When it comes to owning and operating a semi-truck, there are a lot of potential hazards. You have large, heavy machines that are constantly moving and are always being loaded and unloaded. This can lead to some wear and tear on your vehicle, and even cause it to break down from time to time. However, there are ways to reduce that wear and tear and keep your semi-truck in excellent working order. In fact, these tips can help you avoid breakdowns and costly repairs that might otherwise be a disaster for your business. There are things you can do both before and during the operation of your semi-truck that will reduce the amount of wear and tear your vehicle experiences and extend its useful life. Here are some tips for reducing wear and tear on a semi-truck:
Change Your Oil and Sealant
You should change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles. You can do this yourself or have a mechanic do it. Changing your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles is an important part of any preventative maintenance program. It ensures that you have the cleanest oil possible, which can improve engine efficiency and reduce the need for other maintenance. Changing the oil and oil filter also extends the life of these components and helps to reduce wear and tear on your engine due to contaminants in the oil. Oil and oil filter seals can also break down over time and become difficult to change without special tools. Changing your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles is a great way to extend the life of these components and reduce engine wear and tear.
Protect Your Tires
One of the most important parts of your semi-truck are its tires. Tires are one of the main contact points between your vehicle and the road, so it’s important that they are in good condition and don’t wear out too quickly. There are a few things you can do to protect your tires and extend their life. First, make sure they are properly inflated. Under-inflated tires are less effective at gripping the road and can lead to excessive wear and tear on your vehicle and tires. Next, make sure your tires have the right profile. You can find this information on the inside of your tire or on a sticker located on the side of the tire. A properly inflated tire with the correct profile can help to reduce wear and tear on your tires.
Rotate Your Tires
You should rotate your tires on a regular basis to extend their life and prevent uneven wear and tear. When you rotate your tires, you are putting new treads on the inside and outside of the tire, which can help to extend their life. Rotating your tires is important for two reasons. First, it extends the life of the tires by distributing wear evenly between the inside and outside of the tire. Second, it makes it easier to change tires when they need to be replaced. While regular maintenance can help to extend the life of your tires, there are a few situations where you may need to replace them completely. If you are experiencing issues with your tires, such as irregular wear patterns or rapid deterioration, they may need to be replaced.
Protect Tires From Debris
Dust and debris can wreak havoc on your tires. It can get into small spaces and get caught in your wheel wells, which can cause pitting and wear and tear on your tires. You can reduce the amount of dust and debris in your wheel wells by covering them with a heavy-duty cover. There are a few different types of covers available. You should choose one that is designed for use on trucks and is large enough to fit over the wheel wells. A heavy-duty cover can help to protect your tires from dust and debris. It can also help to improve vehicle aesthetics and reduce tire wear and tear.
Change Your Belts
Belts play an important role in your semi-truck. They are responsible for transferring power from the engine to the wheels, keeping them in place, and preventing wear and tear on other parts of your vehicle. If your belts are worn out and need to be replaced, it’s important to know how to change them properly. This will help to extend the life of the belts and prevent premature wear and tear on other parts of your vehicle. It’s also important to note that you should change your engine belts, oil and filter, and transmission fluid at the same time. This will help to ensure that your engine is fully lubricated, extend the life of these components, and reduce wear and tear on other parts of your vehicle.
Bottom line
The wear and tear that occurs on a semi-truck can be costly. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce wear and tear. Changing your oil and oil filter, protecting your tires, rotating your tires, protecting tires from debris, and changing your belts can all help to extend the life of your vehicle and reduce wear and tear.