How Truck Drivers Should Prepare Their Trucks for Spring
Spring brings new beginnings, renewed life, and a fresh season for truck maintenance. I know it isn’t the most exciting part of the new season but it could help your rig last longer than a truck stop romance. Let’s take a look at how to maintain your truck this spring.
Keep Your Cool
If you’ve spent most of your winter in the northern regions of our trucker lifestyle you know that the heating system is vital to your comfort. As the weather finally warms up, we turn our sights towards the cooling system. I love the heat but imagine yourself melting in the sun. Sitting in front of the windshield is like driving in a greenhouse and even I wouldn’t want to be stuck in the Texas heat without my cooling system fully functioning. Be sure to have your system checked before the heat rolls in with full force.
Get Charged Up
Batteries are the lifeline for your truck. When they stop working, you stop working, so this spring have your batteries and charging system checked. While your personal vehicle is likely running on the same battery you’ve had since you bought it, your truck batteries require regular maintenance or replacements. At a minimum, check for any corrosion or bulging and get it looked after immediately.
Hit the Brakes
Front to back, truck and trailer, your brakes are the most important piece of safety equipment. This is especially true if you run in regions that have a lot of hills or mountain terrain. You’ve spent a season driving in winter weather, navigating ice and snow, hills and valleys, and it’s time to have your brakes thoroughly checked and replaced if necessary.
While your checking your brakes, have your tires assessed as well. It’s all part of the daily inspection but ensure your tires are assessed for any wear or damage that may have gone unseen while they were on your truck. Avoiding a highway blowout is always a bonus.
Get Flushed
Your truck’s engine is flowing with fluids of all kinds, and it’s a great time to have the fluids topped up or changed and the systems flushed, including:
● Transmission fluid flush
● Differential fluid change
● Power steering fluid flush
● Coolant replacement or top-off
● Transfer case fluid change
Under the Hood
During the cold weather, hoses and belts can crack and fray, creating weak spots that are just waiting for the worst possible time to give way and create chaos in your day. While you’re under the hood changing and topping fluids, take a look at your hoses, belts, and even your filters. We take for granted that these are all in good operating condition until something goes wrong and leaves us sitting on the side of the highway with our hoods up waiting for a tow.
Wipe Away the Rain
Your wipers had a busy season with snow, ice, and road grime. Salt and sand will be on the roads for a few more weeks and you’ll want to see the road without looking through streaks and silt. This spring change your wipers and load up on more washer fluid keeping the sightline clear and crisp for your next run.
Get Cleaned Up
Clean vehicles run better and drive smoother. Science says that grit and grime impact the aerodynamics of the truck and that impacts fuel economy, but maybe the heart and soul of your truck is just happy to look good in front of others. Whatever the reason, getting the winter grit and grime off helps preserve the paint and finish, preventing rust from creeping up and deteriorating your truck, saving you money, and keeping you rolling down the road for many, many more miles.