Preparing Your Truck and Trailer for the Winter
As the last of the autumn leaves fall and the winter season approaches, it is always an excellent idea to begin thinking about the best ways to prepare your truck and trailer for the incoming chill. This maintenance will help protect your vehicle and ensure that you and the people driving next to you remain safe.
So, to help keep your truck in spic and span condition for the upcoming season, our team at Kavkaz Express has prepared seven of the best truck and trailer preparation tips you can follow this winter.
Top Tips to Prepare Your Truck and Trailer This Winter
Grab an Engine Block Heater
It can always be challenging to kickstart your truck's diesel engine once temperatures get too chilly. This stubborn start is generally because the oil in the engine gets a bit sticky due to the cold, making it harder for it to move through. In some cases, even when you can start your truck, your engine will still have to work harder, causing it to use up more diesel. So, don't be surprised if you catch yourself at a gas station more than you regularly do.
Fortunately, you can quickly get around this issue by purchasing an engine block heater. This device helps keep your truck warm and oil flowing efficiently through the block. So, if you or your truck driver will be driving through some of the coldest regions of the country this winter, you can never go wrong with having this device by your side.
Switch to Winterized Fuels
Cold weather is always tough on diesel as the fuel often has a bad habit of getting a bit gooey once it comes face-to-face with sub-zero temperatures. You may also notice that your fuel lines or filters become plugged, making it impossible to start your truck, which may lead to delays or leave you stranded.
One of the best ways to stay on top of this issue and keep your truck churning no matter the weather is to switch to a winterized fuel option with a high cetane rating. These seasonally enhanced fuels are excellent at stopping your diesel from gelling and should be able to keep your truck running in temperatures as low as -30F.
Prepare for Emergencies
While we always hope things never go wrong while trucking, it is always best to assume they will. How you prepare for any adverse situations that may happen can be the difference between staying on the road and losing your cargo.
Before setting out on your long haul, stock up on all the essentials, such as first-aid kits, flashlights, glow sticks, flares, and reflective triangles. If you are setting out on a significantly long trip across the country this winter, you may also want to get a radio and shovel for emergencies.
Check Your Lights Before Every Journey
Our car lights are always our best friends on an isolated drive across the country in the winter. Having bright and sharp lights help us navigate through intense snow storms and foggy mornings. So, you should always check that all your truck's lights are working perfectly before setting out on your journey.
If you discover that one of your lights is a little bit dull or the snow has fogged up the glass, be sure to wipe it with a cleaning agent before setting out on the road. On the other hand, if one of your sidelights no longer works, please do not drive your truck. Instead, call a mechanic or your truck provider for a replacement.
Protect Your Tires
Winter is notorious for underinflating tires, which causes them to lose pressure and wear out quickly. So, thinking about the best ways to store your tires as you leave the autumn season will always go a long way.
To ensure your tires remain in top condition, we often recommend keeping your truck out of the cold as much as possible. So, while your vehicle is not on the road, you may want to put it in a storage space or indoor garage if you have one. Alternatively, you can invest in a good set of tire covers for your trailer, as these will protect your wheels from the elements and increase their lifespan.
In any case, you should keep a good set of spares handy in case anything goes wrong, as there is hardly anything worse than being stranded in the middle of nowhere because of a deflated tire.
Get a New Pair of Wipers
At Kavkaz Express, we believe in changing our wipers at least once a year. While you may choose to do this at the start of summer or when the spring leaves bloom, we often recommend picking out a new set just as winter kicks in. This timing is always great because this is when the snows and rain are harshest across the country, and having a new set of wipers will help swat away those raindrops and keep that snow at the corner of our screens.
Alternatively, if you recently got a new set of wipers for your truck and don't believe that you need to change them just yet, we still suggest giving them a good look before your first winter journey. This inspection will help you remain sure that everything is still in top shape and that no parts of the wiper have come loose.
Ensure Your Battery is in Good Condition and Perform Other Maintenance Checks
One of the things that most truck transportation drivers often learn the hard way is that batteries drain much faster in the winter. Unfortunately, this may mean that you or your trailer driver may end up stranded if the vehicle battery goes dead. However, you can avoid this painful scenario by ensuring that your battery is in good health and is not edging toward its expiration date.
You should also perform frequent checks of all your fluids, such as the brake, transmission, and windshield washer. This quick inspection will help ensure that you or your driver remain safe throughout the journey.