5 Truck Repair Tips You Can Do Yourself

5 Truck Repair Tips You Can Do Yourself

Effective DIY’s For Truckers

To truckers, fleet owners and operators, we would appreciate it if you could pause from your hectic schedule and spare a few minutes on this read. This article is going to come in very handy when your truck breaks down and the ultimate resort to rescue yourself and your truck is ‘YOU’.

It goes without saying how important it is to keep your truck in the best condition, which is possible to a great extent with routine and periodic truck maintenance by certified technicians and, to some extent, by the truckers themselves.

That is why it is necessary to select the right company who have the right expertise to handle repair and maintenance tasks to keep your fleet in top shape. Conducting early maintenance checks benefit truckers from catching problems early on before they become more significant problems and put a dent in your wallet.

While seeking a proficient mechanic can save you from costly repairs, one effective way to save you some more hard earned money is by learning or having the practical knowledge of basic DIY truck repairs. Knowing essential DIY maintenance is especially important when we know that a truck can break down unexpectedly when out on the road with a high probability that no emergency breakdown service may be around.

So here is a brief of 5 DIY truck repairs that truckers can make as a part of their maintenance and repair check:

DIY 1- Replacing Light Bulbs

Trucks are heavy-duty vehicles that commute through all kinds of terrains in extreme weather conditions, and for this very reason, truckers must ensure their ‘rigs’ lights are fully functional at all times. Almost every truck has headlights, taillights, signal lights, side marker lights, and backup lights, with each of them having a great significance of keeping you and your truck safe on the road, especially in poorly lit areas.

While driving your truck, you can quickly tell that you need to replace the light bulbs asap when they are flickering or emitting dim light. Now that you have realized that the lights are about to go out, it is time to replace them on your own with ease as it is one easy task. How to replace the bulbs (for truckers)?

  • Take the old bulbs behind the housing,
  • Unplug the wiring,
  • Replace the old bulb with high-quality working bulbs, and that’s it.

 

Please read the truck’s manual to understand the specification of the bulbs that have to be used.

DIY 2-Replacing the spark plugs

What is the purpose of spark plugs? The spark plugs provide electric current to the combustion chamber from the ignition system, thus requiring regular maintenance for the pivotal role. Spark plugs have a reasonable life expectancy, but accumulated dirt, carbon, corrosion, and other damaging elements can cause early damage and deterioration. Their early damage and deterioration require your immediate attention because if the spark plugs are not replaced timely, they can cause the issue with ignition and high fuel consumption.

How to replace spark plugs? You may think it would be one challenging task, but it isn’t, so follow the simple steps with the right tools, and you are all set.

Clean off the dirt and debris once the engine is cool

  • Remove the Spark Plug Wire.
  • Remove the Coil On Plug.
  • Unscrew the Old Spark Plug.
  • Now Put in the New Spark Plugs.
  • Re-install the Spark Plug Wires or Ignition Coils.
  • Start Up the Engine.

 

DIY-3 Oil Changing

How to change the engine oil? The truck’s performance depends a lot on the engine’s health, and the engine’s health depends on the engine oil. It is the lifeline of the engine. Oil change in the latest models of heavy-duty engines is required after almost every 50,000 miles or more. Now that the frequency of oil change has lessened, you may do it yourself, considering it a significant opportunity to save a good amount of money.

All you have to ensure is that there is no overflowing of the oil, and you can do this by using a drain pan with enough capacity.

DIY-4 Mending A Damaged Windshield

The driver sees through the windshield, and if by any chance they get a cracked or damaged windshield, its repair or replacement (in case it is beyond repair) must be dealt with expeditiously as it can lead to a dangerous accident. If you get a noticeable crack that is not huge, all you need is a windshield repair kit that will help keep the gap from spreading, and it would cost nothing compared to availing the services of a mechanic.

DIY-5 Replacing Air Filters

Your truck’s engine needs to breathe fresh air to produce power, and this is why you need a quality air filter for good performance. You can easily buy a premium quality air filter online at a nominal cost. If you purchased from a mechanic shop, it would cost a lot more and to install them another 100$ for the labor charges. So it is time to save your money, pull up your socks and follow the steps to replace them on your own.

  • Read the manual to understand where the air filter is installed.
  • Wear gloves and open the engine hood.
  • Remove the cover of the fresh air intake system and then the air filter of the truck engine.
  • Clean off the dust and debris with a vacuum cleaner. At this point, take a note of how the old air filter is installed to know how the new air filter is to be installed.
  • Fit in the new air filter and check all screws, nuts and bolts are tightened before shutting the engine hood.

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Mobile Battery Boost Service in Toronto | How To Care?

