Trucks are designed to withstand long travels, carry heavy loads, and drive on rough roads. However, they need care, maintenance, and regular service, just like other automobiles.
Regular maintenance is especially crucial if you use your truck for business operations, which means it is always on the road. Thus, you need to adopt the right maintenance routine to increase the lifespan of your truck. Here are five time-tested truck maintenance tips for you.
1. Change Oil Regularly
You should change your truck’s oil every six months or after every 7,500 miles. Dirt and debris always accumulate in oil and eventually lead to engine corrosion. The dust affects the engine’s efficiency and, in turn, reduces its lifespan.
When you change the oil regularly, your engine will run efficiently on clean oil. You should also change the oil filters as recommended by the truck manufacturer.
2. Inspect Your Engine
Before you hit the road, ensure that your engine is in good shape. Check your truck’s engine for any alarming signs, such as excessive exhaust smoke, knocking noises, loss of power, vibrations, or reduced oil pressure, among others.
Also, ask an auto technician to inspect your engine’s air filter. If it’s clogged with debris and dust particles, they should replace it. The filters not only prevent contaminants from getting into the engine but also ensure that the engine is supplied with adequate airflow to run effectively.
When the filter is clogged, your engine won’t breathe as expected, and this will lower its performance. You should, therefore, ensure the filters are inspected and changed as required.
Nothing is as stressful as a truck’s engine failure in the middle of nowhere. Thus, you should put in place measures to resolve engine threats on time.
3. Wash Your Truck Regularly
The cleanliness of your truck might seem unimportant, but it can save your truck and extend its useful life. Dust that accumulates on the truck body can cause scratches on your paint. Also, it can find its way into the oil, fuel, or engine components and affect the engine output.
When you drive on treated winter roads, your truck might grasp salt and other chemicals. If you don’t wash it, you are likely to experience accelerated body corrosion over time.
Rains pour with pollutants from the atmosphere. You should clean your truck after it has been rained on to prevent the impact of acid rain. If possible, avoid driving into vast pools of dirty water on the road as they will splash on your truck with contaminants.
Use a mild cleaning agent to wash the interiors of the truck to get rid of dust, stains, and debris. Regularly wash your truck and wax it to provide a topcoat that protects your paint.
4. Rotate the Tires
Truck tires wear unevenly due to various issues such as over or under inflation, improper alignment, and external factors such as weather. Misalignment can lead to problems such as poor steer control or overburdened suspension.
Fortunately, you can prevent such problems by hiring professionals to rotate the tires. Regular rotation ensures that the tires wear evenly. The auto experts will inspect the tires during rotation for any misalignment issues and solve them. When you bring your truck in to change the oil and perform other maintenance work, have the auto technician check the tires as well.
5. Lubricate Necessary Parts
You should lubricate parts that are likely to experience wear and tear due to friction. These parts include the steering, gear, suspension parts, hinges, and latches. Door handles should also be lubricated to prevent rust when they are exposed to moisture.
These maintenance tips can help you drive your truck for long without mechanical issues. However, various truck components will still need an inspection, repair, or replacement. Downtown Garage & Auto Body has reliable auto repair specialists that offer a broad range of services. If you need truck repair services, contact us right away.