Truck maintenance costs have increased around 20-30% over the past year. This huge increase is in part due to inflation as well as the increased time many more trucks have been on the road in the past few years. So, if your vehicle is also driving more, how do you ensure you keep your own maintenance costs down as much as possible?
One of the best ways to reduce repair costs is to engage in preventative maintenance and avoid more costly repairs. The following are some of the best ways to engage in this practice and keep your truck healthier.
Oil Change Tips
First of all, try to keep your truck in its best state by checking and changing the oil now and then. Check the manufacturer's recommendations for how often you should do this and try to stick to it if possible. Usually, this will be every 3k-5k miles, though do not take our word for it and read your vehicle owner's manual.
You should also ensure you use the right oil for your vehicle. Different trucks will use different oil grades, as the viscosity and ingredients will be different with each. If you use the wrong one, you will likely increase engine wear over time, reducing its efficiency.
Tire Checking Tips
Using a tire pressure gauge, make sure to check how inflated each of your tires is once each month. If you do not, the flatter tires may decrease fuel efficiency as you have to push the truck harder to go as fast.
While you are checking the pressure, also look at how deep the treads still are. These help you to keep a grip on the road, especially in damper weather, and keep you safe from slipping. As such, ensure the treads are at least 2/32".
Even if the treads are not yet as shallow as 2/32", you might be approaching this level. If you are getting close, book a maintenance check and tire replacement at a reputable repair shop to get them replaced.
Brake Inspection Tips
When you are not even inspecting your vehicle, try to pay attention to the health of your brakes. If they make a strange noise when you apply them, for example, it may be worth inspecting them.
When you get a chance to inspect them, see if there are signs of wear, such as rapid brake pad shrinking, or corroded brake lines. You will want these replaced if so.
You also want to check the brake fluid levels are not too low. This can affect braking performance and increase your stopping distance, putting you and others in danger.
This is one of the more important checks, so make sure you do it right.
Fluid Check Tips
Take a look at your engine coolant and see if it remains above the recommended minimum level as recommended by the truck manufacturer. Overheating during extended journeys can put a real dampener on getting you where you need to go, especially in hot climates. Thus, this can have a significant impact on your reliability.
You also want to take a look at your transmission fluid. If it starts to get low, you may start to grind your transmission and even break it, leading to significant repairs.
Basic Vehicle Maintenance Tips
Some of the benefits of truck maintenance, much like regular car maintenance, only appear when you take special care of the vehicle. These are some of the biggest bang-for-buck tips you should be aware of when looking at the truck.
Truck Inspection Checklist
You should have a checklist of things you need to look at once each year in your vehicle, sometimes called a DOT truck inspection checklist. You can use this when you need to prove you have inspected your vehicle. You need to do these steps at least once every twelve months, so make sure you keep this paperwork safe in a container in your vehicle.
With so many trucks on the road, it is also important to make a daily inspection to ensure public trust in trucking services. A short list of things you need to check for can be found in many places online and may help you prove a lack of liability should an accident occur.
In short, you want to check the following for damage, wear, or tampering:
- Brakes
- Cab interior
- Driver document
- Engine
- Fuel system
- Lights
- Trailer
- Vehicle documents
- Wheels and tires
While these are a standard list of daily checks it has other benefits. For example, finding issues early means you can enact repairs without more damage coming to your truck.
Please note this list is not exhaustive. If you have new or customized features, you may want to ensure they are in working order, too.
Cost-Effective Maintenance Tips
The best way to ensure a lower maintenance cost is to follow the instructions of the manufacturer. They are most likely to know how to both keep your vehicle in working order and prevent high-cost repairs. Despite this, there are several sources online and in trucking communities that can also help, though make sure they are reputable.
You should also keep detailed maintenance records. Not only are these useful for audits, but you can use them to claim tax at a later time.
It is often also useful to check in and ask for a consultation with a truck repair specialist. They can often give you specific advice related to either your vehicle or driving style to prevent further wear and tear.
Masters in Truck Maintenance and Repair
With these truck maintenance tips, you are likely to have everything you need to save a little money and ensure your fleet stays on the road. Still, when things do go wrong, it is good to have someone you trust on your side.
Phil's Service is ready to be that repair shop if you are in the area of Killeen, Texas. Our certified experts can offer high-quality, personalized service no matter what you need. So, request an appointment with us today and learn more about what we can do to help you stay on the road.
