Check for cracks pits and flats Replace w ball and coupler having trailer GVW Rating Grease Check locking device replace when worn Section 4 and 9 Section 4 and 9 Section 4 and 9 Ring And Pintle Check for cracks pits and flats Replace w ...

Page 44: ...re when treads are worn when sidewall has a bulge or sidewall is worn Rotate every 5 000 Miles Section 9 Section 9 Section 9 Brakes Electric Surge Check Operation Check Operation Check Master Cylinder Level Section 4 Brake Shoes And Drums Adjust Section 7 and 9 Safety Chains Hooks Check for wear damage Section 4 Coupler And Hitch Ball Check for cracks pits and flats Replace w ball and coupler havi...

Page 45: ... at top See Jack Mfr s Manual Structure Frame Members Welds Inspect all frame members bolts rivets Repair or replace damaged worn or broken parts Inspect all welds Repair as needed Section 9 Section 9 Wheels Wheel Bearings Rims Disassemble inspect assemble and repack Replace promptly if immersed in water Inspect for cracks dents Replace as needed Section 9 See Axle Mfr s Manual Structure Axle Atta...

Page 46: ...aler WARNING Broken or damaged fasteners can cause injury or damage to trailer and contents Inspect for and repair all damaged parts at least once a year 9 2 1 2 Welds All welds can crack or fail when subjected to heavy loads or movement of cargo that was not properly secured Any time that you know or suspect that the trailer has been subjected to heavy loads or movement of cargo immediately inspe...

Page 47: ...ler uncouples from the tow vehicle Be sure to check maintain and replace the battery according to the battery manufacturer s instructions Your trailer may use the hydraulic system battery to operate the breakaway brakes CAUTION Extreme cold weather can degrade battery performance and cause brakes to not operate properly Check battery charge level before towing Breakaway Switch This switch engages ...

Page 48: ...until it is horizontal Make sure that the wheels are blocked so that the trailer will not roll away 2 Fill the master cylinder with correct fluid 3 Install a bleeder hose on the bleeder screw of the farthest wheel cylinder from the actuator If the trailer has multiple axles bleed the rear axle first Submerse the other end of the hose in a glass container of brake fluid so that air bubbles can be o...

Page 49: ...ler 9 2 5 Landing Leg Or Jack If a grease fitting is present use a grease gun to lubricate the jack mechanism Grease the gears in the top of hand cranked jacks once a year by removing the top of the jack and pumping or hand packing grease into the gears 9 2 6 Lights And Signals Before each tow check all trailer lights for proper operation WARNING To avoid risk of collisions all lights must work 9 ...

Page 50: ...d cap Repeat for remaining wheel bearings If your trailer axle s are not equipped with grease zerks refer to the axle manufacturer s manual for service and maintenance information 9 2 10 Lubrication Lubricate tilt deck pivots and hydraulic cylinder ends every month if equipped 9 2 11 Hydraulic Reservoir Check fluid level prior to towing the trailer The reservoir is normally located inside the batt...

Page 51: ...hten each lug nut or bolt in the order shown in the following figure Use a calibrated torque wrench to tighten the fasteners Verify that wheel studs are free of contaminates such as paint or grease which may result in inaccurate torque readings Over tightening will result in breaking the studs or permanently deforming the mounting stud holes in the wheels and will void the axle warranty See your a...

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