Top Truck Maintenance Tips For Your Fleet

Does your business use trucks in any capacity? If so, you probably don’t need to be told how important it is that your fleet operate reliably and consistently. Your productivity could suffer in major ways if one of your trucks stops working without warning.

That’s of course less likely to happen if you practise effective maintenance. Through upkeep and truck diagnostic services, you can feel confident your fleet will meet your needs on a consistent basis. This is of course key to providing your customers with reliable service. You don’t want a customer working with the competition in the future because a truck problem resulted in a later delivery.

The following examples represent some of the tasks you should prioritise when developing a fleet maintenance plan. Completing these tasks on a regular basis will help you keep your trucks in the best possible condition for as long as possible.

They’ll also make it easier to identify minor issues before they develop into major problems. As a result, you’ll save a lot of money in the long run. Conducting basic maintenance is simply less costly than paying for substantial repairs.

Check Your Tyres Regularly During Truck Service

A truck’s tyres obviously play an incredibly important role in its performance. Even if every single other component is in perfect working order, if one or more tyres are flat, a truck isn’t going anywhere.

That’s why you need to check your tyres on a regular basis. Confirm they are inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and examine them closely for signs of substantial wear.

There are many reasons why checking your tyres frequently is vital to overall truck fleet maintenance. First of all, this is an easy task to complete. You’re probably neglecting other maintenance tasks if you aren’t prioritising this one.

Additionally, even if a tyre isn’t flat, if it’s not properly inflated, a truck’s fuel efficiency will diminish. You stand to save a lot of money on fuel each year by simply confirming your fleet’s tyres are properly inflated.

Perhaps more importantly, checking your tyres guards against accidents. Tyres that are worn down are less able to grip the road. This of course makes it difficult to properly operate a vehicle.

You obviously don’t want one of your drivers (or anyone else out on the road) sustaining an injury or losing their life because of something this minor. Checking your fleet’s tyres is an essential responsibility.

Check Oil Levels

Many people already know that tyres play an important role in a truck’s operation. However, many people don’t appreciate just how significant oil’s role is as well. This is often because they don’t fully understand precisely what oil does.

Oil serves a range of purposes. Its main function, however, is to lubricate the numerous components found in truck and car engines. After all, engines consist of many moving parts. These parts create friction when they move.

Excess friction results in excess heat. Thus, a truck’s engine could overheat if the components weren’t lubricated with fresh oil. This is unfortunately a relatively costly problem to address. However, it’s one you can’t ignore. A truck with an overheated engine will be essentially useless until you repair or replace the engine. In the meantime, with one of your fleet’s trucks no longer in operation, you won’t be able to serve your customers as reliably as you should.

It’s also important to understand that lubricating an engine’s components is only one function of oil. A truck’s oil serves numerous other purposes, including transferring heat from moving parts to safer areas, guarding against corrosion, and removing contaminants that could otherwise damage an engine.

This highlights a crucial point worth remembering. Some business owners neglect truck service. They feel regular maintenance requires too great of a financial and time investment. What they don’t realise is that upkeep helps them avoid major financial losses and optimises their budgets. When you practise regular maintenance, you’ll optimise the lifespan of a truck’s engine and other essential components. Again, this guards against the need for costly repairs.

Check Exterior Truck Bodies for Signs of Damage

Don’t overlook the basics when performing truck maintenance. Yes, it’s important that you check the tyres and oil. You may also want to coordinate with experts who can provide more thorough truck diagnostic services.

That said, it’s also crucial that you regularly inspect truck bodies for signs of damage. Replacing an aging or damaged component after an inspection is much easier than scrambling to replace it fast if it falls off the truck (or otherwise fails) when the vehicle is in operation and potentially far away from your headquarters.

It’s also smart to consider the way in which the appearance of your trucks reflects your business and brand. You don’t want clients to perceive you as unprofessional because your drivers show up in trucks that are clearly damaged.

Convince them (and all other drivers who see your fleet on the road) that you run a professional operation by inspecting your trucks’ exteriors regularly, and making any necessary repairs.

This is another safety issue as well. Depending on the nature of your trucks, some exterior components may detach easily if they’re damaged. This can obviously pose a threat to other drivers if a component were to detach in the middle of a busy road. Ensure that doesn’t happen by performing thorough and regular inspections of your trucks’ exteriors.

Check All Lights

It’s easy to understand why you should confirm your fleet’s lights are working properly. The exterior lights are vital when drivers are operating vehicles at night. If the exterior lights aren’t working, a driver won’t be able to see where they are going. They’ll hopefully make the smart choice and decide to reschedule the assignment until the necessary repairs can be made.

Unfortunately, you can’t be certain all drivers will be this responsible. If the lighting is dim, but still working to some degree, a driver might try to reach their destination before the necessary repairs are made. This boosts their odds of being involved in a collision.

Don’t think this means you shouldn’t check the interior lights as well. Although they typically don’t play as great a role in keeping motorists safe, they can still be useful in many situations. For example, maybe one of your drivers gets stuck in poor weather at night. They might need to find certain supplies to keep themselves warm and safe until help arrives. This will simply be much easier if their interior lights are working properly.

Replace Certain Components Regularly

It’s a good idea to consult with your “truck service near me” experts when developing a maintenance plan. They’ll let you know what additional steps you can take to ensure your fleet is in the best possible condition. They’ll also answer any questions you may have.

For instance, you should ask an expert to provide you with a list of truck components that tend to wear down fairly quickly when compared to others. Tyres are of course one example. To conduct truly effective and proper maintenance, it’s often necessary to replace certain components early, before problems arise. An inspection doesn’t need to reveal any major issues for you to justify replacing tyres and similar parts. Should you notice even minor signs of wear and tear, you’ll likely want to err on the side of caution and replace the affected parts sooner rather than later.

Schedule Truck Service Regularly

There are many steps you can take on your own to optimise the condition of your truck fleet. However, unless you have professional experience as a truck maintenance specialist, there are likely other tasks you’re not qualified to perform. These may include checking the cooling system, electrical components, belts, hoses, brakes, and much more.

In other words, search for a “truck service near me” expert and schedule regular inspections. A truck diagnostic expert will address the maintenance tasks you don’t have the tools or expertise necessary to address on your own.

Unfortunately, trucks are just like all other major vehicles: they can develop problems over time. When this happens, you need help from a specialist to ensure the repairs are completed promptly and effectively.

That’s not something you have to worry about when you coordinate with Transcare, serving the Derby, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire. We offer both maintenance support and repair services, helping you keep your fleet on the road. To learn more about what we can do for your business, contact us online today.