So, it is time to store my "aircraft carrier" trailer for the winter.

It is a Parker Steel with a full wood deck. I have a not so level wooded area in my yard that I have cleared for the purpose of storing the trailer. The plan is to put down gravel in the spot with pavers underneath the tires and hitch. I am hoping this will help keep the moisture buildup underneath the trailer to a minimum.

So the questions:

1. Would it be helpful to place four jackstands underneath the trailer and get the four tires off the ground while it is in cold storage?

2. Should I wrap the tires in something to keep the UV exposure to a minimum, or will that also trap in too much moisture?

3. Would some type of canopy over the trailer be worth investing in? I don't want to just cover it with a tarp - I fear that a tarp can trap a lot of moisture.

Any other suggestions would be helpful...

Thanks,
-Z-man.

 

Make a border with 2x4's, level off the gravel and pour concrete. You could also put down heavy vapor barrier and cover it with a 2" layer of 1/2" or 3/4" traprock (or other stone) with pavers where you originally mentioned. A breathable car cover can work to keep the debris off, other than that you are taking a chance with all but the sturdiest of plastic "carports".

 

I have a Trailex and don't do a whole lot before winter except clean it throughly and wax the wheels. I put a decent amount of tire protectant on all 4 tires and repack the wheel bearings every spring.

It's 4 years old and looks like new.

 

I'm with Gary on the rock base - the vapor barrier is key. Although, I'm not sure that it helps preserve the trailer to any huge degree. It surely can't hurt. I have traditionally parked mine over dirt but it's lifted 8-10" and I think that promotes good airflow in itself.

I lift mine open deck trailer off the ground in the winter. It's not so much to take load off the frame as it is to preserve the tires. They will freeze to the ground and that damages tires. I can tell the spot where my tires were touching the ground before I began the habit of lifting it. This is a good spot for a tire to fail down the road.

I dress mine with any auto parts store grade tire dressing. I soak it on and usually hit it every 4-6 weeks. I've found that it keeps the tires in great condition and my six year old tires looked brand new. I do the tread surface as well. It doesn't make them slippery in the spring. Most of it is gone by then and what little is left is scrubbed off in the first mile or two. With the wheels off the ground you get the added benefit of being able to spin them and keep the grease moving. I do this every couple of weeks.

The cover is a tough one. I vote to keep it cover free so that you don't trap moisture....unless you can get the cover 6-12" off the deck. I've toyed with the idea of building a tent over mine but I park it on someone else's property and it would be too unsightly. At best the tent would be something non permanent that I would rebuild every year because I could never get away with a temporary garage type structure.

For me all of this trailer preservation stuff has a cost-benefit component to it too.

 

Zoltan,

It's easy for me to say since I have a Trailex, but, even if I had a steel trailer, I'd just park the thing outside and not worry about it. When it eventually rusts, I'd sandblast it and then re-epoxy it.

 

I'm with Mark......park it and forget it.

 

Here I was thinking he would have his car on it!! DUH!!!!!

 

i take the battery out and cover the tires. Then come spring I take it for a service, brakes and bearings etc.

 

z-man
I parked mine outdoors with no special treatment for the last four years.

I did clear the snow off and maintenance has been kept up regardless of mileage; tires, axels and brakes. This past fall I replaced the deck with pressure treated lumber and while the frame was exposed painted it, roughly a 250.00 job; it looks new again.

One thing I will tell you is that even though the wood may look fine take a few taps on it with a 5lb sledge from time to time to make sure it hasn't begun to dry rot. A friend and I purchased trailers at the same time, he has twice the mileage and his decking is still fine, my front wheel ended up through the deck at one point!

 

I do less worrying about storing my car all winter. I've never thought of worrying about UV impact on the tires before.

 

Put some extra air in the tires,spray them down periodically and spray the metal with wd 40.

 

Thanks for all the advise -- looks like I'm on the right track.

Today, I washed the wooden platform of the trailer with a good deck cleaner. Tomorrow, if it is warm enough, I'll apply Thompson seal - should help preserve the trailer over the winter.

-Z-man.

 

good luck with it and have fun. You can always re-deck it too. It's only about $150-$200 in wood depending on the trailer.

 

With an aluminum trailer with electric brakes, I parked it with the wheels on some wood so they don't freeze to the ground, removed the battery and covered it with a tarp.

I'll repack the bearings in the spring.

Marc

 

Z-man, I bought the $10/pair RV/trailer wheel covers from Harbor Freight. They're made of fabric so they breathe but keep UV off the tires. I use them religiously and tires look as new after 4 years.