Truck maintenance costs have increased around 20-30% over the past year. This huge increase is in part due to inflation as well as the increased time many more trucks have been on the road in the past few years. So, if your vehicle is also driving more, how do you ensure you keep your own maintenance costs down as much as possible?
One of the best ways to reduce repair costs is to engage in preventative maintenance and avoid more costly repairs. The following are some of the best ways to engage in this practice and keep your truck healthier.
Oil Change Tips
First of all, try to keep your truck in its best state by checking and changing the oil now and then. Check the manufacturer's recommendations for how often you should do this and try to stick to it if possible. Usually, this will be every 3k-5k miles, though do not take our word for it and read your vehicle owner's manual.
You should also ensure you use the right oil for your vehicle. Different trucks will use different oil grades, as the viscosity and ingredients will be different with each. If you use the wrong one, you will likely increase engine wear over time, reducing its efficiency.
Tire Checking Tips
Using a tire pressure gauge, make sure to check how inflated each of your tires is once each month. If you do not, the flatter tires may decrease fuel efficiency as you have to push the truck harder to go as fast.
While you are checking the pressure, also look at how deep the treads still are. These help you to keep a grip on the road, especially in damper weather, and keep you safe from slipping. As such, ensure the treads are at least 2/32".
Even if the treads are not yet as shallow as 2/32", you might be approaching this level. If you are getting close, book a maintenance check and tire replacement at a reputable repair shop to get them replaced.
Brake Inspection Tips
When you are not even inspecting your vehicle, try to pay attention to the health of your brakes. If they make a strange noise when you apply them, for example, it may be worth inspecting them.
When you get a chance to inspect them, see if there are signs of wear, such as rapid brake pad shrinking, or corroded brake lines. You will want these replaced if so.
You also want to check the brake fluid levels are not too low. This can affect braking performance and increase your stopping distance, putting you and others in danger.
This is one of the more important checks, so make sure you do it right.
Fluid Check Tips
Take a look at your engine coolant and see if it remains above the recommended minimum level as recommended by the truck manufacturer. Overheating during extended journeys can put a real dampener on getting you where you need to go, especially in hot climates. Thus, this can have a significant impact on your reliability.
You also want to take a look at your transmission fluid. If it starts to get low, you may start to grind your transmission and even break it, leading to significant repairs.
Basic Vehicle Maintenance Tips
Some of the benefits of truck maintenance, much like regular car maintenance, only appear when you take special care of the vehicle. These are some of the biggest bang-for-buck tips you should be aware of when looking at the truck.
Truck Inspection Checklist
You should have a checklist of things you need to look at once each year in your vehicle, sometimes called a DOT truck inspection checklist. You can use this when you need to prove you have inspected your vehicle. You need to do these steps at least once every twelve months, so make sure you keep this paperwork safe in a container in your vehicle.
With so many trucks on the road, it is also important to make a daily inspection to ensure public trust in trucking services. A short list of things you need to check for can be found in many places online and may help you prove a lack of liability should an accident occur.
In short, you want to check the following for damage, wear, or tampering:
- Brakes
- Cab interior
- Driver document
- Engine
- Fuel system
- Lights
- Trailer
- Vehicle documents
- Wheels and tires
While these are a standard list of daily checks it has other benefits. For example, finding issues early means you can enact repairs without more damage coming to your truck.
Please note this list is not exhaustive. If you have new or customized features, you may want to ensure they are in working order, too.
Cost-Effective Maintenance Tips
The best way to ensure a lower maintenance cost is to follow the instructions of the manufacturer. They are most likely to know how to both keep your vehicle in working order and prevent high-cost repairs. Despite this, there are several sources online and in trucking communities that can also help, though make sure they are reputable.
You should also keep detailed maintenance records. Not only are these useful for audits, but you can use them to claim tax at a later time.
It is often also useful to check in and ask for a consultation with a truck repair specialist. They can often give you specific advice related to either your vehicle or driving style to prevent further wear and tear.
Masters in Truck Maintenance and Repair
With these truck maintenance tips, you are likely to have everything you need to save a little money and ensure your fleet stays on the road. Still, when things do go wrong, it is good to have someone you trust on your side.
Phil's Service is ready to be that repair shop if you are in the area of Killeen, Texas. Our certified experts can offer high-quality, personalized service no matter what you need. So, request an appointment with us today and learn more about what we can do to help you stay on the road.
