Vehicles vary in appearance, size, and capability, but one common thing they have is they all require maintenance. Different vehicles have different maintenance needs that are affected by factors, such as purpose and size. For instance, maintaining a truck is slightly different from maintaining a passenger car.
Trucks are mostly used for freight transportation and construction, while others of its variants are for regular daily use. Most of them share a quality that is they are larger than other vehicles. Being on the bigger side means trucks need more maintenance, which is significant to their performance.
For truck owners, especially first-timers, keeping your vehicle in good condition must be prioritized. Whether you drive a heavy or pickup truck, you should do routine maintenance so you can use it well. Here are basic maintenance tips every truck owner should know to help you out.
Check and change oil regularly
Since trucks handle heavy workloads, their oil can be easily contaminated with dust and dirt from the engine and environment. Hence, it’s important to check your truck’s oil levels regularly. When you see that it’s dirty, you should also clean and change it to prevent the engine from overheating.
You should also change the oil filter and remove dust and dirt particles. Dust and dirt slow down engine performance, so you should frequently change the oil and oil filter. In addition, if your truck often carries heavy loads, you should change oil as frequently as possible.
Take care of your tires
Checking your tires routinely will help reduce repair and replacement costs along with driving hazards. You should see to it that your truck’s tire treads aren’t worn out yet because it’s essential to keep in contact with the road and efficient fuel consumption. If your truck carries heavy loads and you often drive off-road, rotating your tires will slow down tread wear and extend its tires’ usable life.
When replacing them, you must find the right tires for trucks. The right tires are suitable for driving conditions you frequently drive in and the correct size. When looking for new tires, keep those in mind when looking for new tires to ensure good performance and safety while driving.
Maintain brakes to avoid failure
Since trucks carry heavier loads than other vehicles, ensuring that their brakes are working is essential to stay safe. Unfortunately, numerous accidents happened due to brake failure, and accidents involving trucks are known to cause hefty damages. So check your truck’s brakes routinely to reduce that risk.
A recommended way of maintaining truck brakes is to inspect them during every oil change. That’s because the travel distance and your driving habits affect it. Also, it’s recommended that you install new brake springs, bushings, and pins when replacing your truck brake pads.
Maintain lubrication
Keeping your truck lubricated is also important to avoid costly repairs. Its steering, suspension, and drivetrain zerks must be lubed to prevent premature wear. It would also be best to keep all relevant components and fittings lubed before every haul to ensure everything works properly.
Clean the exterior
Clean the exterior of your truck to remove abrasive dirt or dust that can damage its paint job. Use paint cleaner for anything difficult to scrub out. Paint cleaners are designed to remove environmental damage that can’t be washed or scrubbed out easily.
For any damaged surfaces, use paint-cleaning clay along with a liquid-cleaning wax. Those will help toughen up your truck’s exterior paint against harmful elements.
Wrap up
Do this basic maintenance as a routine, and you will have a better experience as a truck owner. Simple things like these tips will do you much good as a truck driver because they reduce the risk of possible damage and downtime. Also, keep in touch with a mechanic for help should you need any.
Frank is an energetic salesman. On his free days, he spends his time writing and reading about financial plans and educational loans to help the parents and the next generation gain more insight about multiple educational opportunities.