Trailer hardware is the first thing to wear out and the last thing to be checked. Hinges with play, latches that do not lock, bent lashing rings or door retainers without their rubber are grounds for a defect at the roadworthiness test (ITV) and, worse, for an accident on the road. This checklist helps you go over the bodywork in 20 minutes and decide what to replace.
1. Drop side and door hinges
Open and close every drop side and every door. Look for play in the pin (more than 1–2 mm means it needs replacing), cracks in the leaves and loose fixings. On refrigerated or livestock trailers check for corrosion: if the zinc-plated hinge is pitted, switch to stainless steel.
2. Anti-luce and drop-side latches
Every anti-luce latch must turn and lock without the help of a tool. If the pin is bent or the lever does not stay engaged, replace it: it is a part that costs a few euros and stops the drop side from opening while driving. Also check the tipper door hooks and pins. Everything is in body latches and hardware.
3. Door retainers
With the rear door open at 270°, the retainer must hold it firmly against the side. If the door moves in the wind or the rubber base is flattened or broken, replace the rubber (and the retainer if the male part is deformed). See door retainers and spares 60090/60091S.
4. Lashing points
Standard EN 12640 requires enough lashing points for the vehicle's GVW, in good condition. Check that the spring-loaded lashing rings lift and return to their position, that there are no cracks in the welds and that the hooks are not opened out. A bent ring is replaced, not straightened. See lashing and anchor points.
5. Ladders and steps
Folding steps must stay locked in the stowed position and must not protrude beyond the vehicle's width. Check the anti-slip surface and the welds on the brackets. If a step has been bent by an impact, it is better to replace it with a reinforced one.
6. Rubber buffers and mudguards
A cracked or detached rubber buffer lets the body strike the spring. Replace it with the same size (from 120 × 70 × 85 up to 360 × 100 × 115 mm). On the mudguards, check that the brackets have no play in the flange and that the mudguard does not rub the wheel; it is a major defect at the test. See rubber buffers and mudguard brackets.
7. Spring latches and ramp pins
Spring latches must return to the closed position on their own. If the spring is tired or the Ø12 bolt is worn, replace the whole assembly: it is in spring bolts and latches.
When to replace and when to repair
As a rule, safety parts (lashing points, latches, retainers, spring latches) are replaced; wear parts (rubbers, bases, pins) are renewed; and structural parts (hinges, brackets) are replaced if there is play or corrosion, and tightened if it is only the fixings. All the hardware on this list is in trailer hardware, shipped from Valencia in 24–72 h.