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Preventative Maintenance Guide For Your Semi Truck

Feb. 5 2021 Maintenance By K. Neal Truck and Bus Center

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Whether you manage a fleet or are an independent contractor with your own semi truck, you’ll need to make sure that your vehicle is always in peak working condition. Failing to maintain your semi truck can result in an accident or crash because of worn-down parts, bad oil, damaged tires or any number of other issues.

Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your semi truck in good shape with some simple preventative maintenance. K. Neal Truck and Bus Center, with four locations in the states of Maryland and Virginia, is your local semi truck dealer. Here is a checklist of the maintenance you’ll want to perform to ensure your semi truck is always ready to go and safe to drive.

1. Check Tire Pressure & Condition

One of the most common issues with any vehicle is tire wear and tear or uneven pressure. Your owner’s manual will tell you the correct psi levels for the tires on your semi truck. Use a tire-pressure gauge to check each tire and air them up accordingly. Examine each tire for signs of wear, including cracks in the sidewall, embedded objects or balding treads. Any tire that is worn needs to be replaced promptly to ensure good road safety.

2. Inspect Fluids

The fluids in your semi truck’s engine ensure that it operates properly and doesn’t sustain damage while you drive. Check to make sure that fluids aren’t pooling under your truck when it’s parked, as this can be a costly fix if left unaddressed. The fluids you’ll want to check includes:

  • Oil: Change your oil as recommended in your owner’s manual and replace the oil filter at the same time.
  • Coolant: Top off coolant as needed and make sure the radiator cap is securely fastened.
  • Antifreeze: During winter, add this to coolant to prevent it from freezing up.
  • Windshield-wiper fluid: Top off as needed so that you can always see clearly.
  • Fuel: Make sure that you’re using the correct type of fuel for your particular engine. Add a fuel stabilizer if the truck is to be parked for a significant amount of time to prevent water separation that can cause corrosion to your fuel tank.

3. Check Brakes

Your semi truck requires powerful brakes to bring it to a complete stop safely and quickly. Examine brake pads before each trip to make sure that they are still in good shape. If you or your drivers note any squealing or grinding while the vehicle is in use, make sure that the brakes are looked at as soon as possible. A professional can assist you with more thorough brake maintenance.

4. Clean Glass

Clear windows, mirrors and windshields ensure that you can see the road and vehicles around you as you’re driving. Use a glass cleaner to clean all of your vehicle’s glass before a trip. Replace windshield-wiper blades when they are worn down. If you notice any chips or cracks in the glass, make sure these are repaired as soon as possible to prevent the entire pane from shattering on the road.

5. Keep a Record

All of these tasks need to be recorded to provide you or your manager with an accurate record of when tasks were done and how often they were performed, along with what types of products were used. If the semi truck is ever sold down the line, a record of maintenance will be handy to provide with the vehicle history.

If you ever need some professional assistance with maintaining your semi truck, get in touch with the parts & service department here at K. Neal Truck and Bus Center. Our team of professional mechanics will be more than happy to take a look at whatever is going on with your semi truck and get you back on the road as quick as we can. When you’re in the market for a new semi truck, visit one of our dealership locations in Virginia or Maryland to take a look at our full stock of new and used semi trucks for sale. K. Neal Truck and Bus Center proudly serves the cities of Hyattsville and Gaithersburg, MD, as well as Lorton, VA.