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  5. Owner's Manual

OHIOSTEEL Utility Trailer Owner's Manual

Manual is about: Ohio Steel Utility Trailer Owner's Manual

Summary of Utility Trailer

  • Page 1

    1 utility trailer owner’s manual ^ warning this owner’s manual contains 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 industrie...

  • Page 2

    2 1. Introduction ........................................................................................... 5 2. Safety .................................................................................................... 6 2.1 safety alert symbols and signal words ....................................

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    3 4. Coupling to tow vehicle ................................................................... 26 4.1 tow vehicle and hitch ...................................................................................26 4.1.1 trailer information .................................................................

  • Page 4

    4 7. Breaking in a new trailer .................................................................. 41 7.1 retighten lugs at first 10, 25 & 50 miles ....................................................41 7.2 adjust brake at first 200 miles .................................................................

  • Page 5: 1.  Introduction

    5 1. Introduction congratulations on the purchase of your trailer. We believe you will be happy and completely satisfi ed with your purchase. Our goal is to provide a valued customer a quality trailer at a reasonable price. For your safety, read and understand this manual before operating your trail...

  • Page 6: 2.  Safety

    6 2. Safety 2.1 safety alert symbols and signal words an owner’s manual that provides general trailer information cannot cover all of the specifi c details necessary for the proper combination of every trailer, tow vehicle and hitch. You must read, understand and follow the instructions given by the...

  • Page 7

    7 the possibility for loss of control. Also your tires may overheat, increasing the possibility of a blowout. ^ warning driving too fast for conditions can result in loss of control and cause death or serious injury. Adjust speed down when towing trailer. 2.2.3 adjust driving when towing trailer whe...

  • Page 8

    8 2.2.5 proper use of safety chains safety chains are provided so that control of the trailer can be maintained if your trailer comes loose from the hitch. ^ warning improper rigging of the safety chains can result in loss of control of the trailer and tow vehicle, leading to death or serious injury...

  • Page 9

    9 ^ warning infl ate tires to pressure stated on the certifi cation / vin label. Improper tire pressure may cause unstable trailer. Blowout and loss of control may occur. Death or serious injury can result. Make sure of proper tire pressure before towing trailer. The tightness of the wheel nuts or b...

  • Page 10

    10 2.2.10 unsafe load distribution improper front/rear load distribution can lead to an unstable trailer or poor tow vehicle handling. Poor trailer stability results from tongue weights that are too low, and poor tow vehicle stability results from tongue weights that are too high. Refer to the “load...

  • Page 11

    11 ^ warning do not transport fl ammable, explosive, poisonous or other dangerous materials on your trailer. The exception is fuel in the tank of a vehicle or equipment being hauled. 2.2.13 inoperable brakes or lights if your trailer has electric brakes, your tow vehicle will have an electric brake ...

  • Page 12

    12 some drivers place their hands at the bottom of the steering wheel, and while the tow vehicle is in reverse, “think” of the hands as being on the top of the wheel. When the hands move to the right (counter-clockwise, as you would do to turn the tow vehicle to the left when moving forward), the re...

  • Page 13

    13 2.2.17 safety warning labels on your trailer depending on trailer confi guration, your trailer may not be equipped with all safety labels shown. Safety.

  • Page 14

    14 safety.

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    15 ^ warning to protect 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

    16 2.2.18 reporting safety defects if you believe that your vehicle has a defect that could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the national highway traffi c safety administration (nhtsa) in addition to notifying ohio steel industries if nhtsa receives similar...

  • Page 17: 3.  Tire Safety Information

    17 3. Tire safety information this portion of the user’s manual contains tire safety information as required by 49 cfr 575.6. Section 3.1 contains “trailer tire information”. Section 3.2 contains “steps for determining correct load limit - trailer”. Section 3.3 contains “steps for determining correc...

  • Page 18

    18 occurs. This situation can generate an excessive amount of heat within the tire. Excessive heat may lead to tire failure. It is the air pressure that enables a tire to support the load, so proper infl ation is critical. The proper air pressure may be found on the certifi cation / vin label and/or...

  • Page 19

    19 3.3 steps for determining correct load limit - tow vehicle 1. Locate the statement, “the combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed xxx lbs.,” on your vehicle’s placard. 2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers who will be riding in your vehicle. 3. Subtract t...

