Truck Maintenance Tips I

HAVE A PLAN TO COMBAT BRAKE WEAR AND FAILURE

Brake failure is a common cause for accidents, which often result in vehicle damage, third-party injury and lawsuits. To avoid these potentially catastrophic results, be sure to establish a plan for having a professional service your brakes as part of your truck maintenance routine. The distance a truck can travel between brake service depends on the driving habits of the driver, but it's safest to have them inspected and maintained during every oil change.

Maintenance Tips: Brake parts wear and need to be replaced on a regular basis. Brake shoe indicators that are built into the pads will tell you when to replace them. When you bring your truck in to replace the pads, your maintenance provider should also install new brake springs, pins and bushings. The drums should be replaced at the same time shoes are changed out because they wear down and can develop heat cracks.

Application pressure is a key to stopping your truck, so check the pressure gauge to be sure it reads at least 60 psi or greater — between 100 and 125 psi is ideal — before putting the truck to work. If pressure is consistently less than 100 psi, have the brakes checked.

Brakes have many components that need to be maintained on a regular basis, so be sure to have your maintenance provider grease the slack adjusters, check and grease the S cams, and check the linings and hoses.

 DO TESTS TO AVOID ENGINE PROBLEMS

Engine and drivetrain problems will take your truck off the road faster than you can say “downtime,” so be on the lookout for signs such as excessive smoking, loss of oil pressure or a decrease in power. These are symptoms of an unhealthy engine and should be dealt with immediately, preferably by a professional such as Empire Truck & Trailer that can properly diagnosis the problem and make the appropriate repairs.

Maintenance Tips: For the engine, arrange to have your maintenance provider conduct periodic compression tests, which will provide a sense of how long the engine will last. Other maintenance checks include monitoring engine coolant and exhaust temperature and keeping an eye on oil and boost pressures. Have all rubber parts under the hood and the wheel alignment checked on a regular basis.

PREVENT BODY PROBLEMS

Body corrosion is a major reason why some trucks are retired earlier than others. Salt and other chemicals are common causes of rust. If you happen to drive in areas where winter roads are treated for snow and ice, the chances are high your truck’s body will corrode over time. You can’t prevent rust, but you can slow it down and extend the life of the vehicle by embracing these truck maintenance tips.

Maintenance Tips: Do the following to keep your truck’s body in top shape:

Paint chips bigger than the tip of a pen are perfect places for rust to begin and should be dealt with immediately. If your regular maintenance company doesn’t provide this service, find a reputable paint shop that will warrant its work.

Wash your truck every 10 days. Washing keeps contaminants from eating through the clear coat, paint, primer and bare metal. Also be sure to keep any drains clear of debris and wipe down the doorjams

Spray door locks with a lubricant such as WD-40 in colder weather before stowing your truck for the evening. This will protect the lock from moisture, which causes rust.

Wash your truck immediately following snow, sleet or rain. Snow and sleet mixed with road salt will corrode the chassis. Rain collects pollutants and deposits them as “acid rain,” which damages the protective finish.

This is a tough one, but it’s best to avoid driving through large puddles on roads and in parking lots. They collect contaminants along with abrasive dirt and grime, which can inflict heavy corrosion on your vehicle’s body and undercarriage.