Essential Preventative Maintenance for your Truck this Winter

Essential Preventative Maintenance for Your Truck this Winter

Harsh weather conditions and the winter cold can have a significant impact on various truck systems and components. Without enough forethought put into preventative maintenance for your trucks before winter, you could be dealing with breakdowns in places where repair is impractical, costly fixes, and delays due to unplanned downtime.

Luckily, a majority of winter-related truck issues can be completely avoided with a healthy amount of preventive maintenance — especially if you perform all the checkups and fixes before the temperatures plummet.

Ideally, preventative maintenance should be a planned, annual event. That way the drivers, cargo, and trucks will stay safe and sound even on wintery roads. So, without further ado, here are some of the ways you can winterize your commercial truck!

Checking fluids

While this should be a part of regular yearly maintenance, it’s worth pointing out that some truck systems are more susceptible to failure due to freezing temperatures than others. For instance, newer diesel mid-duty trucks tend to be equipped with DEF systems. While these help in reducing emissions with an exhaust fluid that lowers the number of particulates that exit the exhaust, there’s one key problem — they don’t function well in extremely cold weather.

The DEF fluid freezes at just 12 degrees, which means an overnight stay in particularly cold weather is enough to cause a delay. Luckily, the fluid will thaw after about an hour of operation — but just like any other fluid, it may expand when frozen, which could result in damage to the hoses or the system. Make sure you’ve got one eye on your fluid levels, and check for leaks as the truck warms up. Pay special attention to the hoses and clamps — if your coolant levels don’t hit the full mark, locate the leaks by pressurizing the system.

Generally, antifreeze and coolants have a 2-year service life on average. A majority of coolant brands specify a 24-month product life on their stuff — and even if your coolant hasn’t hit that two-year mark, it won’t hurt to use some test strips and a hydrometer or refractometer to see if the freeze point is where it should be, and if the coolant is rightly preventing cavitation, aeration, and corrosion.

Anti-corrosion additives will break down as time goes on, so replacing and flushing fluids should definitely be a part of your maintenance plan when winterizing your semi-truck. Constantly checking for signs of any leaks in the winter months will help avoid roadside incidents.

Fuel maintenance

When preparing for colder weather, think about using Grade 1 ASTM D-975 diesel if it’s supported by your equipment; this fuel performs better in the coldest (below 10 degrees) temperatures. Also, make sure you drain the truck’s water separator and change the fuel filter to avoid any chance of freezing while out on icy roads.

In general, colder temperatures require lighter-weight oil for your engine. So, if you’re using 15W-40 oil, you may want to switch to 10W-30 or something even lighter. Extremely cold climates even call for 5W-40 oil — just make sure the products are in line with OE specifications.

Checking ignition and wear items

While preparing for winter weather, your mechanic should have a closer look at the truck’s glow plugs and make sure they’re clean and in peak condition. Realistically speaking, it’s a part you can replace cheaply — but also something you don’t need failing you in the middle of January in Minnesota. While inspecting the plugs, have someone go through all the belts and hoses; weather extremes like freezing weather can easily cause premature failures and cracks.

Checking batteries

The fact that your truck is starting perfectly in 50-degree weather doesn’t mean you’ll have an equally easy time getting it running when it’s below five. So, make sure your battery has been thoroughly tested — a strong and healthy battery is a must.

Remember, batteries often fail during winter — extremely cold temperatures can reduce the lifespan of batteries by causing them to resist charge. So, their state of charge has to be tested with a digital voltmeter or a handheld tester. If you find that the remaining battery life is low or they’re older than 3 years, you should probably replace them before the cold weather hits.

Also, keeping trucks on a block heater isn’t a bad idea when they’re parked overnight. The block heater will keep the truck’s engine warm during the coldest hours of the night and increase your chances of starting the engine easily in winter weather.

Winter Wipers

Before your drivers go out to drive in cold weather, check the trucks’ windshield wipers. Keep in mind that beam-style wipers will give you more protection against ice damage. Also, heated wiper blades allow the truck to move more easily in even the most extreme winter conditions.

Heated blades are connected to the truck’s electrical system, and provide enough heat to prevent any ice-buildups and resulting hazards. If you allow ice to catch on your windshield wipers, they won’t be able to work properly and they’ll scratch or stick to the windshield.

Portable cab heaters

While bunk warmers can help a driver stay warm while they’re sleeping, a portable cab heater will ensure they stay safe and productive even in the coldest conditions. Ceramic heaters are quite energy-efficient, or you could just get a heater with a fan. Regardless of the setup of the sleeper cab layout, a cab heater will make sure there’s enough warmth without idling the engine. If you’re looking to save money, some portable cab heaters also double as cooling fans for the summer months.

Safety kit

Regardless of how well you winterize your truck, there’s no telling when the driver may get stranded by the road. However, a simple roadside emergency kit can transform what would otherwise be a dangerous situation into just a small inconvenience.

Some of the typical safety kit items include emergency blankets, winter clothing, a snow shovel, and pretty much anything else someone would need to stay warm outside. The cab should be equipped with enough water and food, and the kit needs to be in an easily reachable location.

Heated Headlights

Among other things, ice buildup will also impact your headlights. That’s why you should think about replacement lights for safe wintertime travel. Heated LED headlights will shine clearly regardless of the weather conditions — and without those built-in heaters, ice and snow can easily form and obscure the lights and your view of the road.

Let’s face it, scraping ice off your truck’s headlights each morning is a chore for any driver — especially when it’s so cold outside. And even if they remove the ice, falling snow can be a problem in heavy snowstorms.

Checking tires

Any veteran trucker would tell you how critical tire pressure is when it comes to large trucks. If you want to dodge uneven wear, have optimal traction, maximize your fuel economy, and have decent load-carrying and braking ability in all situations — tire pressure is something you need to check as often as possible.

Generally, uneven tire wear may be the result of pressure problems or issues with your suspension or alignment. Make sure you check the condition and tread depth of your tires over the course of your preventative maintenance for the winter. A tire blowout can be dangerous even in normal road conditions — so avoid danger, delays, and costs by performing frequent tire inspections.

Inspecting brakes

While the truck is carrying a full load, being able to stop safely is paramount — which is why you need to perform detailed and frequent checks on your brakes, and immediately replace them when they’re at the minimum wear condition. See if there’s even wear front to back and side to side. If your brake system isn’t balanced, it will need adjustment or repairs to give you the braking performance you need.

Checking air filters

Having a clean air filter will help you reduce fuel consumption and make your engine run smoother. If it gets clogged, less air will get into the engine, lowering your fuel economy and reducing power as a result. Perform air filter checks and change them regularly.