What should be prioritized when you do truck maintenance?
- Tires
- Fluids
- Brakes
- Electrical systems and wiring
Trucks, whether for commercial or personal purposes, must undergo pre-trip inspections and regular maintenance. It doesn’t matter whether they’re purchased directly from the manufacturer or bought from Japan surplus. In the Philippines, the truck industry is one of the most hardworking ones, especially when it comes to keeping their assets as efficient as possible.
With a number of different truck brands such as Foton trucks in the Philippines being used almost every day, it is vital that they’re kept in the best of conditions for a safer trip.
Truck maintenance is a requirement for every business that uses them. It ensures that the goods it transports are safe from any kind of hazard. That being said, the maintenance of trucks is very extensive. Every part of the truck is thoroughly inspected and meticulously optimized to perform at the best of its condition.
It’s important to consider every part of a truck during inspections and full maintenance. But there is usually a priority on a few select parts — the ones that experience wear and tear the most. Below are the most important things to check during every truck maintenance procedure!
Tires
If you consider which part of a truck experiences the most wear during every trip, it would usually be the tires. The tires give the traction that allows the truck to move. Without a properly maintained set of tires, you won’t have smooth control over your truck.
Tires are said to account for around one-third of the total maintenance costs of a commercial truck. It’s advised that you should always inspect the air pressure and tire treads before every trip.
Tires are optimized to have a certain amount of air in them, with a plus/minus 10 percent acceptable variance. Take note that even the slightest difference can have an effect on the performance of the tire and the quality of the ride. This can affect the fuel economy and tread life as well. Underinflated tires can lead to irregular wear. Overinflated tires will entail a hard ride, reduced traction and are more susceptible to damage from road hazards.
Fluids
During every maintenance and inspection, drivers are encouraged to look for fluid leakages on the pavement under the truck. It’s imperative that you check the coolant, antifreeze, oil, and fuel for any sort of leaks. You should also make sure that you have the proper amount of fluids and making sure of it by inspecting the gauges. It’s also highly advised for drivers to turn on the ignition and test the oil pressure, temperature, and air pressure gauges to ensure that they’re working properly.
Oil has multiple uses in a truck’s engine. It lubricates, cools, cleans and protects different mechanisms. This is achieved with the help of various additives to improve the oil’s ability to resist heat, friction, oxidation, and contamination.
Automatic transmission fluid should also be checked periodically if your truck uses it. The best time to do so is when the vehicle was recently driven, while the fluid is still hot.
Antifreeze prevents the coolants from freezing or overheating depending on the weather conditions. It also helps fight corrosion within the engine. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the coolant every 2 to 3 years to replenish the corrosion inhibitors in the antifreeze.
Brakes
It is highly important to make sure that the parking and standard brakes are always in top condition. They should be checked to ensure that there is a proper amount of lining remaining and that there are no leaks in the air pressure system.
You should never take shortcuts when you inspect your brakes. Keep in mind that if your brakes are not in optimal condition, they will pose as a huge safety risk.
Always check brake adjustments when the brakes are cold. Stroke measurements will be longer when brakes are hot due to heat expansion of the brake drum.
The maintenance of brakes is more extensive because of how important it is to the safety of both the driver and the cargo.
Electrical Systems and Wiring
Every electronic part of the truck should be inspected. From the headlights, warning lights, flashers, and clearance lights, to the turn signals, and brake lights, every one of them should be checked of whether they’re working. You should also look at the other electrical components particularly the integral wiring that assures everything is working properly. Make sure that the wires don’t show any signs of tear, and are not loose.
If you find a wire that has some complications, immediately contact an expert in order to fix it. A large part of the mechanisms of a truck is part of an electrical system so it would be best to fix these kinds of problems as soon as possible.
Key Takeaway
Truck maintenance is vital in making sure that new trucks and those bought through Japanese surplus in the Philippines work as effectively as possible. So whether you have the most advanced Foton trucks in the Philippines or a secondhand one, they will almost work the same as long as they both receive proper maintenance.