  • Page 20

    20 sidewall of the tire or the outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that must always face outward when mounted on a vehicle. Light truck (lt) tire: a tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight trucks or multipurpose passenge...

  • Page 21

    21 axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight, and normal occupant weight (distributed in accordance with table i of crf 49 571.110) and dividing by 2. Weather side: the surface area of the rim not covered by the infl ated tire. Wheel center member: in the case of a non- pneumatic tire asse...

  • Page 22

    22 • fundamental characteristics of tires • tire safety tips. Use this information to make tire safety a regular part of your vehicle maintenance routine. Recognize that the time you spend is minimal compared with the inconvenience and safety consequences of a fl at tire or other tire failure. 3.5.1...

  • Page 23

    23 5. At a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each tire that is under infl ated. 6. Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure except in cases in which the front and rear tires are supposed to have different amounts of pressure). If you have been driving...

  • Page 24

    24 for improved steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement. R: the “r” stands for radial. Radial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard for the past 20 years. Next number: this two-digit number is the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your wheel size...

  • Page 25

    25 st: an “st” is an indication the tire is for trailer use only. Max. Load dual kg (lbs) at kpa (psi) cold: this information indicates the maximum load and tire pressure when the tire is used as a dual, that is, when four tires are put on each rear axle (a total of six or more tires on the vehicle)...

  • Page 26

    26 4. Coupling to tow vehicle follow all of the safety precautions and instructions in this manual to ensure safety of persons, cargo, and satisfactory life of the trailer. 4.1 tow vehicle and hitch if the vehicle and hitch are not properly selected and matched to the gross vehicle weight rating (gv...

  • Page 27

    27 hitch: the connecting mechanism including the ball support platform and ball and those components that extend and are attached to the towing vehicle, including bumpers intended to serve as hitches. Safety chains: chains permanently attached to the trailer such that if the coupler connection comes...

  • Page 28

    28 4.3.1.1 before coupling trailer to tow vehicle 1. Be sure the size and rating of hitch ball match the size and rating of the coupler. Hitch balls and couplers are marked with their size and rating. ^ warning coupler-to-hitch mismatch can result in uncoupling, leading to death or serious injury. B...

  • Page 29

    29 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 released. Keep clear when releasing drop legs. 7. Fully retr...

  • Page 30

    30 3. In the open position, the ring is able to drop fully onto the pintle. 4. See the coupler instructions for details of placing the pintle in the “open” position. 5. Slowly back up the tow vehicle so that the pintle is aligned under the ring. 4.3.2.3 c ouple t railer t o t ow v ehicle 1. Lower th...

  • Page 31

    31 ^ warning improper rigging of the safety chains can result in loss of control of the trailer and tow vehicle, leading to death or serious injury, if the trailer uncouples from the tow vehicle. Cross chains underneath hitch and coupler with enough slack to permit turning and to hold tongue up, if ...

  • Page 32

    32 most trailers are setup to charge the battery from the tow vehicle. If the electrical system on your tow vehicle does not provide power to the battery, you must periodically charge the battery with a commercial battery charger to keep the battery charged. ^ caution extreme cold weather can degrad...

  • Page 33

    33 the board should be 4 feet or longer so it will extend several feet above the actuator. Keep the end of the board a few inches off the ground, and position it to press against the front end of the actuator’s coupler. Press the board towards the rear of the trailer. Keep pressing the top of the bo...

  • Page 34

    34 the numbers quoted are for example purposes only and should be tailored to the specifi c trailer. For questions regarding the actual percent of tongue weight for the trailer, check with the manufacturer for specifi cs. ^ warning improper tongue weight (load distribution) can result in loss of con...

  • Page 35

    35 ^ warning used lock nuts are prone to loosen, resulting in the hitch separating from the trailer, which can lead to death or serious injury. Never re-use a lock nut. Use new lock nuts each time the hitch height is adjusted. Contact your dealer for the proper grade and size of lock nut. 6. Raise o...

  • Page 36: 5.  L

    36 5. L oading a nd u nloading improper trailer loading causes many accidents and deaths. To safely load a trailer, you must consider: • overall load weight. • load weight distribution. • proper tongue weight. • securing the load properly. To determine that you have loaded the trailer within its rat...

