Hello, my name is Roy. For many years, I drove a 1976 Ford estate car around Sydney. The car had belonged to my grandpa. It was passed down to me when I had just passed my driving test at the age of 18. That was in 1986 and the car was already in a pretty bad condition then. Fast forward to 2006 and I was now aged 38 and still driving the same car around. Sometimes the car wouldn't start, white smoke came out of the exhaust and the gearbox made a terrible sound. I did my best to patch it up, but eventually, I had to scrap the car and buy a new one. I decided to start a blog to encourage others to service their cars.
As a fleet operator, it is crucial to be knowledgeable of the vehicles that you oversee so that you can ensure their servicing requirements are being met on a routine basis. Failure to do so could lead to an inability to meet your operational targets due to the consistent breakdown of the vehicles. Here is a highlight of the most common truck fleet maintenance problems to be wary of.
Wheel bearings problems
The wheel bearings function to ensure the wheels of the truck are moving with minimal exposure to friction. If the bearings start to become degraded, the driver will start to notice an excessive amount of noise being emitted from the wheel wells as the truck is being driven. Other symptoms that could accompany faulty wheel bearings include jerking of the truck and an overall sense of instability on the roads. This is hazardous because the driver can lose control of the vehicle, which would pose the risk of a serious road accident that will put the driver's life and the lives of other road users in danger. It would be essential to take the truck for servicing as soon as possible.
Problems with the U-joint
Another important yet overlooked component of the truck is the U-joint. This component functions to ensure power is being transferred from the transmission system to the truck's differential. For the U-joint to stay in optimum functionality, it needs routine lubrication. In the event the U-joint begins to fail, a common symptom would be clicking sounds coming from the vehicle. The truck driver may also notice that the truck starts to vibrate whenever the driver is accelerating. Not attending to U-joint problems will inevitably translate into the truck breaking down. Therefore, it would be essential to have a malfunctioning U-joint replaced posthaste.
Starter
The starter is one of the components that rarely succumbs to wear and tear. Nevertheless, this does not mean it is immune to acquiring damage. During the winter, trucks are typically used less often. This lack of use can result in starter failure in your vehicles. If you foresee that your fleet will not be in service during the colder months, it is advisable to have them inspected for any starter trouble, as this would translate into ignition problems. This allows the mechanic to catch any problems before they get a chance to worsen while the trucks are out of commission.
Share24 October 2018
