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Commercial Vehicles Benefit
From “Spring Cleaning”
Winter can be hard on commercial vehicles. A
thorough spring check-up and servicing can avoid costly maintenance and
downtime.
Here are several areas you should look at when
preparing your truck for summer.
U-bolt tightening
A severe winter brings potholes, cracked roads and rough terrain in terminal
yards. Broken springs and spring replacement will be inevitable, but you can
reduce the frequency drastically by re-torquing all U-bolts to manufacturers'
specifications. On new vehicles, remember to re-torque after the first or second
run.
Avoid blowouts by staying
on the ball with tires
Like your suspension, tires can suffer severe damage in the winter, and it won't
show up until the middle of summer. Check them out. While you rotate tires,
inspect all of them and pay close attention to steer tires. Look for cuts,
bruises and inadequate tread depth. Focus on inflation pressures and check the
toe-in. Potholes can knock front ends out of alignment.
Shock to the electrical
system
Winter weather can create bare wires, loose connections, corrosive terminals and
wiring harness problems. A thorough inspection in these areas also helps to
extend the life of your vehicle(s) and trailer(s). Batteries are particularly
sensitive to climate changes. Here's how to check your battery:
• Look for dirt or corrosion on top of the
battery, corroded terminals and cables, broken or loose terminal posts, and
containers or covers that are broken or cracked.
• When installing or removing a battery, avoid
the obvious. Don't bang it up.
• Check the voltage regulator setting. See
your truck manufacturer for the proper settings. An increase in voltage can
shorten bulb life.
• Just as your body needs electrolytes for energy, so does your vehicle.
Maintain the electrolyte level above the plates and below the bottom of the vent
wall. Don't allow the electrolyte to drop below the top of the plates as this
can cause reduced battery capacity. Also, if you must add water, don't
over-fill. It can cause acid spewing and corrosion.
• Secure battery clasps to keep the battery
from bouncing. Vibration is the biggest killer of batteries.
• Use a water-resistant grease or lubricant to
seal out moisture on connections that are not totally encapsulated.
• Re-torque the mounting bolts on the
alternator and starter to ensure good bracketing.
Fuel concerns are the least
of your worries
You don't need to worry about waxed filters or frozen fuel lines, so use
straight run no. 2 diesel fuel. Try for an API
rating of 33 or below, which offers a higher Btu content and means more power
for your dollar.
Remember that water in fuel is the biggest
cause of premature injector wear, so drain the fuel tanks and replace the fuel
filters if needed.
To save fuel in the summer, fill tanks to 90
percent capacity to allow for fuel expansion. If you don't, the resulting fuel
spills are a waste and can result in enormous cleanup costs.
Finally, reduce idling. There are no excuses
for hard starts in summer. Try idling only when you must sleep with the air
conditioner on.
Remember to adjust and
balance the brakes
A good target is 40 percent braking on the trailer and
60 percent on the tractor. Also, try to make a habit of feeling brake drums at
rest stops. Dragging brakes wear out brake linings and tires, and they impede
fuel economy.
Lubrication is the key to
longevity
Don't neglect your vehicle's drivetrain
components while you’re summerizing. Here are some things to look at:
• Some clutch throwout bearings require a shot
of grease.
• U-joints are vulnerable to the dry
conditions of summer. When you grease them, make sure all four yokes accept
grease.
• Inspect magnetic wire filter, screens and
magnetic drain plugs if your transmission and differentials are equipped. Metal
build-up spells disaster. Don’t neglect any fifth wheel and trailer tandem
sliders.
Install
AMSOIL Synthetic
Diesel Oils.
AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel Oils are the ultimate in diesel engine wear protection
and fuel efficiency.
AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel Oils specially blended
long-life formulations resist oxidation and thermal breakdown, retain viscosity
and eliminate sludge and varnish formation. And their extended drain capability
has been proven to
reduce downtime and oil expenses in over the road trucks.
T's Advanced Synthetics
Greg and Marcy Thurman
Your Nationwide
AMSOIL
Authorized Independent
Dealer
Nationwide US Warehouses,
Canada and Palm Harbor, FL
727-798-8552
E-Mail:
greg@tsadvancedsynthetics.com
If you
experience problems or have questions or comments about
our website please email us at
greg@tsadvancedsynthetics.com
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