A few checks now can keep a truck out of the shop when you need it most.
Ohio's seasons are hard on trucks, trailers and farm equipment in different ways. Whether you're prepping a fleet for winter routes or getting equipment ready for planting and harvest, a few checks ahead of time beat a breakdown later.
Cold weather and wet roads put extra demand on brakes. Check brake shoes for wear and have a spare brake chamber on hand if you're running older equipment where failures are more likely mid-season.
Shorter daylight hours mean lights matter more. Check every stop, tail and turn light on trucks and trailers, moisture and road salt are common causes of LED failures going into winter. Replacing a housing before it fails beats a roadside inspection violation.
Cold temperatures make rubber and coiled air lines brittle. Inspect for cracking at the fittings and keep a spare set of coiled air lines and 7-way cables in the shop, this is one of the more common roadside failures in winter.
Fuel gels in cold weather, and a clogged fuel/water separator will leave a truck stranded. Change fuel and oil filters ahead of the season rather than waiting for a warning light, especially on trucks that sit for stretches between routes.
Check hub covers for cracks and fenders for damage that could let road spray freeze onto brake lines and lighting. Small issues here get worse fast once temperatures drop.
Fleet managers and owner operators running through Central Ohio winters and harvest seasons should keep basics on the shelf: a brake shoe kit, a set of air lines, a couple of LED lights and a fuel filter. If you'd rather set up standing stock through an account, see our fleet and commercial accounts page.
