Why bodywork damage matters
Curtains, straps, buckles and body panels take a hammering, and damage that looks cosmetic often isn't. A torn curtain can't secure a load, a broken buckle or strap can't be used, and damage to a body or frame can fail a safety inspection or an annual test. Until it is fixed, the trailer or vehicle is either off the road or carrying less than it should.
Our article on trailer curtain and welding repairs explains what to look for.
What we repair
- curtains, buckles, straps and the fittings that hold them
- body panels, gates and doors
- welding repairs to bodies, frames, brackets and fittings
- damage found during a walkaround check or a PMI safety inspection
Repair or replace
Not every damaged part is worth repairing, and not every one needs replacing. We tell you honestly which makes sense for the damage in front of us, so you aren't paying for a new part when a repair will do the job, or paying twice for a repair that won't last.
Keeping equipment in service
Bodywork repairs can often be booked alongside servicing or an inspection, so the trailer only comes off the road once. Operators on a fleet maintenance contract have damage picked up and dealt with as part of their regular schedule.
Common causes of curtain and body damage
Most of the damage we repair comes from everyday work:
- forklift and loading damage at the rear or sides
- loads shifting in transit and pushing against the curtain
- straps and buckles worn through by repeated use
- weather damage, and tears that started small and grew
- low-speed knocks in yards and at loading bays
Load security and the law
DVSA publishes guidance on securing loads on commercial vehicles, and a curtain that is torn or a buckle that won't fasten can make it impossible to secure a load properly. Drivers and operators can face penalties for unsafe loads, and a trailer with damaged load security fittings can be stopped from continuing its journey. Keeping curtains, straps and fittings in good repair is part of keeping loads, and drivers, legal.
Stopping small damage becoming expensive
Small tears and loose fittings get worse quickly at motorway speeds. If a driver reports curtain or body damage on a walkaround check, get it looked at before it grows. A quick repair now is far cheaper than a new curtain later, and it keeps the trailer in service.
Booking a repair
Ring 01332 916028 or use the form below with the trailer or vehicle, a description of the damage and, if you can, a photo. The workshop is at Melbourne, near Derby, and open for planned work Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00.
Where we cover
We work across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire from our base at Melbourne, just south of Derby, close to the M1, A50, A38 and A42. That puts Derby, Burton upon Trent, Castle Donington and the logistics parks around junctions 23a and 24 of the M1, Loughborough, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Swadlincote, Long Eaton, Nottingham and Leicester on our doorstep, with Mansfield, Chesterfield and Sheffield further up the M1.