Mobile Battery Boost Service in Toronto

Dead Battery- We Will Be Right There

The trucker should be aware of how his truck is functioning. A periodic inspection and assessment from certified technicians goes in the right way to determine an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. The truck, for its smooth running, relies on many different types of machinery to operate seamlessly. Among the essential components, your vehicle needs to function correctly is a working battery. Mobile Battery Boost Service in Toronto by Road Dogs is every trucker rescue partner in case of a dead battery and the maintenance partner for periodic inspections and checks of battery. 

Mobile battery boost service will help you get the most out of your battery. We suggest that the truckers buy the right battery to ensure that the truck runs safely and efficiently. Once the trucker has gotten the right type of battery for its periodic maintenance, service and repairs, all they have to do is rely on mobile battery boost service in Toronto and get served by the best service in the market at the most competitive prices. 

For long-haul trucks or commercial trucks to do trucking, they need a dependable battery. A good working battery does the following-

  • Provides the power to crank the starter, 
  • Start the truck, and 
  • Run several accessories such as rear lights, front lights, radio etc. All these factors aid the truckers in getting to their destinations and delivering their payloads smoothly. 

If the battery drains out or goes dead in an unforeseen incident, then the truck sits idle, which leads to costly downtime. This costly downtime grows exponentially when either of it happens, emergency roadside assistance gets delayed, or the cost of repairing is way too high. 

With emergency roadside assistance by Road Dogs, we assure to reduce the downtime and cost of repairing with our expert mobile battery boost service in Toronto. We understand it in this way that there’s never a good time for the battery to die, and god forbid it happens; it is the interest of both trucker and trucking company to get the truck back on the road as quickly as possible. 

Mobile Battery Boost Service

 

Mobile Battery Boost Service

Different kinds of trucks have different types of batteries. The golden rule is still the same- cheap battery is not always the right choice for your truck. The trucker must know what kind of batteries are available and how to maintain the same.

Flooded-Cell, Full-Maintenance Battery

These are the oldest and the most commonly used battery type. These batteries come in the widest variety of shapes and sizes for their vast application. Their most significant advantage is that they have removable caps, which helps the truckers and certified technicians check the electrolyte level in each cell and replenish it with distilled water. These batteries are more power efficient as they provide more amp capacity per dollar than other lead-acid battery types. Every trucker must be wary that flooded-cell batteries need regular checks and inspections by expert mobile battery boost service. It is imperative to clean off the dust, debris and oil residues that gather over time. 

Ensure to frequently check flooded batteries for corrosion as they lead plates that tend to deteriorate when exposed to air. The certified technician should be proficient to look for high internal resistance statistics due to the weak internal structure. Like every piece of machinery, flooded batteries require periodic checks to look for an underlying problem. 

Absorbed Glass Mat, or AGM Battery

The absorbed glass mat or AGM batteries are the best and the latest in lead-acid batteries, and there are valid reasons for the same. AGM batteries are leak-free, and other than an occasional post and top cleaning, these batteries are pretty free from the constant ritual of checks & maintenance. One more added advantage is that they have high impact resistance leading to meagre internal resistance due to the tight packing of an AGM battery. The low internal resistance increases the output voltage, decreases charging time, and reduces losses to heat as power flows through the system. They are way easy to recharge; just plugin and they are set for charging. Emergency roadside assistance recommends that while charging AGM batteries make sure they are not over and undercharged as this can affect their life and performance. They perform at their best level when their use is limited to discharge no more than 50% of battery capacity. A bit of downside comes with the bit of higher cost of AGM batteries than flooded batteries with similar power. 

Mobile Battery Boost Service

 

Every battery type has its unique features with respective pros and cons. It depends on the truck or the fleet manager who understands the battery application, the environment in which the battery shall operate, and the fleet budget.

You may use the battery as per your discretion, but we shall still recommend you some handy tips to take care of the truck battery yourself or hire the expert mobile battery boost service in Toronto

  • Change every 3 years

A good quality truck battery has a life of 3 years; make sure you get it replaced by expert professionals in the right time frame to ensure your truck runs smoothly and never making your truck lose power mid-journey due to a drained battery.

  • Check the acid level

Make it a point in your six-monthly reminders to get the acid level checked on your battery. It makes all the point to get the acid levels checked when the truck isn’t being taken for long hauls. 

  • Add water carefully

If you notice that electrolyte levels are low (the plates will be exposed), top them up with distilled water. Be careful when doing this and only fill the cells to cover the plates. A funnel or sports bottle is often best for adding water as they allow you to control the flow. Once you’ve topped up the water levels, use a battery charger to recharge the battery.

  • Conduct a battery load test

Every month without fail, get a battery load test conducted by a mechanics maestro who can check that the battery charges efficiently and sufficiently, even in freezing temperatures.

