— Factory Service Guide

Preventive Maintenance Manual

Complete inspection protocols for your bolted aluminum boat and watercraft trailer. Perform these critical pre-tow verifications every single time before hitching and departing.

Tires & Lug Nuts

Coupler & Chains

Lights & Bunks

Check cold tire pressure according to the tire sidewall specification and confirm all wheel lug nuts are tight before every trip.

Ensure the coupler is closed, securely latched, and safety pinned. Cross safety chains under the tongue and raise the tongue jack fully and secure it.

Test all brake, turn signal, and running lights. Inspect the winch strap and bow safety chain, and confirm carpeted bunks are securely attached and free of damage, so they protect the hull.

• Quarterly Check

Every 3 Months Inspection

Thorough quarterly maintenance preserves mechanical alignment and prevents salt corrosion on structural hardware across your entire aluminum trailer chassis. These intervals are a guide: service sooner if needed, since it all depends on how you use your trailer. Brakes, bearings, and tires are critical components: they are what keep you safe on the road.

Torsion Axle, Bearings & Brakes

This is the inspection that keeps you safe on the highway. A worn bearing can seize, destroy the hub, and cost you a wheel on the road. Inspect the torsion axle for wear or damage and check alignment. Henko trailers feature torsion axles with NO leaf springs and NO shock absorbers. Check wheel bearings for side play, noise, and excess heat after towing. If your trailer has brakes, inspect pads, discs, and actuators.

• Semi-Annual Review

Every 6 Months Inspection

Comprehensive electrical and mechanical checks keep your trailer safe and roadworthy in humid marine environments. These intervals are a guide: service sooner if needed, since it all depends on how you use your trailer.

Electrical & Connector

Winch & Internal Brake

Trailer Brakes (If Equipped)

Perform a full electrical inspection, checking the 4 way flat connector (or as equipped on your model), wiring harness, and ground contacts for corrosion, chafing, or exposed conductors.

Thoroughly inspect the winch strap for tears or frayed edges, check gear mesh condition, and test the internal brake mechanism under mechanical load.

On trailers equipped with optional braking systems, inspect brake pads, rotor surfaces, hydraulic lines, and fluid reservoirs. If your trailer has no brakes, skip this step.

✱ Critical Protocol

Saltwater Care

  • Reconnect the trailer lights and test brake, turn signal, and running lights before driving.

  • Reattach the transom tie-down straps and winch the boat snug before hitting the road.

  • Walk around the rig once: coupler, chains, straps, tires, and jack.

  • If equipped with brakes, flush and dry them so they do not stick.

  • As soon as you get home. Touch the hubs, if one is too hot to touch comfortably, it needs service. Rinse the whole trailer with fresh water right away, including the axle, wheels, brakes (if equipped), lights, and every nut and bolt. Most marinas have no wash area, so this is the step to do at home, and it matters the most.

Our 6061-T6 aluminum frame does not rust, but thorough freshwater rinsing protects the galvanized and steel components from aggressive salt buildup.

  • Disconnect the trailer lights from the tow vehicle before backing down the ramp.

  • Remove the transom tie-down straps, but keep the winch strap and bow safety chain attached until the boat floats.

  • Back in only as far as needed. Do not submerge hot hubs: after a long drive, let the wheels cool first, or the hot bearing will draw water in.

  • Do not leave the trailer standing in the water longer than needed.

Before Entering the Water

After Leaving the Water

• Annual Overhaul

Every 12 Months Service

Annual comprehensive service preserves chassis reliability and guarantees smooth highway towing between your storage facility and the boat ramp.

Wheel Bearings & Bolts

Bunk Wood & DOT Tires

Complete full wheel bearing service including cleaning, repacking with marine grease, and seal replacement. Conduct a complete tightening check of all structural frame bolts.

Inspect bunk timber and carpet for tears or rot. Check tire age using the DOT date code, replacing at 5 to 6 years, and check the spare tire.

Get in touch

786-531-9151

Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
info@henkotrailers.com