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5 Steps & Checklist For Trailer Upkeep for Your Portable Church
May 30, 2023

Following a trailer upkeep routine is crucial to retain its value, prolong its life, and keep portable church volunteers happy. Keep reading to get the simple checklist.

 

 

When you invest in a portable church trailer, it’s important to keep it in good condition. Regular maintenance can ensure that your trailer lasts longer and that you get the most out of your investment. 

To make sure your trailer is functioning at its best, you should keep track of a checklist of different maintenance items. Your owner’s manual will likely contain trailer upkeep suggestions, but regardless of make or model, these basic but crucial steps will help to keep your equipment in tip-top shape. 

Some of the most important items include checking your trailer’s brakes, wheel bearing grease, and seams, as well as maintaining your door hinges and locks. You should also make sure that you clean and oil your locks regularly. It’s also essential to grease your hitch and keep your jack clean. We’ll explore those subjects in more detail below. 

To easily navigate the contents of the article, use the links listed here: 

Why Trailer Upkeep is Important

5 Steps for Portable Church Trailer Upkeep

  1. Check Hinges and Locks
  2. Protect Electrical Connectors
  3. Grease the Hitch
  4. Clean Your Jack
  5. Perform Annual Maintenance 

Trailer Upkeep FAQs 

MCC’s team is on top of trailer upkeep.

 

Why Trailer Upkeep is Important

Trailers that are used for portable church settings often take a beating. They are used routinely, with numerous items rolling in and out of the unit at least once a week. When a trailer is used in this way, it requires proper maintenance to ensure that it retains its value, functions correctly, and lasts a long time.

Portable church settings are temporary in nature, and they require a flexible and versatile solution. A trailer provides that solution. It holds everything necessary for your gathering, including a kidsmin area, storage cases, welcome spaces, and an inviting worship space. However, the very flexibility that makes the trailer so valuable can also cause it to wear out more easily.

The very flexibility that makes your portable church trailer so valuable can also cause it to wear out more easily. Follow some basic, regular upkeep practices to get the most out of your investment. Click To Tweet

 

Regular maintenance can save you a lot of money in the long run by reducing the risk of breakdowns, prolonging the life of your trailer, and minimizing the need for costly repairs. In addition, a well-maintained trailer can ensure your safety on the road and make your towing experience a lot smoother.

And as portable church planters are well aware, regular maintenance of portable church equipment—like trailers—can help keep volunteers happy and satisfied by providing reliable resources.

Let’s dive into the 4 steps we recommend for regular trailer upkeep, and one bonus tip for making sure nothing falls through the cracks. 

 Ensure the long life of your equipment with routine trailer upkeep.

 

5 Steps for Portable Church Trailer Upkeep

 

1. Check Hinges and Locks

Maintaining the door hinges of a portable church trailer is crucial for three key reasons. First, regular maintenance ensures ease of use, making it easier for volunteers to access the equipment and supplies inside the trailer. Also, neglecting door hinges can lead to rust and corrosion, gradually weakening the trailer over time. Proper maintenance can help preserve the longevity of the trailer. Finally, a malfunctioning door hinge can be dangerous if it causes the door to swing open while the trailer is in transit or while someone is accessing the trailer. Regularly maintaining the door hinges can help prevent such accidents from occurring, ensuring safety for those who use the trailer.

Here are 4 steps to care for trailer hinges and locks:

  1. Use a rag to clean the Zerk fitting, which is where the grease will be sprayed. 
  2. Applying a grease gun to the fitting, pump in the grease until the new grease starts to appear on the edges of the hinge.
  3. Remove the excess with a rag and move on to the next hinge. 
  4. In the wintertime, remember to put a little oil in your locks. We like WD-40, but other brands work well, too. 

Pro Tip: You can also add antifreeze compounds to ensure that hinges and locks don’t freeze.

There you have it! The first step in routine trailer upkeep is done. 

 

2. Protect Electrical Connectors

It is essential to protect the electrical connections in your trailer from water and moisture, which can corrode the connectors, causing electrical failure and necessitating expensive repairs or replacements. In addition, corroded electrical connectors can affect the performance of the trailer’s electrical system, leading to various malfunctions and putting other vehicle systems at risk, such as brakes. Also, ensuring that the trailer’s electrical system operates correctly reduces the risk of electrical malfunctions that may lead to accidents, ensuring the safety of everyone using the trailer.

Here’s a simple way to protect the electrical connectors of your portable trailer: use dielectric grease to fill the connection. Simply fill the connection with dielectric grease, ensuring that it’s protected against the elements. 

This simple step will help keep them protected, allowing them to function properly and efficiently.

