15 Must-Have Jet Ski Trailer Accessories [And FAQ’s]

Trailers seem to be the forgotten hero of the jet ski world. Without them, we would not be able to get our toys to the locations we need.

One of the most common questions I get is, what accessories do I need for my jet ski trailer? Jet ski trailers seem so simple that you would think you don’t need much to get going with them, right? WRONG!

Let’s go over the must-have jet ski trailer accessories!

1. Adjustable Trailer Jack

The tongue jack *is a must-have for anyone with any trailer.

Without the tongue jack, you’re putting the nose of the trailer directly on the ground. Not only does this make it harder to pick up the trailer, but damages the frame and coupler of the trailer.

Here is a short list of why a trailer tongue jack is needed for your jet ski trailer.

1. Makes getting the trailer off your truck easier.
2. Easier to move the jet ski around the garage and other flat surfaces.
3. Levels the trailer for oil changes and keeps water out of places it shouldn’t be when on land.
4. Helps with cleaning your jet ski, as you can prop the trailer up higher by putting something under the jack.
5. Something to grab and help get the trailer on the ball of your truck.

The only downside I’ve seen from trailer tongue jacks is that they can get bent over time. People either damage them or use a jack too small for their trailer.

Otherwise, a tongue jack is a must for any trailer.

2. Spare Tire

Having a spare tire is simply a good idea for any trailer!

From my years of selling and owning jet skis, I’ve learned that people don’t take care of their jet skis trailers, especially their tires. Most of the time, tires are dry rotted and ready to fail, and often fail at the worst spots.

Sometimes it’s something in the road that damages the tire of your trailer, and you’ll need to replace it.

Here is a link to the most common jet ski tire*, but make sure you get one that is the correct size and lug pattern for your jet ski trailer. If you’re not certain, your local jet ski dealership will have several, or your local tire shop can get the tires too.

You will need a spare tire holder* or somewhere in your car or trailer to keep the spare tire.

3. Tire Changing Kit

Jet ski trailers do not come with the tools you’ll need to change the tire WHEN it fails.

So, it’s a good idea to keep some basic tools around to help you change the tire on your jet ski trailer. You can keep it in your car, or get a cargo box for your trailer.

Here is a list of tools you’ll need to change your trailer tires.

1. Wheel chock.
2. Jack.
3. Socket that fits your lug nuts.
4. Impact or breaker bar.

While this may seem complicated, the good news is that you can buy kits like this one here* that has everything you’ll need. These kits run off your car’s 12-volt system and make your life way easier when you need to replace a tire.

4. Trailer Tongue Box / Cargo Box

To help you carry all the gear and accessories for your jet ski and trailer, you can get a cargo box.

The cargo box mounts in front of the jet ski on the front part of the trailer. On single jet ski trailers it’s a tight fit, and you can only use small cargo boxes*. For double jet ski trailers, you have more room and can use a bigger cargo box*.

The number of things you can carry in that box makes it so important. You can keep everything in this list in the cargo box, and it’s always there when you need them.

5. Jet Ski Trailer Strap

Tie-down straps or trailer straps are used to secure the rear of your jet ski to the trailer. You have the front bow hook, but the rear still needs something to keep it from sliding out or bouncing too much on the bumps.

You can get ratchet straps for your trailer here*.

Tip: How you use a strap is simple. You place the strap through the center hole and then back to the top. Remember – Center then Top.

There have been a few times that a rear strap has saved the jet ski I was towing. For example, I had the front strap of a jet ski trailer break and if it wasn’t for the rear strap the jet ski would have ended up on the road.

Overtime straps wear out due to the sun and water. The front straps seem to be the ones that fail first, so it’s important you replace it every 5 years. The same goes for rear straps, they should be replaced every 5 years, especially if they start to tear or fade.

I cover similar jet ski accessories here.

6. Wheel Chocks

Blocking or chocking the wheels off is very important when storing the trailer or doing any work on the jet ski and trailer.

You can get wheel chocks just about anywhere, they sell plastic and rubber ones. I find the rubber ones last longer and give better grip, I’ve snapped a few plastic ones.

You can get rubber wheel chocks here*.

I suggest getting at least two wheel chocks as it will cover most trailer tire configurations. I like to chock off the front and rear of the tire no matter the direction of the hill, and to accomplish this you may need more than two chocks.

Wheel chocks can also be helpful when launching your jet ski and keeping your truck from going into the water, as talked about in the video below.

7. Trailer Post Guides

Smaller trailers are hard to back up at boat ramps, so jet ski trailers need a little help with boat trailer post guides.

