And buy a Laser Pyrometer (Laser Temperature Gun). But keep that in the glovebox of the truck. PRICELESS tool & you use it with the trailer looking for temp uniformity across calipers, rotors, drums, hubs, and tires when towing. Anything outside of 10-15% difference is a problem!

+1. All the spare tires in the world won't do you any good if you can't break the lug nuts loose. As someone else mentioned I always carry extra rachet straps and some chain in case I need to limp in on 5 wheels.

Couple of other things: Hand cleaner wipes for after you finish fixing the trailer on the side of the interstate. A rubber mallet in case you have to do some redneck fender repairs.

And bungee straps which can hold that banged up fender on for a few miles as well.

I keep a breaker bar in the truck at all times with an impact wrench set of sockets. I never trust any vehicle's tire iron/wrench.

Also, some aluminum wheels have pockets/tubes that the lugs cinch down into. Make sure your socket has thin enough walls that it will slip onto your lugs and into the pocket of the wheel.

I usually leave the socket that fits the trailer on the breaker bar, and at easy access when filling up the truck. It only takes a couple minutes to check the trailer lugs when filling-up; along with the temps. Aluminum wheels will expand and contract with heat; which tends to loosen lug nuts. It sucks when a wheel comes off at speed. Ask me how I know that.


Also, it sucks when you end up having the put the truck/trailer so far in the water due to a crappy ramp that your toolbox(es) get wet. Straight bottom boat owners probably are not as liable to this as step bottom boat owners. Regardless, make sure the trailer boxes are mounted up high.

I also like how Myco sometimes mounts two spares to the trailer, one on either side of the bow stop. They act as an extra set of hands/guides when loading in a current/breeze. Noticed this on Jassby's trailer, and wish I had it on mine. My last trailer came with a fixed spindle as part of the spare with a full set of packed bearings/hub all ready to go.

Good info, thanks for bringing it up

All great information......thanks so much guys !!!!! I am sure this thread helped a few other people along with myself.......

Absolutely!!! Good stuff. Kind of a quick reference for us all:coolcowboy:

A midget in the tool box in case he needs to change a flat.

Brian,
That's exactly why I went with the "Manning" torsion axle, my bottle jack lifts up "both" axles at once :eek:! How's it going, the seasons getting close!
Steve

How big of a bottle jack do you have......I don't want to go over kill........

Depends on what you are trying to jack up...

I carry two bottle jacks, and can jack up a whole side of my trailer. I don't remember what capacity they are, but I'll look when I get chance.

But if you get a smaller bottle jack and and can sneak it in directly behind the tire and lift the back of the torsion axle spindle housing directly up, all you need is capacity enough to lift up 1/2 half of your axle's capacity. Go overkill here though. If you have 4000 lbs. axles, get a 2-ton jack and try to jack up just one wheel/tire. If the jack's base is too big though, it's going to put the piston portion of the jack too far away from the spindle housing.

Also remember, if you have a flat, the spindle will be closer to the ground. You will need a short enough jack, and maybe the 2x6s to drive up on with the other good tires--to get the spindle jacked up.