Steps for Preventive Truck Maintenance
You need your truck to move for miles on end without any hiccups to ensure you get the best results for your business. When it's in the shop, it’s time and money wasted for you. While some issues will require professional attention, there’s plenty you can take care of by yourself! This will help increase the lifespan and performance of your vehicle.
As your leading truck dealer in Arizona and Alaska, we at RWC Group want to help you take good care of your vehicle. That’s why we’ve compiled some relevant information for you below. If you’re in need of expert truck service and maintenance in California or Washington, get in touch with us and one of our expert technicians will assist you!
Oil Change
It’s good for everyone who owns a vehicle to know how to correctly check and change the engine oil periodically. If you inspect the oil level before each trip, you will have a good idea about the general health of your engine. This is more true if you’re dealing with a new truck and/or a unit that’s recently been through serious repairs. A heavy duty vehicle like your truck needs plenty of oil to keep from overheating and other serious mechanical issues.
Radiator
Another important truck part to help keep things cool is the radiator. It works hard to ensure the engine doesn’t overheat. So before your next trip, ensure the radiator has enough fluid. It’s easy to inspect it and top it off. Take some time to check for any leaks that can lead to loss of fluid. If there is a leak, you're going to need professionals to fix it for you so contact the service department at RWC Group!
Fuel Vent Check
If you’re not using your truck, it can just wait around in less-than-ideal conditions. Before you use it again, check the fuel vent for any insects or pests that might have moved into your vehicle. This can happen to vehicles left unused and it should be easy to spot any signs of infestation. If you ignore this, not only will you have unwanted passengers, you will also get inaccurate fuel readings and performance issues.
Brake Check
You don’t ever want to be on the road and face brake issues! You don’t want to ruin your truck or damage your precious cargo after all. If you know how to take care of the brakes, make sure they’re always in working condition. Also get your brakes checked by a mechanic regularly, and be on the alert for squealing sounds and vibrations associated with braking.
Suspension
Many owners and operators can forget to pay attention to the suspension during DIY maintenance. A healthy suspension extends the life of your truck by eliminating vibration that can otherwise cause problems over the long term. You want to keep all the shocks, cabin air springs, chassis air springs and anti-vibration components of your suspension system working smoothly to have a better driving experience each and every time.
Clean Glass
Driving around on all kinds of roads will get your truck pretty dirty, and this includes the windshield, windows and mirrors. You want to keep these clean so they never hamper visibility while you’re driving. If you see any cracks or chips on these surfaces, it’s good to fix or replace them before you head out. A small rock chip can be fixed easily but if it becomes bigger, you’re looking at a more expensive repair.
Schedule Professional Maintenance
One of the ways to increase the lifespan of your truck is to get professional truck maintenance for your aftertreatment system. The aftertreatment fuel injector needs to be cleaned on a regular basis, as it becomes clogged with soot and particulates after heavy usage. If you don’t maintain and clean it, it will eventually cease to function, which won’t do you any favors.
These preventive maintenance steps might seem like extra work but they’re very helpful in the long run in keeping your profits high and your repair bills low. If you need expert truck maintenance and service in Arizona or Alaska, get in touch with the friendly technicians at RWC Group for further assistance. We’re proud to be the preferred truck dealer of our friends in California and Washington!