Before you hit the road, it’s wise to check your truck and trailer for a couple of things. This will ensure that you are safe and prepared to hit the road. In this blog article you can read which things you should check before you leave.
In this blog article you’ll read:
- Why do I need to check my truck and trailer daily?
- Safety checklist for your truck
- Safety checklist for your trailer
- Buy parts for your truck
Why do I need to check my truck and trailer daily?
As a truck driver, you spend hours driving on the road. It’s therefore important that this is done as safely as possible. If you perform our daily check, you can prevent lots of problems! Because the moment your truck comes to a halt, you lose time and therefore money. In the checklist you can check the most important things.
Safety checklist for your truck
1. Proper operation lighting
Check that all of your truck’s lights are working.
2. System alerts (dashboard notifications)
When a notification appears on the dasboard, immediate action is often required. Is the icon red? Then there is a serious malfunction and you should stop driving. Is it yellow/orange? Then there is a less serious malfunction and you can continue driving. Consult your truck manual for an overview of the most important messages.
3. Fuel Level
Before you hit the road, check how much fuel is in the tank. You can see this on the dashboard of your truck.
4. Engine oil level
Newer trucks get a notification if the oil level is too low. On an old truck, you can check this with a dipstick. Add oil if the oil level is below the minus.
5. Correct position of seats and mirrors
Proper adjustment of mirrors is very important, especially because of the blind spot. There are special adjustment locations for setting the mirrors to the correct position. RDW Group explains how to adjust your truck mirrors to the correct positions. Naturally, adjustment doesn’t have to be done every day. However, it’s important to check daily to ensure that the positions of the seat and mirrors haven’t changed.
6. Coolant level
Coolant keeps the engine from overheating. That’s why it’s important to check for any messages on the dashboard. You can check the coolant level by looking at the lines on the transparent reservoir. If the coolant level is below the minimum, you obviously need to top it up. But do this only when the engine is cold. Otherwise, damage may occur.
The Automobile Association provides a comprehensive explanation for checking your truck’s coolant level.
7. Windscreen washer fluid level
Are your windows dirty? Then clean them with windshield washer fluid. Make sure your windshield washer fluid level is good by checking it every day. To find out how to check and top up, visit the Way.com website.
8. Air Filter Indicator
The combustion air of the engine is cleaned by an air filter. Always refer to the warranty maintenance manual for filter replacement periods.
9. Wheel attachment and tire pressure
Some trucks get a notification on the dashboard when the tire pressure drops. But if your truck doesn’t have this feature, you must measure the tire pressure yourself. You can do this at most gas stations.
10. Tread depth of tires
When your tires are worn out, it’s dangerous to drive on the road. This is because you’re more likely to have accidents, due to an increased risk of aquaplaning, for example.
The minimum tire tread depth of truck tires shouldn’t be less than 1.6 millimeters. A useful tool to measure the tread depth of your tires is a tire tread gauge. Is it time for new tires? View tires for sale on TrucksNL.
Safety cheklist for your trailer
1. Check function and correct attachment of fifth wheel
Always check before attaching the fifth wheel that it isn’t damaged. Check that the fifth wheel is actually locked in place by carefully driving forward a bit.
2. Check the connection of lights and brakes
Check that the brake lines and cables for lights and ABS (anti-lock braking system) or EBS (electronic braking system) are connected.
3. Check the operation of lights, brake lights and turn signals
Check all trailer lights.
4. Check that the trailer’s brakes are working properly
If the ABS/EBS indicator light in the truck cab is on, it’s important to check the following things:
- Fuses
- ABS/EBS cable
- Socket boxes for corrosion
In addition, check that the plug is properly inserted into the socket.
5. Check the condition of the tires and tire pressure
Same as item 9 of the truck checklist.
Buy parts for your truck
Replacing parts on time saves a lot of time, money and unnecessary downtime for your truck. Are you looking for parts? TrucksNL has various truck parts for sale.
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