Preventative semi truck maintenance is crucial for owner-operators since it extends not only the life of your vehicle but also your financial stability. Preventative maintenance might be the difference between a repair costing a few hundred dollars and one costing a few thousand.
As a corporate driver, you may believe that preventive maintenance isn’t a concern for you and that you shouldn’t worry about it. Even while you won’t be held responsible monetarily if anything goes wrong with a vehicle, you may lose something even more priceless than money—your time.
While doing your pre-trip check, if you find a problem with your vehicle, notify your carrier right away. It will ultimately become one, even if it is fine for this or the next run. This problem might leave you stuck on the side of the road as you wait for a repair truck to arrive.
Here are the key components of your truck that need the most attention if you want to do preventive maintenance on your semi.
Semi Truck Maintenance Checklist
Brakes: The brakes are the most crucial component of your vehicle for maintaining road safety. They could also be among the most costly components to exchange. Here is a useful video that shows you how to examine your brake lining before a trip.
Tires: If preventive maintenance on your brakes is essential, your tires are a close second. Check all your tires during your pre-trip checks to ensure no abnormal features, such as bulges or cuts. Additionally, if you’re driving in the snow, practice appropriate tire safety throughout the winter. For additional information, see our tutorial on correctly chaining your semi-truck tires.
Electrical System: As part of your pre-trip examination, you should also examine your truck’s electrical system. Make a brief inspection of your vehicle to ensure that all of the lights, including those on the cab and trailer, are working properly and that the lenses holding the lights are not cracked. Additionally, quickly check behind the hood to ensure all connections and wires are securely fastened, and your battery isn’t corroding or emitting odd smells.
Fluids: Another technique to do regular semi-truck maintenance is to check your fluid levels and look for leaks before you begin a run. Always carry extra fluids in your cab, like oil, coolant, and windshield wiper fluid, so you can make rapid adjustments when necessary. Wintertime is a crucial time to remember this.
Preventive semi-truck maintenance may seem like a lot of work, but if you get into the habit of doing it, it becomes a routine part of your route. The most crucial guideline is to examine anything suspicious with your vehicle. The extra 5 to 10 minutes you invest in it will be worthwhile if it turns out to be a problem that, if left unattended, will cost you thousands of dollars.