A boat trailer post guide does two things, lets you know where the far left and right of your trailer is and helps keep the rear of your boat from floating away when trying to load and unload.

You can buy post guide here*.

8. Trailer Lock

You got to have a trailer lock to keep people from hooking up and driving off with your jet ski.

A coupler lock* will work fine for most people, but if you need more security, then check out my post here.

Don’t forget to pick up the locking hitch-pin*. Even if you have a lock in the trailer, anyone can come up and pull the hitch out of your truck and hook up to their tuck; a hitch lock will keep this from happening.

9. Trailer Light Adapter

Most jet ski trailers use the flat trailer plug*, while all truck manufacturers have gone to the round trailer plug*.

More than likely, you’ll need the adapters so your lights work. The good news is that these trailer light adapters* are simple and affordable.

Trailer light adapters are often overlooked by beginners when it comes to jet ski trailer accessories.

10. Backup Camera

Most cars and trucks are required to have a backup camera when sold new, but if you don’t have one, I suggest getting one installed.

A backup camera* makes hooking up to a jet ski trailer a lot easier.

Before cameras there was a lot of guessing and restarting, it was a frustrating time.

11. Jet Ski Stand

Not so much a trailer accessory, but something similar to a trailer that takes up less space.

You can transfer your jet ski to a stand that takes up less space and is easier to move around. It also makes it easier to clean and work on your jet ski when it’s on a cart stand.

To learn more about jet ski stands, check out my post here.

12. Lube & Grease

You need to routinely grease and lube your trailer bearings, as shown in the video below.

Make sure to use marine rated grease* for your trailer bearings as they will be exposed to water.

Not only that, but you need to lubricate all moving metal parts, like the winch.

Just don’t put any lube on parts that people’s feet or hands will touch. Coating the trailer will not help with saltwater, rinse the trailer down with fresh water after riding in salt water is the best solution.

13. Torque Wrench

Before every ride, and especially at the start of the riding season, you need to check the torque of the wheel lug nuts of your trailer.

Over time, the lug nuts come loose and will work their way out if you’re not checking them. I’ve had it happen to my car, so make sure to check them too!

You can give them a snug fit with a beaker bar or similar, but you run the risk of over torquing the lug nuts, so you need to use a torque wrench*.

For most trailers, you torque the lugs to 90lb/ft, but consult your trailer’s owner’s manual for the exact measurement.

Here is a great video showing you how to use a torque wrench if you’ve never used one before.

14. Trailer Dolly

If you own many trailers and need to move them around, the tongue jack may not be enough and you’ll need a trailer dolly.

A trailer dolly hooks to the ball of the trailer and has wheels to make moving the trailer around a lot easier. It’s often easier to use than hooking up to the truck and moving the trailer for short distances.

At the jet ski dealership, I would use them to move jet skis around the lot, as it was just easier than getting the ATV or forklift.

I suggest trailer dollies with solid tires*, as the other ones go flat fast.

15. Solar Battery Charger

Not so much an accessory for trailers, but a huge help for the jet ski that is sitting on the trailer.

Jet ski batteries go flat when not used, and as covered in my post on why you need a solar battery charger, a solar charger can help keep them alive.

If you keep your jet ski on the trailer when you’re not using it, then installing a small solar battery charger on the frame is a great idea. The solar panel does not need to be in direct sunlight, so putting off to the side or installing it on top of the cargo box lid are great options.

FAQ

Trailer bunk slides? – I don’t suggest getting trailer bunk slides and instead sticking with the standard carpeted bunks, as covered in this post here.

Harbor Freight Trailers Customization? – Many stores sell cheap utility trailers that some people have customized to work for jet skis, but I don’t suggest it. Jet skis have gotten a lot bigger, with many of them far exceeding the weight capacity of these little trailers.

Unplug trailer lights when in water? – It’s a good idea to unplug your jet ski trailer lights before putting it in the water. Most people don’t, but overall, it’s a good idea.

Are trailer lights replaceable? – You can replace the bulb on older style jet ski trailer lights, but newer ones with LED may not always have a bulb replacement option. The good news is that LED lights last much longer, but will need you to replace the whole assembly. Most jet ski trailers have an easy plug-and-play when replacing a light.

How often to replace straps? – You want to replace your trailer straps and tie-downs when they start to tear/fade or every 3 to 5 years, whichever comes first.

Wax trailer? – Waxing your jet ski is fine, but you should NOT wax your jet ski trailer. Waxing your trailer is dangerous as you can slip and hurt yourself as people use trailers for boarding and getting off the jet ski.