  • Page 37

    37 ^ caution use a safe lifting procedure to avoid injury when handling ramps. 3. Remove ramps from storage position and secure to rear of trailer. Adjust ramp position to align with equipment tires or tracks. ^ warning load can suddenly move or topple, which can result in death or serious injury. D...

  • Page 38

    38 5.1.3.2 hydraulic tilt trailer 1. Couple the trailer to the tow vehicle. ^ warning trailer must be coupled to tow vehicle before loading trailer. 2. Read and understand the hoist operating procedure before operating the tilt deck. 3. Locate the tilt deck controller. Position yourself in a safe lo...

  • Page 39

    39 procedure before operating the tilt deck. 6. Locate the tilt deck controller. Position yourself in a safe location clear of the tilt deck. 7. Press and hold button to raise the tilt deck. Release the button when the rear of the tilt deck touches the ground. 8. Unload the cargo from trailer. 9. Pr...

  • Page 40: 6.  Pre-Tow Checklist

    40 6. Pre-tow checklist 6.1 pre-tow checklist before towing, double-check all of these items: • tires, wheels and lug nuts. See “breaking in a new trailer” section of this manual. • tire pressure. Infl ate tires on trailer and tow vehicle to the pressure stated on the certifi cation / vin label. • c...

  • Page 41

    41 7. Breaking in a new trailer 7.1 retighten lugs at first 10, 25 & 50 miles wheel lugs can shift and settle quickly after being fi rst assembled, and must be checked after the fi rst 10, 25 and 50 miles of driving. Failure to perform this check may result in a wheel coming loose from the trailer, ...

  • Page 42: 8.  Accessories

    42 8. Accessories this section provides some basic information for the safe operation of accessories. You must read and follow these instructions before using the accessory. If you are uncertain whether you have all of the instructions, contact your dealer before operating the accessory. 8.1 accesso...

  • Page 43

    43 9. Inspection, service and maintenance 9.1 inspection, service & maintenance summary charts you must inspect, maintain and service your trailer regularly to insure safe and reliable operation. If you cannot or are unsure how to perform the items listed here, have your dealer do them. Note: in add...

  • Page 44

    44 inspection and service every month item inspection / service manual section reference lubrication lubricate tilt deck pivot points (if equipped). Lubricate hydraulic cylinder ends (if equipped). Section 9. Section 9. Inspection and service every 6 months or 6,000 miles item inspection/service man...

  • Page 45

    45 inspection and service every year or 12,000 miles item inspection/service manual section reference brakes, all types • shoes and drums check for scoring and wear. Replace per manufacturer’s specifi cations. Section 9. See brake mfr’s manual jack, drop-leg (if equipped) grease gears at top. See ja...

  • Page 46

    46 9.2 inspection and service instructions ^ warning worn or broken suspension parts can cause loss of control and injury may result. Have trailer professionally inspected annually and after any impact. To perform many of the inspection and maintenance activities, you must jack up the trailer. When ...

  • Page 47

    47 is “hard braked” from a rearward direction. Read your axle and brake manual to see how to adjust your brakes. If you do not have this manual, contact your dealer for assistance. 9.2.2.2 manually adjusting brake shoes some braking systems are not automatically adjusted. These brakes require manual...

  • Page 48

    48 reservoir. Check with your dealer for the type of brake fl uid used in the brake system. 9.2.3.2 hydraulic surge brake before each tow, perform the following steps: 1. Check that the brake master cylinder level as instructed above. Check for leaks and repair as required. 2. Examine the actuator f...

  • Page 49

    49 the coupler latch lever must be able to rotate freely and automatically snap into the latched position. Oil the pivot points, sliding surfaces, and spring ends with sae 30w motor oil. Keep the ball pocket and latch mechanism clean. Dirt or contamination can prevent proper operation of the latchin...

  • Page 50

    50 tire inspection chart ^ warning worn, damaged or under-infl ated tires can cause loss of control, injury and damage. Check tires before each tow. 9.2.9 wheel bearings a loose, worn or damaged wheel bearing is the most common cause of brakes that grab. To check your bearings, jack up the trailer a...

  • Page 51

    51 ^ warning metal creep between the wheel rim and lug nuts or bolts can cause rim to loosen. Death or injury can occur if wheel comes off. Tighten lug nuts or bolts before each tow. Tighten the lug nuts or bolts in three stages to the fi nal torque for the axle size on your trailer, to prevent whee...

  • Page 52

    52.