Tips to Keep Your Cargo Truck In Good Shape

Every freight manager or truck driver knows the importance of keeping their semi-trucks in good shape. Lack of regular and proper maintenance leads to problems that result in a reduced lifespan for your truck, expensive repairs, lost time, frequent breakdowns, and others. Although problems are inevitable in this line of work, regular maintenance will prevent many of these problems from happening.

Semi-truck maintenance is more involved than a regular car. It has more parts to take care of, not to mention that semi-trucks face more wear and tear on the road compared to an average vehicle. That’s why semi-truck maintenance goes beyond changing oil, although this is extremely crucial too. Read on for some excellent tips on how to keep your cargo truck in good shape.

Maintain the tires

After fuel, tires are the biggest operating expense. A lot of money is spent on tires, and extreme care should be taken to minimize these expenses. A quick pressure check is necessary, but you should also check for unusual or excessive wear and inflation levels. Maintaining proper inflation is an effective way to increase your tires’ lifespan. You also need to regularly check for alignment problems.

Protect your semi-truck from weather

Regardless of the time of the year, weather poses some threats to your car. From torrential downpours to blistering heat, every condition can lead to a host of problems for your semi-truck. Extreme heat is not only uncomfortable, but it also causes your semi-truck paint job to fade prematurely. Direct sunlight oxidizes your paint job, causing the paint to peel away from its protective layers. Apart from making your truck attractive, your truck’s paint job guards the chassis against moisture damage. To protect the truck against extreme heat:

• Pack in the shade
• Cover your truck when parked under direct sunlight
• Do a proper paint job – You can have a proper paint job done by a professional while you paint the cargo container yourself. You can apply paint on your cargo container using a simple brush or spray. For the best results, sand the container’s surface to make it as smooth as possible. Find more information on this sanding grit guide.

Never miss an oil change

Although easy, regularly changing your oil is one of the most important things you can do to increase the lifespan of your truck. Be sure to change your oil filter when changing your oil.

Brakes maintenance is crucial

Your role as a truck driver is primarily diagnostic; you need quick help from a professional in case of telltale signs of an impending brake failure. Truck accidents are scarier, and they are more likely to result in death and more severe damage and injuries than other car accidents. Common signs of an imminent brake failure include:

• Howling or squealing sounds
• Soft brake pedal
• Vibrations when you hit the brakes
• Increased stopping time or distance
• ABS warning light

Equip operators with the proper tools needed and promote safety to help them avoid injury.

Endnote

Semi-truck maintenance is more involved than a regular car, but it is important that it is done right. The above tips are a good place to start.