Winter is Coming: 3 Tips to Prepare Your Fleet for Cold Weather
As colder weather is arriving across the country, now is the time to start preparing your trucks. Winter weather varies in different regions, but there are some general tips that you can take advantage of to prepare your fleet and avoid costly repairs this season.
Below are three things to do to get your trucks ready for winter:
1. Check Your Electrical Systems
While mechanical systems often get the most attention during colder weather, a truck’s electrical system needs some love as well. Colder weather can cause cables and electrical components to dry out and crack, and this can mean unsecured connections, dead starting components and drained batteries.
Also, don’t neglect to check charging components as well. The alternator and starter output should be checked regularly during the cold season to ensure proper operation. It’s also a good idea to inspect batteries and make sure any that use inverters while not in operation are performing the way they should.
2. Have Emergency Supplies
When you’re on the road, anything can happen. While sweating it out in a breakdown during the summer can be uncomfortable, getting stuck for hours in the middle of a snowstorm can be downright dangerous. To protect yourself, consider keeping emergency supplies on hand during the winter. A spare blanket, extra batteries and a few cans of food are always a good idea to have in the back of the cab.
Hand warmers and spare socks are also important emergency supplies to keep with you during the winter. While help may be available, it may take some time to arrive depending on where you experience an emergency, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
3. Be Mindful of Your Tires
The tires on your trucks are also at risk during the cold season. With temperature fluctuations can come changes in tire pressure, so consider checking your tires more often than usual if you’re going to be driving in very cold climates. When you do check tire pressure, be mindful of moisture that can get into tires when checking valves.
Lastly, now is the time to replace aging tires instead of waiting until there’s a major problem. Tires tend to wear better during colder weather due to less heat, so you may get more life out of new tires by buying during the fall.
Additional credit: https://www.truckinginfo.com/10183644/how-to-get-trucks-ready-for-winter