  • Clean the battery

You must get your truck’s battery cleaned by a professional for dirt, debris and even corrosion. The cleaning should be done from the top of the battery and around the terminals. 

  • Keep cables tied

The cables must be tied tightly, which keeps everything properly secure. The simplest way to keep the truck’s battery healthy is to drive it frequently for long trucking trips, and just in case your truck remains idle, don’t let it undriven for more than three days at a stretch. 

  • Keep the battery warm

Toronto is an area where the weather is freezing in certain months. Though the cold and beautiful weather is loved by all, not so much by the battery, it’s essential to keep it warm so that less power is consumed when you try to start it. 

  • Don’t over-charge

A big no to this one as overcharging the battery leads to severe damage. Without fail, check on the battery every half an hour to see how it’s progressing when charging manually. 

Mobile Battery Boost Service

We understand how valuable it is to keep the battery in perfect condition. The battery is essential because it gives that zap to your truck. Besides so many other things, it makes sure that the anti-theft systems are operating correctly and will help in regulating electronic fuel injection. Last but not least, a thorough repair and service will ensure that you get the engine capacity you need to get as much power as you need whenever you step on the gas.

 

Rely upon On-Road Dogs, For Your Truck’s Battery Repair & Service. 

Road Dogs Transports Best Friend!!

Trucking and Roadside Emergency Assistance in Times of a Pandemic

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Road Dogs- The Rescue & Robust Partner 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted almost all aspects of our lives in no time. The world has come to a standstill, majorly because of the loss of lives of our beloved ones. It seems like nothing of our daily lives has been left unaffected due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

From micro-level change of individual shopping patterns to macro-level changes where nations are grappling with massive uncertainty that comes with a weak economy, the pandemic has put the world in a crisis like never before. 

The most concerning impacts are that the hospital, clinics, and other medical institutions are hit hard due to the critical shortage in the supply of medical essentials. It has become a significant cause of concern, and phenomenal measures are being taken around the country to mitigate the impacts of these shortages. 

Roadside_pandemic

Truckers support the nation by being a part of the brigade of the frontline warriors who are spending way beyond their driving limit on the roads. Road Dogs Roadside emergency services salute the great spirit of truckers and are there to assist and support them with all the repair and maintenance of their trucks for seamless journeys. 

In this regard, it is pertinent to mention that Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on March 13th issued a significant statement of bringing relief on the driving time limits for truck drivers carrying essential cargo. 

Driving across borders or inland boundaries puts tremendous stress on the truckers and their trucks. Both the truck and the truckers must be in a perfect state to endeavor on long, tedious routes. Never before in history, there has been a dire need for supplies, essentials, and stock replenishments at a rapid breakneck pace. 

The truckers efficiently carry the supply chain management and logistics for the same for smooth and prompt deliveries. Road Dogs emergency breakdown services support the drive time restrictions for truckers as it aids to prevent dangerous and fatal accidents caused by exhausted truckers. 

To cope with massive workloads, the delivery drivers are doing their best to provide everything you want without delay so that you stay at home all safe amidst these pandemic times.  Road Dogs values their efforts and has one point of focus to provide expert emergency breakdown services in the Greater Toronto Area. 

We highlight the following points that the truckers must keep in mind during these pandemics when en route to keep themselves safe-

Secure With PPE

  • Nose– Truck drivers must use proper well-fitted masks while interacting with the staff or any other personnel during pick up and dropping off deliveries. 
  • Mouth & Hands– As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), it is of utmost importance to cover your mouth with a mask, bandana, or any other cloth that prevents transmission of possible chances of infection from one another. The truck drivers, to keep themselves sound and safe, must adhere to the same. 
  • Hands– Use of gloves that too disposable gloves are another excellent step to curb the transmission. The truck drivers must ensure to keep a box or two of disposable gloves handy at all times. 
  • Eyes– Road Dogs recommends protection of the face at all times for truck drivers. Wear sunglasses when you are trucking to keep yourself protected from anyone who is sneezing or coughing around you. 

Dinning

The pandemic times are more and more encouraging us for social distancing, and takeaways are the best possible way to maintain it. Road Dogs emergency assistance services recommend the drivers avoid eating their sumptuous sandwiches and soda inside the restaurant. Try limiting your contact with others at a convenience store, too, by purchasing things in bulk. 

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Restrooms and Showers

Truck drivers that go for long routes need to keep themselves clean and hygienic. A disposable pair of shower shoes or caps is essential and goes a long enough way to protect from COVID-19. We recommend using towel drying over hand dryers alongside using your bathing products to mitigate any chances of infection.

