How to Maintain Heavy and Medium Trucks
Trucks often come in all shapes, colors and sizes. A common practice irrespective of size or shape is truck maintenance. Truck maintenance at regular timely intervals is crucial to ensure the efficiency of your operations as well as to ensure road safety. Not only is maintenance important for the safety of your driver and your truck, it also plays a vital role in the protection of other road users. Improved mileage, fuel economy, reduced downtime, prolonged engine life and increased productivity are all benefits of keeping your trucks in good working condition.
Change the Engine Oil and Filter
Regular and thorough care of the truck’s engine prevents damage, which can cost a fortune to repair. It also ensures that the truck is trying to achieve maximum efficiency. Clean and good quality engine oil protects the engine and keeps the engine components lubricated. If dust or dirt get into the oil, it affects the performance significantly. Changing of engine oil and the oil filter will ensure a smooth-running engine. One must follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to determine how often the oil needs to be changed. This may vary from the mileage or the kind of running your trucks undergo.
Inspect the tyres
The truck’s tyres should be checked very often, making sure that the tyre pressure is compliant with the manufacturer’s recommendations. An important part of tyre maintenance is checking the wear of the tyres. The tyres should be rotated on a regular basis so that they wear evenly. It is important to note that trucks tend to carry heavier loads than cars, this increases the safety risks that are associated with low air pressure. If the tyres aren’t regularly maintained, they will wear out much faster. Some of the aspects to look for are, the tread pattern must be consistent across the tyre and it’s also essential that the tread depth always exceeds 1mm. Check the tyres for lumps and cracks regularly. You can also examine the side-walls of the tyres for bulges.
Check other fluid levels
Nearly all fluids will have a mileage or time interval for when they need to be changed. If a particular fluid level is low, get into the habit of thoroughly checking all the lines and components in which that fluid flows to find out if there’s a leak. An important aspect to remember is, all fluids should be checked with the vehicle on level ground. Some of the common fluids one must inspect are;
- Transmission fluid : Its job is to cool the transmission, protect it and allow it to operate smoothly. Its fluid should be checked as frequently as the engine oil.
- Coolant : It’s a good idea to check its level at every oil change and before any trips where the vehicle will be worked hard or endure long distances, dirty or overused old coolant can prevent the corrosion inhibitors from working efficiently.
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Inspect the Braking System
Both brake and power-steering fluids can last a very long time, but change intervals may be suggested by the manufacturer. Moisture and heat can affect the quality of both fluids; if either comes in contact with water or is overheated for extended periods of time, they should be replaced immediately. Leaving the brakes uninspected can be quite harmful. Life on the road means you have to be very particular about wear and tear of the smallest of motor parts. A smooth functioning braking system will ensure safety for the drivers and also the loaded cargo. Make sure you inspect your truck brakes also while changing the oil.
Conclusion
Trucks are heavy and expensive machines that can be quite costly to maintain if handled wrongly. Therefore, always rely on well-trained mechanics and make sure to use the best quality oils and lubricants to handle your sturdy commercial assets and ensure a smooth and long vehicle life.