Trailer maintenance checklist

A trailer maintenance checklist lists what to check before you tow: the hitch and coupler, safety chains, tyres, lights, frame and how the load sits. It is a few minutes at the hitch that can save you a roadside stop.

This is a general pre-tow list based on a published towing checklist, not a legal one. Your trailer's and tow vehicle's manuals, and the rules where you tow, say what you must check. Change the list to fit your setup.

Download the printable PDF Download the spreadsheet

Tow vehicle

Enough power for the load, and regular maintenance up to date
Fuel, battery, oil and coolant adequate
Tyres inflated and undamaged, wheel nuts present and tight
Level when hitched to the loaded trailer
All lights working, including brake lights, indicators and hazards
Brakes working
Side mirrors give a clear view back on both sides

Hitch and coupling

Receiver properly mounted to the tow vehicle
Hitch ball and coupler the same size, ball firmly seated, latch locked
Safety chains attached to both vehicles and crossed under the tongue
Safety chains with enough slack to turn
Power and brake connections in good condition, with slack for turns
Landing gear (trailer jack) working
Fifth-wheel gear, if used: plate, jaws, handle, pin and side rails in good order

Trailer

Frame free of cracks, fractures and bends
Tail, clearance, brake and indicator lights working, reflectors in place
Tyres inflated and undamaged
Wheel nuts present, tight and rust-free
Wheel rims undamaged
Level when hitched to the tow vehicle
Running boards in good condition, if fitted
Winch working, if fitted

Load

Load as low as possible and secured so nothing can fall off
Weight spread evenly front to back and side to side
Trailer weight and balance suited to the tow vehicle and hitch

Keep the record with the trailer

A paper tick-sheet gets lost. In Loggy you do the same check on your phone.

Open the trailer and tap Inspect.
Pick a template, or tap Create your own and build the list above.
Mark each item P (pass), F (fail) or N (not applicable). Tap the clip to add a note and a photo.
Tap Review & Sign, draw your signature and submit.

If an item fails, tap to create a fault from it. The fault stays on the trailer’s Active Faults list until someone fixes it. Inspections are free. Inspections help · Track faults

Service work is a separate list

This checklist is the quick check. Services, oil changes and repairs get logged on their own, with the reading, the workshop, the cost and the invoice. Your manual sets the intervals, and Loggy can remind you when the next one is due. Set a service reminder · AL-KO chassis schedule

Questions

What should I check before towing a trailer?

The hitch and coupler, safety chains, tyres and wheel nuts, lights, brakes and frame, and how the load is spread. The list above follows a US EPA pre-trip checklist.

How should the safety chains be fitted?

The EPA checklist says they should be attached to both vehicles, cross under the tongue in an X, and leave enough slack for turning.

Is this the legal inspection list for my trailer?

No. Rules differ by country, state and trailer weight, and Loggy cannot tell you what yours require. Check with your regulator. Loggy keeps a dated record of what you checked and signed, which helps either way.

Can I keep a separate record for each trailer?

Yes. Add each trailer as its own vehicle in Loggy, with its own service history, faults and inspections.

Is it free?

The checklist is free to download. In Loggy, inspections and service logs are free too: the app has a generous free tier with unlimited vehicles and no ads. Premium adds sharing a vehicle with other people, folders and downloadable reports.

Run your first trailer check on your phone. On iOS and Android, with a generous free tier and no ads.

Checks based on: US EPA, Trailer Towing Pre-Trip Safety Inspection Checklist (PDF). Read 10 November 2026.