Salvage trailers are a popular choice when you need to tow or transport a vehicle. However, they are also a specialist trailer that requires some extra knowledge to ensure you load and transport your vehicle safely. At Hirepool we have a wide range of trailers available for hire so you can confidently tackle any kind of towing job. In this guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about using a salvage trailer safely.
Before you start towing
There are a few steps to take before you begin your towing job.
Check your vehicle’s towing capacity
You’ll need to ensure the vehicle you will be towing with has suitable towing capacity for the load you plan to carry. To find your vehicles towing capacity, check your vehicle handbook, on your tow bar, or the NZTA website. Check out our handy guide on calculating your towing capacity for more helpful tips.
Wear the correct protective gear
While loading a salvage trailer doesn’t require too many pieces of safety equipment, it’s also a good idea when using a salvage trailer to wear some protective gloves. These will help to keep your hands protected when winching the vehicle onboard, and while lowering the ramps.
Hitch the salvage trailer to your tow vehicle
Before you load a vehicle onto the salvage trailer, you need to hitch the trailer to the towing vehicle. Where applicable, apply wheel chocks to keep the vehicle level and positioned where you want it. You may find it useful to watch our ‘How to Hitch and Unhitch a trailer' video to ensure you have the trailer hitched correctly.
Loading the salvage trailer
- Lower the ramps from the safety storage position rear stabiliser. To do this push the metal pin in towards the ramps to release. Be sure to hold on to the safety ramps as you release them to ensure they don’t hit anything as they are lowered.
- Lower the rear stabilisers to a comfortable height by twisting the lever and pulling out to drop the stabilisers.
- Remove the lock from the front of the trailer to allow the bed to tip. You may need to assist the bed tipping by putting your weight on the bottom of the trailer. Tipping the bed will ensure the weight of the vehicle you’re loading will not raise the front of the salvage trailer while loading.
- If possible, adjust the position of the wheels of the vehicle (that you are loading) to line up with the ramps. Slowly and carefully drive the car up the ramp and onto the trailer slowly. In some cases, the vehicle may not be drivable, in which case you might need to use a winch. Simply secure the winch hook to the anchor point of the car and wind up slowly. Keep in mind the cargo should be loaded with around 60% of its weight in the front half of the trailer.
Safety tip: If you've got a helper during this process, make sure they're keeping a safe distance from you and the trailer.
- Once loaded, put your vehicle to be towed into ‘park' and engage the parking brake.
- Next, secure the vehicle onto the trailer with the appropriate straps, chains or other tensioning devices.
- When secure, return the ramps to their original storage position, then re-lock the bed and remove the wheel chocks from underneath the trailer.
Unloading a salvage trailer
When you're ready to unload your salvage trailer, ensure you have parked on a firm, level surface. Make sure you chock the wheels of your trailer to prevent movement and undo the chains or strapping devices. Lower the rear stabilisers, and then remove the ramps from their safety storage position. Unlock the bed of the trailer, and then slowly back the loaded vehicle down the ramp.
Get towing with Hirepool
So there you have it, that’s how to safely load and transport a vehicle using a salvage trailer. If you’d like more information, our friendly Hirepool staff will be happy to answer any of your questions. Book hire gear and trailers easily online at Hirepool.
