The Checklist: How to Maintain a Commercial Vehicle

If you own a commercial fleet, you know how important those trucks are to your company. They’re not only your livelihood but also that of your employees. Without them, you can’t provide the services your clients need. Though operating them and keeping them up and running are probably your most significant expenses, those factors pay for themselves many times over by keeping your company afloat and ensuring your customers are consistently satisfied with your services.

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Getting the Most From Your Commercial Vehicles

With that being the case, keeping your commercial vehicles in top-notch condition is crucial. Routine maintenance can go a long way toward protecting your trucks, keeping them running properly, reducing repair costs, and eliminating unnecessary downtime. One of the best measures you can take in your maintenance efforts is to develop a good working relationship with a reliable truck parts supplier. From there, keep the following points in mind to maximize your trucks’ efficiency and effectiveness.

Essential Truck Maintenance Measures

As you’re probably aware, truck maintenance is an ongoing process. Effective maintenance involves a combination of daily and monthly efforts as well as mileage-based measures. They’ll all help ensure your trucks last as long as possible while also reducing unexpected breakdowns, unnecessary legal issues, and other problems.

Daily Maintenance

Pre-trip and post-trip inspections are among the most essential aspects of truck maintenance. Your drivers most likely know those measures inside and out; in fact, they had to prove their knowledge of them to get their CDLs. In a nutshell, they entail checking your trucks from nose to tail to ensure everything is in good condition and working properly.

To some people, checking everything from the lights, engine, tires, wheels, and undercarriage to the seatbelts, steering, and air brakes before and after every trip may seem a bit redundant. That’s far from the truth, though. Each trip takes a toll on a truck, and any number of things can go wrong along the way. These thorough inspections can allow your drivers to catch potential issues before they become major problems or cause further damage.

Weekly Maintenance

Certain weekly maintenance needs to be carried out as well. That includes inspecting and greasing the fifth wheel, cleaning the cab, inspecting the battery cables and terminals for corrosion, and cleaning them if necessary. Different trucks may have different needs, but it’s important to cover any factors that may not be checked during pre- and post-trip inspections and deal with small problems before they get out of hand.

Monthly Maintenance

From there, monthly maintenance requirements come into play. That may entail taking a closer look at the suspension components than your drivers do during their more frequent inspections. Thoroughly inspecting the wheel seals, testing each truck’s batteries, torquing the lug nuts, and draining water from the air tanks are a few other measures you should take on at least a monthly basis.

Beyond the Basics

With the basics of truck maintenance covered, it’s time to move on to more in-depth upkeep. Your trucks should receive professional inspections and maintenance at regular intervals. Every 15,000 miles is generally recommended.

During those service appointments, technicians will go over your trucks with a fine-tooth comb. They’ll cover important points like replacing the coolant, checking wheel alignment, and changing the tires. They may also replace the transmission fluid, refresh the gear oil, and grease the fittings. Changing the oil, fuel, and air filters is an important part of routine maintenance as well. Those are only few of the points that are covered during professional maintenance sessions.

Keeping Your Trucks in Top-Notch Shape

Maintenance is essential for commercial vehicles. It improves their efficiency and safety and can make them last far longer than they would otherwise. It also reduces costly downtime and repair expenses. The maintenance points mentioned here are some of the most crucial. They’ll help you keep your trucks in top-notch shape so you can continue to keep your customers happy.