Support

To discuss any concerns you may have about your Briford trailer please contact your local dealer.

If you are in Canterbury, or not near a dealer contact Briford direct.

It is important for the safety and longevity of your investment to maintain your Briford trailer correctly. It is important to know what you need to check, and how to connect, load and drive your Briford trailer safely. The information below is only a start and is not meant to represent all the information required to operate a Briford trailer safely.

REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR BRIFORD TRAILER

BRIFORD Trailers has a full repair bay for maintenance you feel is beyond your abilities or knowledge. There is very little that can go wrong but regular checks can stop some issues from becoming more serious. We build them and have all the necessary spares and knowledge to do any servicing required properly. You can also buy spares to maintain your Briford trailer.

Regular Checks you can do yourself –

Always confirm lights are functioning properly.
Plugs and wiring should be in good condition with no bare wiring visible.
Regularly visually check the coupling bolts and coupling, safety chain and ‘D’ shackles.
Visually check shackle bolts and bushes for tightness, and on tandems the equalized suspension.
After purchase ensure your wheel nuts are still tight several times over the next two to three weeks.
Grease points. There are very few on a new Briford trailer. There is one on the top of a jockey wheel for the thrust bearing and two on a brake coupling to grease the sliding action of the coupling. Older tandems have a greased centre bolt on the equalizers.
Brakes. The hydraulic brake fluid should be regularly checked and topped up to the level mark on the master cylinder. Drum brakes if fitted should first be adjusted at the wheel before topping up fluid.

WIRING

For reference, the table below is the colour coding for Briford trailer plugs and sockets. Both Flat and Round.

Colours can depend on who manufactured the cable. Modern flat plugs do have the names inside by each pin.

Earth = Black/White

Brake = Red
Tail light = Brown/Black
Left indicator = Yellow
Right Indicator = Green

TERMS AND BEST PRACTICE

Tare = the weight of your empty Briford trailer
Payload (load) = anything weighing on your Briford trailer
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) = the combined maximum permissible weight of the Briford trailer + any payload
Pounds per Square Inch (psi) = air pressure inside the tyre – also measured in kilopascals (kpa)

You can find the Certification Plate with the Trailer Model, Year, Tare weight, GVM, Minimum Tyre Size, Ply, Tyre Pressure, Certification Number, and Chassis Number on the left hand side of your Briford trailer ‘A’ frame drawbar arm and an additional gross weight plate on top of the same drawbar arm.
You should not exceed the GVM for any reason.
If a trailer is purchased ex-stock any extra added at that point will not be included in the tare weight listed on the Certification Plate as the weight is done as manufactured. If a trailer is ordered, all the spec of that order is included in the tare weight. This should be remembered when loading up your Briford trailer.
Your vehicle also has its own towing capacity so be sure not to exceed its limits. If the GVM of your Briford trailer exceeds your vehicles towing capacity you must limit your load to the lesser of the two.
It is important to balance your load over the axle. Forward weight is essential and if a down force weight is not specified by the vehicle manufacturer a 10% weight is the recommendation. If your trailer is loaded too far back it will have a lifting effect on your vehicle, trying to lift the rear of the vehicle and reducing grip (traction) and potentially causing dangerous lateral sway. See clip below.
Briford trailers are built tough, but prolonged exposure to salt water or chemicals (including some garden products/fertilizers/clippings) is not recommended. Always clean the load-bed after use with suspect loads.

TRAILER WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

This short clip clearly demonstrates the importance of correct weight distribution of your towed load, and the catastrophic results of getting it wrong.

Weight distributed to the rear of the trailer acts like a pendulum to swing the rear of your vehicle sideways. Simultaneously it acts with a lifting force on the rear of your vehicle reducing tyre grip and further exacerbating the sideways pendulum effect.

TYRE PRESSURE (P.S.I.)

The correct pressure for the tyres provided on your Briford trailer is stated on the curb-side (L/H) of your Briford trailer drawbar arm. You may want to increase the pressure for heavier loads, but never exceed the maximum pressure displayed on the sidewall of the tyre. We normally stipulate the minimum pressure at 30psi for the standard weight ranges offered. Increased weight ratings for both single axle and tandem axle trailers change the tyres and pressures required.

CRATES

Crates (sometimes referred to as cages) are not engineered to carry loads on the top of the crate frame. The load weight would be transferred into the top of the trailer body and not the chassis. A few items will be OK but only two or three. Ladder racks or heavy duty H-frames are designed and available for this purpose and transfer the load weight through to the chassis. They come in four height choices and can be purchased to fit over both height crates if necessary.

JOCKEY WHEEL

Jockey wheels allow you to easily manoeuvre your Briford trailer by hand allowing you to move the trailer around to assist you with loading/unloading. You can also connect your trailer to your vehicle more easily as you can move it up and down without lifting when coupling up to the towbar. You should always be careful with a loaded trailer if moving by hand especially on a slope.

Briford only use Christchurch made Christine Products jockey wheels. They are far superior to others offered in the market place. We have a full range of spares available if required.

INSURANCE CLAIMS

When dealing with an insurance claim on your Briford Trailer: Briford manufacturers quality trailers with superior build and unique features. They are engineered for loading capacity, strength and durability. If your insurer suggests replacing your trailer, be aware that low cost imported trailers are NOT “like for like” replacements. They are not the same quality, build, loading capacity, features, strength or durability. This has only happened on very rare occasions but do not accept any offer that will leave you with a product inferior to a Briford Trailer. Contact us if you need help.