By Mike McGlothlin
Preventative maintenance is the best kind of maintenance. If you’re proactive in looking after your truck, or fleet of trucks, there is no reason you can’t keep them on the road indefinitely—especially if you practice a maintenance regimen that’s custom-tailored to your specific vehicles and the way they’re driven. From proper fluid and filter changes to tire and brake checkups to emissions equipment upkeep, a sound maintenance regimen should never be overlooked when long-term dependability is the goal. If you plan to keep your truck(s) in service for the long-haul, the 10 tips that follow will help make it possible.
1. Proper Fluid Levels
Low engine oil can wipe out bearings, low transmission fluid can kill a transmission, and low coolant levels can overheat an engine. This is why, even before these fluids are changed, they should be filled to the correct level. Regular checks should be made for every system that requires fluid (i.e. engine oil, antifreeze, ATF, and power steering, brake and diesel exhaust fluid). A loss of fluid can only mean one of two things: 1) the fluid is leaking or 2) it's being consumed. Routine fluid level checks can tip you off about your engine’s overall health so you can repair it before it becomes a more serious problem.
2. Change Your Fluids And Filters
When it comes to longevity, it’s vitally important that you change your fluids and filters at the proper intervals. And we mean every fluid, from engine oil to differential fluid. Each of them has a specified change interval. If you tow or haul heavily on a regular basis, it’s wise to observe the manufacturer’s “severe use” maintenance guidelines (if available), and change fluids according to either miles or hours, whichever comes first. Remember, idling is equivalent to driving roughly 25 miles per hour. So, in the absence of an hour meter, always factor idle time into your fluid change intervals.
3. Run The Proper Fluids And Filters
Tight maintenance budgets and long-term engine durability don’t go hand-in-hand. Never opt for the cheaper oil or oil filter for your truck. Instead, run the engine manufacturer’s recommended oil (weight, brand, and specific type), regardless of price. It’s important to note that the OEM has invested millions (and maybe even billions) of dollars developing your engine platform to ensure it lasts as long as possible, so don’t try to reinvent the wheel. The same theory applies to every other fluid in your truck, along with the corresponding replacement filters. Whether it’s fuel, oil, air, coolant, crankcase vent or transmission filters, stick with factory parts.
4. Only Fill Up With Clean, Quality Fuel
The injection system is the heart of every engine, so feed it the cleanest, contaminant-free fuel possible. Fill up at reputable fuel stations that see high traffic and where fuel storage tanks are frequently topped off. Because diesel fuel begins to break down within weeks of being produced, you want to avoid remote, off-the-beaten-path filling stations that don’t move high volumes of fuel. Other than good additives, freshly refined, quality diesel fuel is the best way to give your lift pump, high-pressure fuel pump, injectors, and fuel lines the longest life possible.
5. Diesel Emissions System Maintenance
For modern diesel engines, emissions system maintenance is key to keeping them on the road. Here, it pays to schedule or perform regular cleanings for both the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) systems. Many don’t know it, but routine emissions equipment servicing is specified for a lot of different engines. For example, the light and medium duty 6.7L Cummins calls for EGR cleanings every 67,500 miles to keep the system in good working order. And as for the DPF, many reputable shops recommend cleanings every 100,000 to 125,000 miles, or once annually for bigger engines powering larger, over-the-road semitrucks.
6. Keep Tabs On Tire Inflation Pressure
Believe it or not, more than 25 million American drivers think that if a tire doesn’t look under-inflated it isn’t… Never conclude that a tire is properly inflated with the naked eye, always stick a gauge on it and make sure. Especially in cold weather, psi can drop and often does. In fact, the average tire loses 1-psi or more each month due to permeation (essentially, air escapes the tire even though no leak, crack, or puncture is present). In colder temperatures, check inflation pressure daily (if possible), only air up when a tire is cold, and always run the tire inflation pressure specified by the manufacturer. Note that some vehicles (namely pickup trucks) can specify a different rear tire psi vs. front tire psi.
7. Inspect Your Tires Regularly
Tires provide stability and traction while carrying heavy loads, but they’re also expensive—so do everything you can to ensure they last as long as possible. In addition to routine pressure checks, perform an overall tire inspection whenever possible. In particular, look for uneven wear (inside and outside), dry rotting, nails and/or other potential damage. Bear in mind that over-inflation leads to excessive tread wear on a tire’s crown, and that under-inflation causes the shoulder tread to wear prematurely. Also remember that no matter how well you take care of your tires, the tread is going to wear down. Periodic tread depth inspections are crucial for both safety and forecasting when your truck will need replacements.
8. Routine Brake Checks
Depending on the type of truck (or braking system) you’re maintaining, regular inspections of the braking system should be performed. Brake pad wear, rotor damage or warpage, and brake line health (i.e. air leaks in air lines and fluid leaks from hydraulic lines) should be on the list of items to cover. Luckily, most of these components can be checked during tire rotations, balancing, or other repairs that require removal of the wheels and tires. It goes without saying that more frequent brake checks are going to be required for semitrucks as opposed to pickup trucks, as many tractor trailers have to bring 80,000-pound loads to a halt. Air brake maintenance for semitrucks are a bit more involved, and often include pushrod stroke adjustments.
9. Load Test Your Batteries (And Verify The Health Of Your Alternator)
Nothing exposes a weak battery quite like the onset of cooler weather. As fall days turn colder and winter approaches, there is no better time to check on the health of your truck’s batteries. A fully charged battery should show at least 12.6 volts on a voltmeter. At 10.5 volts, it’s considered fully discharged. Below that and you’ve got a damaged (and soon to be dying) battery. When cranking the engine over, voltage should never drop below 10 volts, and with the engine idling the voltage in a 12v system should register somewhere between 13.5 and 14.7 volts. Don’t forget: a healthy battery can mask the symptoms of an ailing one—so make sure you load test both (or all) batteries. And make sure your alternator recharges the batteries sufficiently once the engine is started (again, 13.5 and 14.7 volts should be observed).
10. Grease Your U-joints And Maintain Your Hitch
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Unnoticed by most, overlooked by others, U-joints are usually the furthest thing from a vehicle owner’s mind. However, when properly checked and maintained, they can last 10 years or more. If equipped with a grease zerk, U-joints should be greased every 5,000 to 10,000 miles in severe use, Class 8 truck applications. Hitch maintenance is yet another area of upkeep that’s easy to neglect. Fifth-wheel hitches should be greased regularly, and any type of hitch assembly on any vehicle should periodically be inspected for wear, tear, and even corrosion. After all, most hitch mounting fasteners and brackets are routinely exposed to salt, water, and/or brine.
