A Truck Owner's Manual to Proper Maintenance

Your truck or car was probably a significant investment, and it also serves an important need for transportation. To ensure that your vehicle continues to operate correctly and to prolong its life for as long as possible, you will need to perform regular maintenance or have this work performed by a professional. Some tasks are relatively simple in nature, which means that you may be able to do this work yourself. Other maintenance work is more involved and requires specific tools or equipment, so it's best performed by a mechanic who has the proper training and tools. Knowing the proper maintenance schedule for your truck or car will ensure that you have the work done in a timely fashion, which should help keep your vehicle running smoothly.

Preventative maintenance involves ongoing tasks that keep your vehicle operating efficiently and correctly. Performing preventative maintenance is crucial to avoid serious and expensive damage occurring to your vehicle. To maintain your truck's engine, you will need to change the oil and filter according to manufacturer specifications. The engine also requires regular changing and/or checking of the fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs, hoses, and belts to ensure that they remain in proper working order. Automotive fluids provide important lubrication of components, so keeping fluids at the proper level is another important part of preventative maintenance. Car manufacturers provide specific details about the frequency of checking fluid levels and how to check them. You must check fluid levels of the radiator, brakes, steering, and transmission to keep these components working correctly. Preventative maintenance also includes checking shocks, brakes, and other components such as the battery, heater, air conditioner, and defroster to ensure that they are working correctly.

Ongoing tire care is an integral part of overall vehicle maintenance. Monitoring tire treads to assess wear ensures that you maintain the traction you need on the road. The universal benchmark for tire treads is 2/32-inch tread, and you can check this wear with a penny. When inserting the penny into the tread, insert it so Abraham Lincoln's head is facing down, then check to see how much of Lincoln's head you can see. If you cannot see quite all of it, you have more than 2/32-inch of tread depth remaining on your tire. Check the air pressure in tires at least once every month to ensure that all tires are filled according to manufacturer specifications. Driving on tires that are under-inflated is a top cause of tire failure because this leads to too much of the surface area touching the road. Over-filling tires is associated with excess wear on tires, and it can also reduce traction on the roadway. For best results, check tire pressure after your vehicle has been sitting for at least a few hours. Don't forget to monitor tire pressure in your spare tire as well. Tire alignment and rotation are also important to extend the life of your tires. Your tires may need alignment if you feel vibration, if the vehicle drifts even when you are holding the steering wheel, and if your tires wear unevenly. Rotating your tires involves moving tires to different locations on the vehicle to extend the life of the tires and the vehicle. Your truck or car manufacturer will provide a schedule and specifications for recommended tire rotation.

Performing periodic inspections will help ensure the longevity of your vehicle as well as the separate components that work together to make it run. A comprehensive inspection includes checking and testing each different system to note potential wear or existing malfunctions that will usually become worse over time. Examining belts, hoses, fans, lights, filters, and electrical components should be performed once or twice each year. Many states also have emissions and safety inspections that must be performed annually to maintain a car or truck registration. With satisfaction of the annual inspection, you get a sticker that you place on your vehicle.

Learn more about proper truck and vehicle maintenance by visiting the following websites:

• The Long Haul: 10 Tips to Help Keep Your Truck Running Into Old Age
• General Maintenance Tips
• Truck Maintenance Tips for Drivers (PDF)
• Winter Truck Maintenance Tips
• Basic Car Maintenance Tips and Services Checklist
• Top 10 Vehicle Summer Maintenance Tips
• Basic Car Maintenance Tips
• Top Five Maintenance Tips for Diesel Engines
• Top 10 Car Care Tips
• Tips on How to Maintain Your New Car
• Basic Car and Truck Maintenance
• Getting Your Vehicle Ready for Winter
• General Service Schedule
• Maintenance Schedule
• Vehicle Maintenance Schedule
• Heavy Duty Truck Maintenance Manual (PDF)
• Fluid Basics: Diesel Service Schedule
• Car Maintenance by the Mile: What Your Mechanic Isn't Telling You
• Prevention Maintenance Checklist for Tractors, Trucks, and Automobiles (PDF)
• The Per-Mile Costs of Operating Automobiles and Trucks (PDF)