Repair or replace? How to make the call on your trailer
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It's a question we get asked a lot, usually after someone's had a quote for a repair that's more than they expected. Repair it, or put that money towards something new?
There's no single right answer, but here's how we think about it.
Start with the frame
The frame is the trailer. Everything else — axles, bearings, lights, couplings — can be replaced. If the frame is structurally sound and not badly corroded, a trailer is worth repairing.
If the frame is cracked, bent, or the steel is rusted through in multiple places, you're building on a bad foundation. At that point, putting money into it usually doesn't make sense.
Age and condition
A 10-year-old trailer with a solid frame and a few worn parts is often worth fixing. A 20-year-old trailer with a bubbling chasis, rusty axles, and wiring held together with electrical tape is usually not.
The question is: after the repair, what else is going to need attention in the next 12 months? If the list is long, you may be better off starting fresh.
What you paid vs what you'll pay
If a repair costs more than 50-60% of what a comparable replacement would cost, you're usually better off replacing. That's not a hard rule, but it's a useful sanity check.
What the trailer is used for
A trailer that gets light, occasional use has a different equation to one that's working hard every week. For a trailer that's going to do a lot of kilometres and take a hammering, reliability matters more — which sometimes means replacing sooner rather than pouring money into repairs that keep you on the road for another six months.
Get a second opinion
If you're not sure, bring it in. We'll give you an honest assessment. If a repair makes sense, we'll tell you what's involved and what it'll cost. If it doesn't, we'll tell you that too.
We'd rather you make the right call than spend money you didn't need to.