12 Dec Tips for Ensuring your Trucks are Fully Functional
Negligence of truck brakes maintenance has been reported as one of the resulting causes of truck accidents. Instead of dealing with an accident which obviously incurs losses, it is easier to ensure that your truck brakes are always functioning properly. There is no better time to have your brakes services and replaced than during spring. As this time, the roads are filled with de-icing chemicals which pose serious carrion damage to the brake drums and lining.
It doesn’t matter how careful you are with your car, regular brake maintenance is necessary to ensure you handle any tear before it results in an accident. Use the following tips to ensure your trucks brakes are fully functional.
- Regularly apply grease on the slack adjusters– it doesn’t matter whether you truck uses manual or automatic slack-adjusters, but you need to always ensure that they are properly greased. Regularly greasing the adjusters ensures that they are functioning as they should. Most importantly, make sure the “S” cams are adequately greased. If possible, apply the lithium grease as it is the best in terms of quality.
- Replace the brake pads– from time to time, you will need to replace the brake pads and other parts of the brakes to ensure their optimal performance. You can tell the right time to replace the brakes by checking the indicators placed on the brake shoes. When replacing the brakes pads, consider having other parts of the brakes replaced such as the springs, bushing, and pins. If you have the brakes drums replaced, do not leave out the shoes as they can heat up resulting in heat cracks.
- Ensure the air compression is at the right pressure– the air compression plays the role of enforcing brake action on your truck. If the pressure is below 60 psi, that is considered low pressure and can pose serious dangers to your truck. Check the pressure gauge to ensure is always reading between 100 and 125 psi. If you suspiciously suspect that the pressure is lowering too fast, consider checking for any signs of cracks or damage in the lining or hoses.
- Ensure the hose and the lining are in good condition– before you can start using the truck, always ensure that the lining and the hose are not damaged in any way. The air hoses should have any cracks or show any signs of being worn out. On the other hand, the lining shouldn’t have any lubricant smearing it and should be at least ¼ thick. If either of these parts doesn’t meet the required characteristic, you should consider having them replaced before you can embark on a ride using the truck.
To ensure the safety of the driver and everyone else on the road, it is necessary that you have a routine for checking your brakes. How often the brakes need maintenance depends on the distance the truck is driven and also the driving habits of the driver. If you are an extra careful person on the road, you can always have the brakes checked every time you go for an oil change.