The trailer you use to tow lawn care equipment or your boat is probably just as important as the equipment or boat itself; after all, the trailer is what you use to get your boat safely to the dock and back again, or to get equipment to a landscaping customer's property. While many trailers will work for years without any problems or issues, some might eventually start to drag or pull to one side. You don't want to overlook this issue, as pulling or dragging can put undue stress on the axles and frame of the trailer, and also increase the risk of tipping. Note a few simple troubleshooting tips for determining what's wrong with the trailer when it drags, and what you might be facing by way of needed trailer repairs.
Alignment
In many cases, drag or pull is the result of poorly aligned tyres; when not aligned properly, trailer tyres will spin unevenly, so that the trailer drags along one side. You can check this alignment with a long piece of wood that you hold against the outside of the tyres on one side of the vehicle, and then the other side. If any of the tyres don't sit firmly against that piece of wood, it's not properly aligned.
Mismatched tyres
When a trailer tyre needs replacing, you might buy whatever tyre brand is cheapest or readily available. However, mismatched tyres can mean that one tyre is actually larger than the others, or has deeper tread. This tyre will then have more of a grip on the road and will pull the trailer in that direction. You can do a visual inspection of the tyres and note if their tread patterns are different, or if the numbers on the front of the tyres that indicate size are also different. Replacing the tyres so they all match can easily fix this issue.
Bent frame
If the trailer frame is bent, the wheels will not be gripping the road evenly, and the trailer will pull or drag toward the bent side. To try a visual inspection yourself, set down two long pieces of on either side of the trailer, ensuring that the wood pieces are straight and level. Notice if the front of the trailer seems to point to one side or the other, indicating a bent frame. This type of bend can often be fixed by a mechanic so that you don't need to actually replace the trailer altogether.
