Keep Your Trucks Longer: A Checklist

By Lyall Megaw

Start off Right

Spec it right. Having the correct horsepower, torque, transmission and axle capacity for the job can extend the life of your truck from the very beginning.

Plan and Prevent

Follow your PM schedule but make it flexible. If a truck is down for another reason, it might be wise to also complete PMs and other routine, predictable maintenance tasks. For example, approximately 40 percent of all engine downtime is due to cooling-system problems, and regular preventive maintenance can often alleviate this downtime.

PM programs may vary from fleet to fleet, but there are four consistent tasks that are imperative to keeping trucks in top operating condition.

 

  1. Check fluid levels and monitor additives. Improper fluid and additive management can cause cavitation and erosion in the cylinder liner which can, in turn, cause catastrophic engine failure, premature water pump replacement, seal issues and ultimately leads to downtime.
  2. Change the oil and filters. Lubrication and filtration in the engine is key to avoiding excessive wear and tear during operation of the truck. If not properly maintained, the lack of a simple oil change can cause severe issues later in a truck’s life.
  3. Lubricate, lubricate, lubricate. Similar to the oil change, it is important to lubricate the other joints and moving parts of your equipment. In the battle for longevity, friction is the enemy.
  4. Complete visual inspection. Visual inspections can catch many potential issues during day-to-day operation. Making visual inspection a part of your PM program as well as part of your daily routine can alleviate issues in the long run. Adding additional diagnostic testing to this routine can also enhance the ability to detect problems before they cause serious damage or downtime.


Yearn to Learn

Train drivers upfront to make them aware of best practices, OEM recommendations and how to recognize issues before they become serious maintenance concerns that greatly impact the performance of a truck. A seasoned driver with the proper training can often contribute to long truck lifecycles simply due to his daily care and proper use of the vehicle.

Clean it Like you Mean it

It may seem a bit of a stretch to say that a clean truck will run longer, but that truly is the case. Regular washing and cleaning of your trucks can remove dirt, debris, chemicals and even trash that can cause corrosion, cooling system complications, electrical problems and other serious issues that are costly to the life of the truck as well as your bottom line. Also, dirt hides problems and other signs of wear that, if you don’t keep the truck clean, you miss.

Generic is Cheaper… in More Ways Than One

Use quality parts, fluids, fuels, lubricants and filters that are recommended by the OEM. They may not be the least expensive maintenance solution up front, but in the long run quality materials will improve longevity of truck life as well as reduce downtime due to a gain in performance and reliability.

Leave the Tech to the Techs

Have maintenance and repair of your truck handled by reputable service providers with highly trained technicians. Quality service providers may not have the lowest rates, but will more likely be a better value in the end cost. Getting your truck fixed quickly and right the first time is not only good for your its lifecycle, but for your bottom line.

Rules are NOT Made to be Broken

Following the “rules” and guidelines of the OEM can help to get the most miles out of your truck. This is especially important in new trucks with higher-tech emissions technology, computer systems and other equipment that is crucial to the operation of your truck. Again, training your drivers and keeping trucks maintained by reputable service providers will help to keep your truck on the road to a long, profitable life.

Pump it Up

Keeping a truck’s tires inflated to recommended levels is another way to minimize downtime and help you to get the most out of your truck. For example, if tires are a mere 10 psi under-inflated it can cause a one-percent increase in fuel consumption and increases tire wear by 15 percent. Both of these scenarios have one thing in common: they cost you money.

Steer Clear

Though what you do to your truck is important for its longevity, what you don’t do can be equally as important. For instance, some fleets will delay draining of oil past the OEM recommendation. WheelTime recommends against extending oil drain intervals, but notes if this is the practice of your fleet, trucks must be carefully monitored under an oil-analysis program to ensure that no harm is done to the engine due to the extended intervals. Another practice to avoid at all costs is idling. Idling is another leading cause of shortened lifespan of a truck due to the fact your engine is operating for hours upon hours while not hauling freight and actually causes greater wear than when traveling at cruising speed on the highway. Avoiding idling while stopped can increase the lifecycle of a truck significantly.

Don’t Shake it Up

Vibration is part of the package that comes with operating heavy-duty trucks, but minimizing it can have an extremely beneficial impact on truck longevity and keeping your repair bills low. Here are some common issues due to vibration and ways to avoid or curb the negative impact of vibration to your truck that are inevitable while traveling down the highway:

 

  1. Compromised cab mount isolation & bushings. The truck needs well-designed engine and cab mounts to isolate the engine from the passenger cabin.
  2. Poorly maintained suspension systems. Vehicle suspension systems isolate the chassis from the road, and a cab suspension system isolates the cab from the chassis. Road vibration and jarring terrain cannot be eliminated. It is important that truck components in general are structurally stiff and mounted in a stiff way.
  3. Compromised structural integrity/frame rigidity. Structural stiffness, both of the frame assembly (including all its crossmembers), and also of the cab-in-white are important to the overall vehicle life.
  4. Drivelines. Driveline imbalances — when the driveline components’ working angle is out of line, it can cause further damage to major components — such as transmission or differential issues.
  5. Wheel ends. Wheel ends (which include tires, wheels, drum and hub) are impacted by road quality, terrain and weather and driver performance. These need to be maintained to insure the integrity and productivity of the vehicle.

— Lyall Megaw is vice president of Operations at Wheeltime Network member Wajax Power Systems. WheelTime operates more than 30 training facilities and nearly 200 service ­centers located across the U.S. and Canada. www.wheeltime.com

 


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