Truck Maintenance Tips
30 Mar 2023
Truck Maintenance Tips
Lining highways around the world, trucks transport the goods we couldn’t live without. An essential cog in the logistics of industry, timely truck maintenance keeps the wheels of the world turning.
If you own a truck or a fleet of commercial trucks and trailers, you probably already know the stakes are high. Effective truck maintenance keeps your precious cargo on the road, preventing breakdowns, delays, lost profits, and expensive repairs. But with multiple vehicles to maintain, you need a clear plan of action to protect your assets.
This essential guide covers everything you need to know about heavy truck maintenance, including a preventative maintenance schedule to put your plan into motion.
- Truck Preventive Maintenance
- Truck Repair and Maintenance
- Truck Fleet Maintenance
- Truck Maintenance Plan
Truck Preventive Maintenance
Complete truck maintenance involves regularly checking various vehicle components and monitoring lubricant and fluid levels. The best thing to do is create a list of things that need checking according to your truck’s manufacturer and local legislation, and then make a schedule that includes regular driver inspections alongside essential servicing and safety checks.
The truck’s manual is a great place to start, although you can also seek the advice of a mechanic. In the manual, you should find clear guidelines for preventative maintenance checks according to the make and model of your truck. The key things to look out for are:
- Oil and Filters: Engine oil can burn out quickly when the load is heavy, which means you should check levels regularly. Oils and air filters should be changed by a licensed mechanic according to your truck’s usage and manufacturer’s instructions, often around every 6 months or 7,500 miles.
- Fluid Levels: Other essential fluids such as engine coolant power steering fluid should be routinely checked and changed as required.
- Brake System: A thorough check to see if the brake system is working properly prevents serious safety issues on the road. Brakes should be tested and serviced professionally. You can also listen for air leaks from air braking systems, and check pads and rotors periodically.
- Electrical System: All lights including brake, marker, and turn signals should be inspected regularly, ideally by truck drivers before every trip. Batteries and other electrical components should be inspected by a mechanic during servicing.
- Tires: Truck tires can last for up to 50,000 miles, but should still be checked often, with tire pressures and tread depth recorded.
- Seasonal Maintenance: A season-specific schedule can improve truck safety and performance all year round. Before warmer weather, you should check your truck’s A/C system, flush and test your coolant system, and lower tire pressure if necessary. Before the winter, be sure to re-inflate tires, check defrosters, and look for signs of pests in the engine bay.
Truck Repair and Maintenance
Truck fleet management often involves taking out a repair and maintenance contract with a specialised HGV mechanic. Saving you the cost and hassle of having an in-house workshop, many of these contracts include roadside assistance where required as well as mobile servicing and safety checks, keeping to a schedule that’s tailored to your needs.
Depending on the scale of your fleet and HGV maintenance required, these contracts can be a cost-effective and hassle-free way to keep on top of things.
Truck Fleet Maintenance
Truck fleet maintenance often feels complex, but it shouldn’t have to be. The first thing to do is take stock of your fleet because different commercial vehicles have different needs.
For example, dump truck maintenance might include detailed hydraulic system inspections, while heavy-duty truck maintenance will require more regular general inspections – especially when it comes to the engine oil and tire pressure.
Once you have a detailed inventory and checklist for every vehicle in your fleet, be sure to equip truck drivers with the appropriate knowledge and documents to carry out inspections. Use time-saving software to keep records of all inspections and servicing.
Truck Maintenance Plan
A good truck maintenance plan includes a clear list of all the components that need checking, when, and by who. It’s a good idea to have truck drivers check the vehicle daily before every trip, inspecting simple things like tread depth, tire pressure, warning lights, and engine oil.
You might then include a more thorough vehicle inspection every few months, with professional servicing scheduled according to the truck manufacturer’s instructions.
Developing a preventative maintenance program has the power to improve the efficiency and performance of your fleet, preventing expensive repairs and saving money in the long run. Meanwhile, using premium oils, lubricants, and coolants during maintenance can further enhance performance and fuel economy while reducing unexpected downtime.