Repairing Scratches on Your Medium Duty Truck Yourself

Any Isuzu, Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso or Nissan UD truck owner knows how easy it is to get a scratch or dent on your vehicle. It’s almost inevitable to have them on a used truck when you purchase it.
The question then becomes should you pay the money to have it fixed at the local garage or should you tackle the problem yourself? You don’t have to be a mechanic to fix a scratch and luckily there are products on the market that can easily help you to get your vehicle looking as good as new in no time.

Related: Even the Big Trucks Need to Stay Clean

When should you attempt the repair yourself?
If the scratch is white, then chances are that it hasn't pierced through the clear coat of paint on top of your color. This is relatively easy to fix. Other problems can be more difficult and should be determined by your confidence. You also need to make sure that you have the right environment to make the repair. In a garage is best so you are away from the wind and sun, and avreasonably warm temperature, 70 to 85 degrees is ideal. Make sure the area you will work in won't produce condensation or any moisture on the car can as it can affect the paint finish.
What tools will you need?
Depending on the depth of the scratch, you will need all or some of the following products:

• a good vehicle shampoo
• polish
• 1,500 grit sandpaper
• primer
• paint (color can be checked in the owners manual to ensure you use the correct paint code)
• and wax  

How to fix the scratch:
Clean the surrounding surface first to remove any dirt, ensure this is thoroughly dry before you move on. Using the sandpaper, carefully begin to sand the damaged area, only press lightly to ensure you have good control. If the scratch is up to the primer, apply a fresh coat of primer to the area and allow to dry overnight.

Related: Easy Ways to Conserve Water When Washing Your Medium Duty Box Truck

When it comes to applying the paint, be sure to shake well first and follow the manufacturers instructions, which can vary slightly. When doing this, be careful to ensure that the new coat is level with the rest of the car. Again, allow this to dry, preferably overnight and apply the clear coat of paint to the top.

Once the paint has completely settled, wet sand the area to make sure that it blends with the rest of the truck and apply a polish. A wax finish will add extra protection to the new paintwork if required.
When attempting to fix a scratch yourself, the key is to be patient, the drying in between stages can feel unnecessary but will ultimately produce the best finish. Don’t be tempted to leave a scratch unattended, as this can lead to rust and a bigger problem for yourself in the future.
If you or a co-worker is in an accident and you need replacement parts for your medium or heavy duty commercial truck, call us at (803) 564-3228 or (877) 564-6307. If you have any difficulties getting through our phone system, please use our Contact Form or Parts Request Form, or email sales@busbeetruckparts.com.

We have hundreds of Salvaged Medium Duty Trucks and Commercial Box Trucks for Parts including: Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso, UD, and GMC. With thousands of parts, including our most popular Isuzu NPR Truck Parts, we should have any part that you need in stock. Our sales professionals will be glad to assist you.  We are located at 4107 Festival Trail Rd, Wagener, SC 29164.


Be sure to Subscribe to the Busbee Blog for more helpful tips and tricks for safe and easy driving. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for our Free Monthly Newsletters.

Keeping Your Medium Duty Trucks Clean

Being in the business of new and used trucks and parts, here at Busbee Truck Parts we understand the importance of maintaining your vehicles while you have them. Whether you have a brand new box truck or a used one, washing the exterior of your Isuzu NPR, Hino, UD and Mitsubishi Fuso medium-duty trucks can keep them looking nice while maintaining its resale value as well.

Here are some dos and don'ts of washing your mid-range vehicle that will help you ensure that you keep it clean and in good condition without ruining the finish or other parts.

Related: Repairing Scratches on Your New or Used Freightline Truck Yourself

Don't: Wait For a Layer of Crud to Accumulate Before Washing.

Dead bugs, bird droppings, and chemicals from the atmosphere all leak acids that can strip away wax and eventually eat into your car's paint. If left too long, they can cause damage that requires sanding and repainting the area to correct.

Do: Wash With Soap And Water

You want to wash your truck with a combination of dish soap and water. While you can buy kits that add wax to the mixture, this isn't necessary. Make sure that you are rinsing completely after you wash to ensure that there are no streaks left behind.

