9 Truck Tips to Help Extend the Life of Your Truck

January 25, 2017

There are several things you can do to help extend the life of your truck. Taking the time to check and maintenance your truck can save you time and money. Here are nine truck tips to help extend the life of your truck and keep you safe on the roads.

Truck Tips to Extend the Life of Your Truck

1. Check and Change Your Oil

To help prolong the life of your truck, make sure it always has enough oil and that the oil is changed as needed. Machinerylubrication.com states that common oil drain intervals are typically every 25,000 miles. However, depending on your truck and the driving you do (highway versus city), the intervals for your oil changes can vary between every 10,000 and every 30,000.

2. Check Tire Pressure

Although checking your tire pressure doesn’t directly extend the life of your truck, it can help extend the life of your tires and improve your gas mileage. When you’re on the road all the time, every little bit adds up when it comes to fuel costs and tire lifespan.

3. Tire Rotation & Alignment

Your tires get worn out due to bumps, potholes and general wear and tear. Rotating them and keeping them balanced can help prolong the life of the tires and possibly increase your miles per gallon.

4. Routine Maintenance

Although routine maintenance might seem like it takes a lot of time and money, it can actually save you both time and money in the long run. Routine maintenance checks help catch any minor issues before they become major issues. Major issues can end up costing you more money and can take a lot of time off the road. Schedule your maintenance checks so that your time off the road is planned rather than on your way to or from a destination.

5. Flush Your Radiator

Flushing your radiator regularly can help extend the life of your engine. Your owner’s manual should tell you how often this is recommended. You can also ask for this at your routine maintenance checks.

6. Don’t Overload Your Truck

Your truck is meant to haul heavy loads to and from places, but make sure you know your truck’s limits. Overloading your truck causes it to work harder. Doing this too often can cause your truck repairs and general maintenance costs to go up and your truck’s life expectancy to go down.

7. Check Your Lights

Yes, you should always make sure that your exterior lights work, but to help extend the life of your truck, make sure your interior lights are working as well – specifically the ones on your dashboard. This way if there are any issues with your truck, a service light will indicate it as soon as possible.

When a light comes on, take action right away to get the issue taken care of. It might cost you a little money to do this upfront, but it can also save you money if the problem gets fixed before a bigger issue arises.

8. Clean Your Air Filters

When is the last time you cleaned out your air filter? Being on the road all the time causes the air filters to get full of dust and dirt. It’s recommended to clean out your air filter about every 20,000 to 25,000 miles. Make it part of your regular maintenance routine to make sure it gets taken care of.

9. Check All Fluid Levels

Although these should be checked in your routine maintenance checks, it’s always a good idea to be aware of all of your fluid levels to make sure your truck will run properly, efficiently and safely. Some fluid levels to be aware of are oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid and of course, fuel.

In one of our recent surveys, our freight factoring customers said that fuel, repairs, and tires were among the biggest expenses for their trucking company. Follow these nine truck tips to help decrease your repair expenses and increase the life of your truck.

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