Pointers For Keeping Your Rig On The Road
As a truck driver, it’s likely you’re looking for ways to keep your rig on the road for longer. This holds especially true if you’re the one paying those monthly payments on your rig instead of the company that you work for. Here are our best tips to help extend the road time of your semi truck.
The first tip we have for you is an obvious one, but one that gets overlooked all too often. Regular upkeep with your rig is going to be the most powerful preventative force against unwanted problems later down the road. You should have regular oil changes and overall inspections. Don’t let the pressures of your delivery schedule get in the way of taking care of your truck. Instead, create a regular maintenance schedule and don’t ever skip over your regular appointments. This is the best way to ensure your rig stays in good health for many years down the road.
Many freightliner trucks for sale are listed by companies who have had drivers who were too hard on their trucks. These drivers tended to have what is generally known as poor driving habits that affected the engine, brakes, sensors, and hoses on the rigs. Poor driving habits include quick takeoffs, abrupt stops, and aggressive driving. This is one factor that you can control which will affect the longevity of your semi truck.
The outside of your rig is just as important as what’s under the hood. Regular cleaning can help to maintain the good-looking paint job and keep the value of your truck high. Realize that neglecting taking care of the outside of your truck can lead to some bigger cosmetic issues later down the road. Things like salt and sand can make your truck start to rust. It takes a few minutes to spray off your rig to get rid of all the excess salt and sand. It’s also a good idea to put on a wax coat at least a couple times a year. This wax can help to protect the truck against paint cracking and fading.
Lastly, we’re going to talk about those tires that you ride on. No truck driver likes to see the gigantic bill of new tires or retreading of their tires. However, it’s a necessary expense in the travel industry. It’s a great idea to do everything in your power to help avoid having to pay for retreading or new tires, in general. You should be checking the pressure of all your tires on a regular basis. If your tires don’t have the right pressure, it could lead to uneven wear. In other cases, it could lead to instability of your rig which results in an accident. You can avoid these problems by simply using a tire pressure gauge on a regular basis. Never rely just on your eyes to gauge the pressure in your rig’s tires.
Keeping your rig on the road for as long as possible is a necessity of almost every truck driver. There are so many simple things that you can do to extend the life of your rig. The above are the most common that any driver can start doing today.