View the Portable Church Trailer Gallery 

 

3. Grease the Hitch

To grease a trailer hitch on a portable church trailer, start by applying grease to the hitch. This allows the grease to transfer onto the receiver when you hitch up the trailer. It’s essential to ensure that both the receiver and the hitch are adequately greased.

Following the trailer upkeep task of applying grease means that you can make sure that your towing experience is smoother, there are fewer noises, and it keeps rust from building up on the surfaces. Properly lubricating the hitch and receiver helps to maintain all components and prevent costly breakdowns over time.

By taking the time to grease your trailer hitch, it ensures that all components remain running smoothly, making the towing experience smoother and safer for everyone involved.

Routine trailer upkeep means more trips from storage to your portable facility.

 

4. Clean Your Jack

To care for your jack on a portable church trailer, start by identifying the post for your jack. Over time, dirt, sand, and debris can accumulate, especially if the trailer has sat in a parking lot or experienced rain. To prevent the buildup of debris, use a brush or a rag to clean off the jack’s post regularly.

As you crank the trailer up and down, the jack can also accumulate buildup, which can affect its performance over time. By keeping the jack clean, you can help ensure that it lasts for as long as possible.

Properly cleaning your jack is crucial for keeping it functioning effectively. Dirt and debris that build up can cause the jack to wear down faster, requiring service or replacements. Making sure that all components of the trailer are clean and well-maintained helps extend the lifespan of your trailer, ensuring that it’s always ready for use.

To keep your jack in top condition, you need to regularly inspect it and clean it as needed. By doing so, you can be confident that it’s always ready to use and that it’s safe for everyone to use.

 

5. Perform Annual Maintenance 

It’s crucial to read the maintenance schedule that’s inserted into the owner’s manual for your portable church trailer. Doing so can help you keep track of the different maintenance tasks that your trailer needs to remain functional and safe. The manual is found inside your trailer kit along with all the other supplies. 

 

As part of the maintenance schedule, it’s important to take your trailer in for a check-up about every 12 months. Here’s what Jesse Reed, Portable Church Industries’ Director of Sales & Marketing, recommends you request from your maintenance provider:

 

“Have them check things like the brakes, wheel bearing grease, and seams. Sometimes you need a little bit of new grease, or you might have a spot that could use a little bit of care. That’s all part of the 12-month checkup process that will help make sure that your trailer has a nice, long lifespan and takes care of you.”

 

Failing to follow the maintenance schedule can lead to breakdowns, rusting, and corrosion, and can even compromise the safety of your trailer. By taking care of your trailer and regularly following the maintenance schedule, you can help ensure that it serves you well for years to come.

 

Would you rather see a demo of these trailer upkeep steps? Here’s a short video from Jesse, demonstrating the routine maintenance steps on a trailer. 

FAQs Answered: Take Better Care of Your Trailer

 

By following these maintenance steps, you can make the most of your investment and save more in the long run. Schedule a regular maintenance check-up today and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Together, let’s keep your portable church trailer in the best possible condition.

 

Trailer Upkeep FAQs 

Can we use our own trailer?

In most scenarios, your trailer is not going to be tall enough to handle our cases since our trailers are a custom height. Often the specs on stock trailers are rated at lower weight tolerances as well. For instance, 8′ and 8.5′ trailers are common, which is too large. Sometimes churches think more space is better, but in most cases, this leads to hassles with dead space in the trailer, like wheel wells. Our trailers are a very tight and clean pack. 

To see it for yourself, check out a video of one of our team members executing a trailer load.

What size truck do we need to tow the trailer?

You’ll need a 1/2 ton for 16′ trailers, and a 3/4 ton for 24′ trailers (both with trailer tow packages). Be sure to match the truck’s capacity to the trailer’s weight rating.

Can I use a box truck?

You can use a box truck but we strongly recommend a trailer purchased from PCI. 

Update & Improve: 6 Areas To Update During Your Church Spring Cleaning

 

Trailers & Other Portable Equipment to Help Churches Thrive

Do you have questions about our trailers? Or do you need assistance with finding a custom solution for your church’s portable needs? 

PCI offers custom-designed and volunteer-centric solutions that include everything from technical systems and kids’ environments to hospitality, signage, and storage. We understand that every church is different, and we work with you to create a solution designed specifically for your facility and your people. 

Our attention to detail and innovative ideas allow us to bring your vision to life, whether you need a complete remodel or just a few changes. 

With our technical expertise and dedicated team, we can help you create a church that will continue to grow and thrive. 

Schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about our custom solutions and how we can help your church execute a successful launch.