DCA-180SSK — PARTS AND OPERATION MANUAL— REV. #3 (06/11/09) — PAGE 11
DCA-180SSK — TRAILER-SAFETY GUIDELINES
Explanation of Chart:
This section is intended to provide the user with trailer ser-
vice and maintenance information. The service and main-
tenance guidelines referenced in this section apply a wide
range of trailers. Remember periodic inspection of the trailer
will ensure safe towing of the equipment and will prevent
damage to the equipment and personal injury.
It is the purpose of this section to cover the major mainte-
nance components of the trailer. The following trailer com-
ponents will be discussed in this section:
Brakes
Tires
Lug Nut Torquing
Suspension
Electrical
Brake Troubleshooting Tables
Use the following definitions while reading Table 1.
1. Fuel Cell - Provides an adequate amount of fuel for
the equipment in use. Fuel cells must be empty when
transporting equipment.
2. Braking System - System employed in stopping the
trailer. Typical braking systems are electric, surge, hy-
draulic, hydraulic-surge and air.
3. GVWR- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), is the
maximum number of pounds the trailer can carry, in-
cluding the fuel cell (empty).
4. Frame Length - This measurement is from the ball
hitch to the rear bumper (reflector).
5. Frame Width - This measurement is from fender to
fender.
6. Jack Stand - Trailer support device with maximum
pound requirement from the tongue of the trailer.
CAUTION:CAUTION:
CAUTION:CAUTION:
CAUTION:
ALWAYS make sure the trailer is in good
operating condition. Check the tires for
proper inflation and wear. Also check the
wheel lug nuts for proper tightness.
7. Coupler - Type of hitch used on the trailer for towing.
8. Tire Size - Indicates the diameter of the tire in inches
(10,12,14, etc.), and the width in millimeters
(175,185,205, etc.). The tire diameter must match the
diameter of the tire rim.
9. Tire Ply - The tire ply (layers) number is rated in letters;
2-ply,4-ply,6-ply, etc.
10. Wheel Hub - The wheel hub is connected to the trailer’s
axle.
11. Tire Rim - Tires are mounted on a tire rim. The tire rim
must match the size of the tire.
12. Lug Nuts - Used to secure the wheel to the wheel hub.
Always use a torque wrench to tighten down the lug
nuts. See Table 4 and Figure 5 for lug nut tightening and
sequence.
13. Axle - Indicates the maximum weight the axle can sup-
port in pounds, and the diameter of the axle expressed
in inches (see Table 3 on page 17). Please not that
some trailers have a double axle. This will be shown as
2-6000 lbs., meaning two axles with a total weight ca-
pacity of 6000 pounds.
14. Suspension - Protects the trailer chassis from shock
transmitted through the wheels. Types of suspension
used are leaf, Q-flex, and air ride.
15. Electrical - Electrical connectors (looms) are provided
with the trailer so the brake lights and turn signals can
be connected to the towing vehicle. See page 16 for
proper wiring connections.
16. Application - Indicates which units can be employed
on a particular trailer.