Don't: Wash The Undercarriage Of The Truck

Washing beneath the freightliner can create the conditions for rust to develop. A rusted out brake line, gas tank or other component to the truck makes it impossible to drive safely. Additionally, there is no reason to do so on a regular basis unless you have a severe buildup of mud or grime underneath the car.

Do: Wash Your Glass And Tires

The windows need to be washed just as much as the rest of the truck. You can wash them with soap and water whenever you feel the need to. If there are bird droppings or other debris on the car, they can become baked into the glass if not treated immediately. While tires don't need to be cleaned, they will look newer and shinier if you do decide to clean them. Most auto parts stores carry tire blackening products for a few dollars.

Related: Easy Ways to Conserve Water When Washing Your Medium Duty Box Truck

Don't: Scrape The Truck To Get Stubborn Debris Off

Never attempt to scrape baked on debris from your vehicle. The last thing that you want to do is add scratches to the paint in addition to whatever may be caked on already. If they won't come off by wiping or scrubbing, visit your local auto shop for bug an tar removing product.
Washing your truck is something you need to do as part of routine car care. Follow these guidelines and your truck will look great for years to come!

If you or a co-worker is in an accident and you need replacement parts for your medium or heavy duty commercial truck, call us at (803) 564-3228 or (877) 564-6307. If you have any difficulties getting through our phone system, please use our Contact Form or Parts Request Form, or email sales@busbeetruckparts.com.

We have hundreds of Salvaged Medium Duty Trucks and Commercial Box Trucks for Parts including: Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso, UD, and GMC. With thousands of parts, including our most popular Isuzu NPR Truck Parts, we should have any part that you need in stock. Our sales professionals will be glad to assist you.  We are located at 4107 Festival Trail Rd, Wagener, SC 29164.


Be sure to Subscribe to the Busbee Blog for more helpful tips and tricks for safe and easy driving. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for our Free Monthly Newsletters.

Tips for Keeping Your Medium Duty Box Truck Cool in the Summer

The summer's scorching sun can make a good day bad in a heartbeat for any truck driver. There's nothing worse than coming back to your parked Isuzu NPR, Mitsubishi Fuso, or Hino freight truck and getting a massive flood of heat when you get in. Here are some tips for summer freight transportation:

1. Block the Sun. It helps to leave blankets on the seats while the truck is parked. The blanket will be exposed, but the seat will be shielded from direct sunlight. An alternative to the blanket method is using a a sunshade or window visor. Sunshades are sometimes metallic and look almost like aluminum foil stretched across the inside of a windshield.
2. Protect Your Hands. Cover your steering wheel with a hand towel. Even if you use a sunshade, it’s a good idea to cover your steering wheel with a small towel. This will help to keep the contact temperature of your steering wheel down.
3. Park in a shady area. Whenever possible, park in a shady area. If you’re going to be somewhere for an extended period of time, it’s worth it to walk a bit farther in order to park in the shade.
4. Crack the Windows. It’s not the best idea to leave your windows all the way open, however, leaving them cracked – less than the width of a person's arm - can help ventilate the inside of the vehicle. Even a small crack will promote ventilation and help to keep your car cool. If rain is expected, you can still crack the windows as long as you have window vent visors. The visors are small tinted pieces of plastic that attach to the top of a car’s window.
5. Use a solar-powered fan. Paired with cracked windows, a solar-powered fan can make your car feel downright pleasant during even the hottest summer days. These simple fans work  to expel hot air from your car. By creating constant air circulation, they lower your car’s overall temperature.

It also helps if you make sure your truck's air conditioning is up to par. Search our Busbee Truck Parts Inventory for all the AC parts you need, including AC Compressors and AC Condensors.

