7 Tips for Truck Winter Maintenance

No matter how much you hate it, winter is here. We are seeing many repeated issues that could be prevented during the winter months, and with a good preventive maintenance check you'll be spending more time on the road rather than in the shop!

Throughout the season, we suggest you go through this truck preventative maintenance checklist to ensure a safer and sounder winter!

1. Battery: Clean the battery and connectors, then load test each one.
2. Coolant system: Pressure test the coolant system. This will ensure leaks are detected while you're in the shop and not left on the side of the road. In addition, check your antifreeze strength (-34C degrees) as well as water filter or coolant additives.
3. Lubricate: Perform Preventative Maintenance checks in between your greasing intervals. The quality of oil and grease is not the factor of vehicle life anymore, it's the quality of the procedure in preventative maintenance and application of grease. It's important to check your weak points such as Kingpins and U-joints, if greased properly you can run 50,000-mile intervals.
4. Air systems: Drain all air tanks daily when temperature is above freezing. Have your air dryer heater checked and service your dryer according to the manufacturer's specifications. Add airline antifreeze and test air dryer heater operation. Once a year remember to replace your air dryer filter.
5. Starting Aids: Check the condition of the block heater. Inspect the fuel heater and water separator. If necessary, collect water at the bottom with a drain valve and always do this during the winter months when the temperature is above freezing. Add a fuel additive to help dry up water and fuel to prevent freeze up.
6. Filters: Have your cab heater screens cleaned out and ensure no obstructions. Change both your air and fuel filters. Air filter restriction metrics are there for a reason, if you can't make it to the next PM, change it. Also, don't push your fuel filters another 10,000 miles and risk a road call. Change it at every Preventative Maintenance check.
7. General: This time of year, there's more night than day. That being said; don't be caught in the dark without a spare headlight bulb and spare windshield wiper.