Whether you use your truck strictly for work or for play, it’s important to properly maintain it throughout the year. 
Forcompanies, truck maintenance is even more important as vehicles are significant assets. Carefully maintaining company vehicles is necessary to ensure that business run smoothly on a daily basis, year-round. Generally, your pickup truck is only as good as the maintenance it’s received.
First and foremost, review your vehicle’s owner manual for any specific truck maintenance needs it may require on a monthly or annual basis. By scheduling routine maintenance for your vehicle, as well as taking some simple precautionary measures, your truck will remain in great condition for many years. Explore the 5 tips below to keep your truck in optimal shape this year:
1. Don’t Neglect Your Brakes
As autoMedia.com puts it, “brake fluid is cheap; calipers, hoses, and sensors are expensive.” Be sure to change brake fluid at least once per year to save yourself from having to replace more expensive, time-consuming parts of your vehicle in the long run. “Brake fluid is hygroscopic. This means it is adept at attracting moisture. Moisture causes components to corrode and fail.” (autoMedia.com) Save yourself some serious headaches by staying on top of your brake fluid.
Furthermore, “regular fluid checks and an almost pious dedication to scheduled lubrication will keep the powertrain going strong. What kind of oil, brake fluid, and grease used is just as important as when it is changed” (Mike Bumbeck, autoMedia.com) Don’t invest in a pricy new company vehicle if you’re not prepared to maintain the simple things that will ensure its lifespan.
2. Replace Your Coolant Routinely
Maintaining your truck’s coolant is incredibly important. In fact, some say it’s as important as staying on top of the truck maintenance of your engine. According to Auto Trader, “a cooling system failure can result in your engine literally melting down.” The good news? This is super easy to do; simply create a reminder for yourself to check the coolant in all company vehicles on a bi-monthly basis.
3. Schedule Your Alignment As Needed
Staying on top of your vehicle’s alignment is vital truck maintenance. When your truck or van is out of alignment, you’ll cause unnecessary tire wear, worse gas mileage and potential lack of control when steering. Have your alignment checked when getting a routine oil change, if you feel the vehicle is pulling to one side or driving rougher than normal.
4. The Importance of Keeping it Clean
If you’re a Magnum customer, then chances are you love your truck as much as we love ours. For work vehicles, it’s especially important to take pride in their appearance, as they’re truly your company’s moving billboard around town. We’ve outlined some specific resources to help you maintain the look of your work truck, below:
- Winter Maintenance For Your Truck
- 10 Tips For Detailing Your Truck Wheels Like a Pro
- How Do I Know If My Tires Will Pass Inspection?
Furthermore, leaving the salt and other road grime on the underside of your company van or truck can do serious component damage over time. Avoid rusting and other vehicle damage by hosing off your vehicles after every major storm in the winter time.
5. Protect Your Tires Properly
According to Bank Rate, it’s important to maintain proper tire pressure by checking it at least once per month. “If tires are 8 pounds under inflated… rolling resistance of the tires increases by 5 percent. Because tires naturally lose air, check pressure monthly to ensure optimal gas mileage and handling.”
“On a commercial tire, the valve cap is considered the primary seal against air loss, with the valve core being secondary” (Bridgestone Firestone North America). Furthermore, the high-quality flow-through valve caps greatly speeds up air pressure maintenance and doesn’t provide a temptation to ignore checking pressure on inner dual tires.
Summary – The Importance of Truck Maintenance
It’s important to maintain truck maintenance for a variety of reasons. Regardless of your job field, upholding a vehicle’s condition is necessary for it to run smoothly on a daily basis, year-round. Whether you’re a lawn care professional who uses your work truck to haul materials to and from your job site, or you simply commute a long distance to and from work in your pickup truck, it’s important you’re executing proper upkeep for your vehicle.