Ten Tire Myths Debunked

As one of the most commonly replaced parts on an Isuzu, Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso or Nissan UD medium-duty box truck, everyone seems to have some kind of advice about proper tire care and replacement. Some suggestions can wreck otherwise good tires, some suggestions are dangerous, and it can be hard to separate the facts from fiction. Check out these ten tire myths:

Myth: Valve caps are unnecessary; the valve core provides the seal.
Truth: Valve cores prevent air from escaping out through the valve stem, but they aren't always airtight. They are also susceptible to dirt and ice blockage that can keep the valve core open. A tight, metal valve cap with a gasket provides a sure seal, and protects the valve core, too. Flow-through caps are recommended, since these make pressure checks easier.

Myth: Balance problems? Try golf balls.
Truth: Many believe that using balancing material inside a tire can reduce tire/wheel vibration, but golf balls? Golf balls tend to compress into a cube pattern, which can damage the tire inner liner. Use lead weights or a compound that will not damage or react with the inside of the tire. Save your old golf balls for your day off.

Myth: Vehicle alignment has little effect on vehicle fuel economy.
Truth: Tires that aren't running true to the direction of travel are literally being dragged sideways along the road surface the equivalent of a few feet for every mile of travel. This not only increases the rolling resistance of the tires, it also wears the tires down faster.

Related: 5 Ways to Save Fuel With Your Tires

Myth: Only big companies make good tires.
Truth: Based on sales, Bridgestone is the world's leading tire manufacturer. But that doesn't mean its tires are superior to other brands. Smaller manufacturers penetrate the market with niche tires designed for fuel economy, traction and longer life. Most brand-name tires cost more just because of brand recognition.

Myth: High load-range tires are more durable than lower load-range tires.
Truth: Higher load range tires can hold more inflation pressure than lower range tires and can carry more load at these higher pressures, but they are no more durable or less susceptible to road hazards, punctures, cuts, or abrasion than any other tire.

Myth: All-season tires offer more traction on wet roads.
Truth: A summer tire has more grip, both wet and dry, than an otherwise equivalent all-season tire. "All season" means the tire trades wet and dry grip to gain mobility in snow and below-freezing temperatures. If you live where it never or rarely snows, there's no reason to have an all-season tire.

Myth: Lower tire pressure equals better grip.
Truth: While a reduced tire pressure used to provide better grip in older tires, it won't today. Lowering tire pressure will reduce your mileage and impact your handling. Manufacturers actually recommend you increase the tire pressure when driving in the winter, because tire pressure drops about one pound for every 10-degree drop in temperature. You may even want to go up another 5 pounds per square inch.

Myth: It's OK to limp home empty on a flat tire.
Truth: Running any tire flat, regardless of the weight on board, is a bad idea. Soft or underinflated tires will suffer sidewall damage, and if the tire has broken away from the rim, the bead could be damaged. Both will render a tire unusable and unrepairable in a short time.

Myth: Over-inflating tires allows heavier loads without reducing speed.
Truth: Tires are designed to run at specific inflation pressures. Over-inflation changes the tire's footprint, placing more weight on the centerline of the tire. This not only reduces tread life, it also compromises traction, stability, and safety.

Myth: Tires are not affected by speed.
Truth: As speeds increase, the load-carrying capacity of many tires actually decreases. Tires that were able to carry a given load at or below 65 mph may require more pressure at higher speed and/or a reduction in load. Spec your tires for the speeds you plan to travel.

If you or a co-worker is in an accident and you need replacement parts for your medium or heavy duty commercial truck, call us at (803) 564-3228 or (877) 564-6307. If you have any difficulties getting through our phone system, please use our Contact Form or Parts Request Form, or email sales@busbeetruckparts.com.

We have hundreds of Salvaged Medium Duty Trucks and Commercial Box Trucks for Parts including: Isuzu, Mitsubishi Fuso, UD, and GMC. With thousands of parts, including our most popular Isuzu NPR Truck Parts, we should have any part that you need in stock. Our sales professionals will be glad to assist you.  We are located at 4107 Festival Trail Rd, Wagener, SC 29164.


Be sure to Subscribe to the Busbee Blog for more helpful tips and tricks for safe and easy driving. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for our Free Monthly Newsletters.