Note 1

Corrosion or wood rotting damage is where  a metal or wooden structure has been eaten away and could be seen as bubbling, or pitting of the steel or by water damage, delamination or swelling of a wooden surface. The outward signs of such damage is typically displayed by the lifting, bubbling or discolouring of painted surfaces. In extreme cases, the area affected by the damage will fall out and leave a hole.

Repair means to restore a damaged or worn vehicle, its structure, systems, components or equipment to within safe tolerance of its condition when manufactured, including replacement with equivalent undamaged or new structures, systems, components or equipment.

Note 2

The vehicle inspector may request additional relevant information from a repairer or other relevant person.

Note 3

Special attention should be given to the point or points where the drawbar attaches to the body of the trailer. This is often the first point of structural failure on trailers.

Note 4

There is a safety risk with the Trailpro brand of light trailers which were sold through Bunnings NZ between 1 January 2006 and 12 October 2018. Bunnings is now recalling all Trailpro trailers, other than Trailpro 8x4 Tradesman (TP5) or 8x5 Tandem (TP8) models that have undergone Bunnings-approved repairs as part of an earlier recall.  These can be identified by the serial number on the identification plate ending with an “R” (see Figure 3-1-6). A TP5 or TP8 trailer with a serial number ending with an “R” may be issued a WoF if it passes all other checks. More information can be found in the safety recall notice on the Transport Agency website.

Figure 3-1-2. Shaded areas referred to in ‘Condition’ above

These include:

a) The chassis rails, cross members, subframes, suspension and body mounting points of a vehicle with a separate chassis, and

b)  the load-bearing structure of a monocoque body, including body mounting points, and

c)  the body fitted to a trailer where the structure supports the chassis, similar to a unitary body (for example, some livestock carriers, horse floats, and UK-sourced caravans with wooden or wood laminate structures).

Other sections also contain reasons for rejection and diagrams relating to specific vehicle components.

Figure 3-1-3. Drawbar attachment to trailer

Figure 3-1-4. Hinge and latch anchorages

No structural damage is allowed within 150mm of a circle around the outside of  a hinge, latch or load anchorage component.

Figure 3-1-5. Identifying a Trailpro TP5 and TP8

Bunnings is currently working on a repair process and we will update this once that is in place.

Affected trailers are fitted with an identification plate which is located on the outside of the trailer drawbar near the tow coupling.

Location of the trailer identification plate

Identification plate similar showing model number

The identification tag may be missing, faded, damaged or obscured. All Trailpro models have drawbars that are bolted rather than welded to the trailer. The TP5 has a single axle and a tray size of 8'x4' (2.4m x 1.2m). The TP8 is a tandem axle model with a tray size of 8'x5' (2.4m x 1.5m).

Bolted through drawbar attachment to trailer

Broken drawbar (sitting on trailer)

Figure 3-1-6. Trailpro plate showing repaired status

Figure 3-1-7. New front mount of the repaired Trailpro 8x4 and 8x5 trailers