Get More Value From Your Utility Trailer With These Simple Upgrades

Most utility or cargo trailers come from the manufacturer with just the features needed to satisfy safety regulations, making them not so user-friendly. In most instances, new utility trailers from the factory lack vital components such as loading ramps and factory tie-downs, or are fitted with low quality bulbs that require constant replacement. To make your trailer-hauling jobs easier and safer, there are a few easy and inexpensive upgrades you can make to your utility trailer to get more value from it. Here is a look at three simple additions that can help you get better performance from your existing utility trailer.

Install LED taillights

The taillights on your utility trailer get constantly bounced around and soaked with rain water, mud and dust. This  results in the bulb filaments breaking off and the sockets corroding, causing frequent lighting malfunctions. A brilliant solution to get around these problems would be to replace your old lights with submersible LED trailer light. Led taillights are designed to fit into your utility trailer's mounting hole, and a trailer repair expert can help you with the wiring if you are unable to do it yourself. Before taking your trailer on the road, be sure to test the newly installed brake lights and turn signals.

Get a new-style coupler

While moving an empty trailer to your truck's towing ball is easy, doing the same with a fully loaded trailer can be daunting, usually requiring you to back your truck to the trailer and jockey the unseen hitch into the truck. A simple way around this would be to get a new-style coupler with alignment rods and capture jaws that make it easier to hook up the trailer to the back of the truck. Some new-style couplers have 'auto-capture' jaws that hook up to your truck ball when you back up close enough to the trailer, eliminating the need to step out and attach it manually.

Use the plumber's rig

If you are frequently transporting long or fragile items such as drip edges and pipes, you know how frustrating it can be to load them onto your utility trailer. Tying such items in a bundle and then having to attach the bundle securely to the trailer can be time-consuming and exhausting, not to mention that loads can fall off if not secured properly. You can build the same rig that plumbers use to get around this problem. A PVC pipe hooked to the side of your trailer using J-hooks and capped on both ends can make a simple rig that can safely carry long items.