Road Dogs providing expert breakdown services in the Greater Toronto Area has complete faith that the monumental challenge placed before us needs attention and adherence to safety guidelines by governments and the citizens to ward off its evil.  

We must pledge to wear masks, gloves, maintaining social distance, and sanitizing our surroundings regularly. 

Go Safe, Smooth, and Sturdy Truckers!!!

Tips For Extending Battery Life With Road Dogs, Mobile Battery Boost Service

Battery

You are about to steer your loaded truck for transiting goods, and as you try to start it, you realize that the engine doesn’t simply turn over. After a few attempts that go in vain, you come to realize that you are dealing with a drained or dead battery issue. It leaves you anxious and utterly disappointed for the time. 

The truck drivers understand how important a healthy and fully functional battery is needed to start and drive the truck, or any vehicle for that matter. The battery is the powerhouse of trucks that sends power from the starter motor to the spark plugs. It leads to igniting the vehicle’s fuel that powers the system’s unit of light, heat, air conditioning, and more.  If none of it is happening, then you got a dead battery that needs the expertise of Mobile Battery Boost Service to help your truck hit back on the road at the earliest. 

Drained+Boosted= Road Dogs

Mobile Battery Boost Service by Road Dogs is here to give you handy tips on what steps can be taken by truckers who own their trucks or drive for the trucking companies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

These tips are preventive enough to extend the battery life and avoid any surprising incidents of a drained or dead battery that in no way creates chaos in your trucking. 

Mobile Battery Boost Services

Be mindful of the following reasons that might drain your truck’s battery!

  • Headlights ‘On’ By Mistake- This seems to be one of the most common reasons for a drained battery caused by our carelessness. After an exhausting trip or any fine day, there is a slight possibility that a truck driver may end up leaving the headlights or any of the internal lights on overnight. This negligence overnight results in a battery that is dead and won’t start. Luckily, being more diligent about switching off the headlights when the truck not in use can prevent such an incident. If you still get stuck with a drained battery, we got you covered with Road Dogs Mobile Battery Boost Service– A click Away!!

 

  • Flawed Charging: Bad wiring or loose connection in the truck’s electrical system will undoubtedly drain the battery. A technical glitch in the wiring will drain all the power even while driving your trailer or truck.  The terminals connected to the battery tend to loosen over time, and they even get eroded with time due to battery acid. All these factors don’t let the battery transmit ample power to start the vehicle. The truck drivers can stall these issues by regularly servicing the truck with the most experienced technicians by Road Dogs Mobile Battery Boost Service in the Greater Toronto Area.

 

  • Extreme Temperatures: Newer batteries have more resistance to brave extreme weather conditions like too hot or too frigid. In case you are dealing with an old aged truck battery, there are chances of a battery with weakened performance or, in an extreme scenario, a dead one. If you notice your battery has a hard time starting the vehicle, you know it’s time to reach out to Road Dogs Mobile Battery Boost Service at the earliest.  

 

  • Short Trips: Revving up the engine when you start your truck requires a lot of power from the battery. The battery gets recharged by the alternator as long as the engine is running. If you are trucking way too many shorter trips, the alternator may not get enough time to recharge the battery. The truck drivers can prevent this from happening by keeping their truck battery on trucking on longer trips. 

 

  • Timeworn Battery: Nothing lasts forever, and so does not your battery. The battery shelf life is up to 5 years, but it can shorten due to frequent short trips, everyday wear and tear, and subject to extreme temperatures. With Road Dogs Mobile Battery Boost Service, we have got you covered for all repair and maintenance of the truck and trailer’s battery. 

 

  • Parasitic Drain: Electrical glitches such as poor wiring, faulty installation and defective fuses can exceed the expected depletion of battery level at a higher rate. Even when the battery is off, there is an average discharge level of power for radio and alarm systems. It is a standard scenario and doesn’t require any immediate attention. Truckers need expert assistance if, due to technical malfunction, a battery requires a quick jump-start at the earliest by certified technicians onboard with Mobile Battery Boost ServiceRoad Dogs.

 

Battery Boost Service

 

A shout out to all The Truckers out there operating with sheer determination in the Greater Toronto Area- Road Dogs Mobile Battery Boost Service is here to service their trucks with nothing but the best. 

Our set of comprehensive services have a laser focus on benefiting our customer’s by-

  • Constant Live Tracking
  • Communication Directly With The Service Providers
  • Fast Response Time
  • Instant Quote Generation
  • Online Platform For Direct Payment Of Service Taken. 

 

Road Dogs is your reliable one-stop accomplice for Mobile Battery Boost Service in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Mobile Battery Boost Service Wishes All You Truckers- Happy and Smooth Trucking.

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