Lucky or Unlucky 13 - Part 1

Some superstitious people don’t think the number 13 is lucky. But keep reading and I’ll show you how it can be your lucky number.

Starting today, make it your goal to take care of those little things that come up for repair on your truck instead of letting them go until they become major repairs. Spend a little money now or a lot later, your decision. I know times are tough and you may be tempted to put off some repairs until later. This decision could be serious and lead to more problems.

Even if you have a brand spanking new truck, this does not guarantee you will be problem free. Heed the advice of the truck manufacturer regarding maintenance and care of your new truck. They should know best, they are the ones that built your truck.

When you see some older trucks out there still in service you can bet they are well cared for. Paying attention to the little things can stretch the life of your vehicle, and keep you and those around you on the road safe.

You have a huge liability exposure driving your rig day after day on the highways. Having a fatal accident that leads to an investigation that shows a failed part because of neglect could be disastrous to your business. Putting the words disastrous and business together in the same sentence does not conjure up a good image of what could happen to you and your livelihood. Here is a random list of things that could get ugly if left unattended.

• Steer tires - These should be checked regularly for air pressure and wear and tear. One of these blowing could cause you to lose control of your truck and you can pretty much visualize the result of that. It’s not going to be pretty either. Best case scenario is no one gets hurt and the truck is not damaged. I don’t need to paint you a picture of the worse case scenario, you already know and maybe have seen it first hand.
• Lug Nuts - Check every nut by hand before each trip, especially important if a tire was just removed and reinstalled. Can you imagine what kind of problems a lug nut could cause if it were to come off while rolling down the road. Picture the nut sailing through the air and hitting another object. A vehicle can be fixed, but that nut flying through an open window into a driver or passenger is something that can be and needs to be avoided.
• ICC trailer bumpers - You know you have one on your trailer but have you checked it lately for cracks or damage. Rear end hits to your trailer are generally not your fault unless you are found negligent of your trailer bumper being cracked or damaged.
• Steering components - A little too much play in your steering wheel needs to be checked right away. This could mean worn U-joints between the steering wheel and the gearbox.  With the engine running, lift the engine hood and twist the steering shaft slightly, both directions. Watch the pitman arm and tie rod end for any play there. If these parts are worn they could fail at any time.
• Suspension Components - Your life and your load depend on u-bolts, leaf springs, torque arms, stabilizer bars and trailing arms. Failure of any of these could possibly be fatal. Check them all every pre-trip inspection just to be sure.
• Brakes - Regularly grease the automatic slack adjusters. These are the first to get checked during an inspection of your truck if involved in a wreck. If any one of these are clack adjusters is out of adjustment, you could e looking at a possible conviction by a jury indicating you were at fault.
• Air Lines - If trailer lines end up dragging across the road the eventually will wear through until they finally rupture. Keep a close eye on the lines and the springs that support them. Ice buildup can also cause your air lines to get weighted down and begin to drag. Take care of your air lines like your life depends on it, because it does.

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