Extreme heat and long drives can be tough on your commercial box
truck. Cracked hoses, leaky radiators, under inflated tires and dirty
filters can significantly lower your fuel efficiency, or worse, lead to a
total breakdown. Before hitting the road this summer, you can take
several simple precautions to keep the driver safe and save money at the
pump.
Check Your Tires - Tires are one of the most
overlooked parts of the truck. But the truth is that an under-inflated,
over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous,
particularly in hot summer weather. Tire pressure changes with the
rising temperatures -- approximately one to two PSI (pounds per square
inch) for every 10-degree increase in outside air temperature [source:
the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)]. Consult your owner's manual
or the sidewall of your tire to see what your tire pressure should be
and check it with a hand pressure gauge or just let the guys at the
service shop do it for you.
An under-inflated tire bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the
sidewalls of the tire. With enough heat and pressure, that tire
eventually will blow. An over-inflated tire, on the other hand, makes
less contact with the road and can lead to hydroplaning in wet
conditions.
Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your
tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears,
you're good [source: CBS News].
Change Oil and Oil Filter - Oil keeps hardworking
engine parts running clean, smooth and cool. Most owner's manuals
suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles
(12,070 kilometers). Oil change specialists suggest every 3,000 miles
(4,828 kilometers) or three months. The fact is, most of us do a lot of
heavy driving during the summer when an engine is more likely to
overheat. So at least check your oil before you head out on the road.
Check Hoses and Belts - The key to summer driving is
keeping the engine cool. We're going to talk about the radiator and
coolant soon, but first you need to check the
hoses and belts. The hoses
connected to the radiator help pump coolant to and from the engine
block, and the belts run the fan that helps cool the system further. If
the hoses crack or the belts snap, the radiator will quickly overheat,
leaving you stranded.
Check hoses for cracks, leaks and loose connections. Hoses should be
firm, never soft and malleable. Hoses suffer from a slow deterioration
process called electrochemical degradation (ECD) that eats away at
rubber hose material from the inside. The most vulnerable parts of the
hose are those nearest to clamps where the hose connects to the radiator
or the engine.
Belts can also be visually checked for cracks and damage. Take note
if the belt looks excessively slick or smooth. Remove the belt to make
sure that the material hasn't started separating into different layers.
Experts say the risk of belt failure rises dramatically after 36,000
miles (57,936 kilometers) [source: Consumer Reports].
Change the Air Filter - Over the winter, your
truck's air filter can get clogged with salt and other thick debris. A
clogged air filter can really lower your fuel efficiency. Replacing a
dirty or clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10
percent. The recommended interval for changing your air filter is every
12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers), but that can be affected by the
particular road and air conditions in which you drive. If you do a lot
of driving on dirt or gravel roads, then your air filter is going to
clog up much faster than an air filter in a vehicle that's used strictly
for highway driving. The only real way to know if you need to replace
your air filter is take it out and give it a quick inspection.
Replace Your Windshield Wipers - The summertime is
notorious for sudden, violent thunderstorms. When buckets of water are
beating against your windshield, you need wipers that really work.
Winter can be tough on windshield wipers. Ice, snow, salt and extreme
temperatures make cracks and tears in the rubber that lower the
effectiveness of the wipers. If your wipers are leaving visible streaks
or take several passes to clear away light rain, they need to be
replaced.
Check Your Brakes -
Your brakes are the single most
important safety feature on your truck. Brakes need to be replaced when
the lining on your brake pad or brake shoe is worn down past the minimum
thickness specified by the truck manufacturer or state law. You can
have your brake linings checked at any service shop or at a brake
specialist.
Here are some signs that your brakes need to be checked:
-
Your brake pedal becomes very soft and mushy
-
Your brake pedal is very hard and resistant
-
Your brake pedal rests too low or too high
-
Indication or warning lights on the dashboard
-
Loud and constant scraping and grinding sounds coming from the brakes
Interestingly, squealing brakes are not necessarily a sign of a
problem. Brakes squeal and squeak for a wide variety of reasons,
including moisture on the brake pads, discs, shoes and drums. You should
only become concerned if the squealing becomes a scraping or grinding
noise. This is a sign of metal-to-metal contact, which can permanently
damage brake parts.
Check the Coolant and Radiator - A combustion engine
is most efficient at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees
Celsius). But if an engine is allowed to get too hot, moving metal parts
can actually start to melt and fuse together, causing a variety of
internal problems for your engine -- and, you guessed it, a hefty repair
bill. Luckily, your truck has an ingenious cooling system that uses a
chemical coolant, called antifreeze, and a series of pumps, hoses,
thermostats and fans to keep the car at its optimal running temperature.
But any problems with this system -- low coolant levels, cracked hoses,
loose or broken belts, a leak in the radiator or even a loose or
missing radiator cap can cause your car to overheat and break down.
The summertime is tough on cooling systems. Check under the hood and
make sure that your coolant levels are fine. The general rule is to
flush your radiator and add new coolant at least every two years. For
summer driving, coolant should be added as a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze
and water.
Clean Your Battery - Wintertime is notorious for
dead batteries and early morning jumpstarts. But the truth is that hot
weather is even tougher on your battery. Summer heat can speed up the
chemical reaction inside a battery, causing the battery to be
overcharged and dramatically shortening the lifespan of your battery.
Heat can also damage the battery by evaporating internal battery fluid.
The best way to keep your battery running smoothly is to keep it clean.
Regularly detach the battery cables and wipe off the terminals. Make
sure the battery is strapped down tightly and that all connections are
secure.
Maintain Your Air Conditioning - The best way to
tell if your air conditioner has a problem is if it can't generate or
maintain air temperatures that are 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees
Celsius) below the ambient outside air temperature. The most common
cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of
refrigerant. This could be caused buy a leak somewhere in the system.
Since modern air conditioning systems are complicated creatures, it's
best to have a professional check out the problem.
If you or a co-worker needs replacement parts this summer for your
medium or heavy duty import 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.
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