708-467-7181     16425 Van Dam Rd., South Holland, IL 60473

 

  Proper battery maintenance during the hot summer months is just as important as it is during the frigid winter months. Your truck battery powers your business. Follow this checklist to extend the life of your battery:

Preventative Maintenance
During scheduled preventative maintenance (PM), check and confirm the following:

    Battery connections are clean and free of debris
    Battery connections are tight
    Hold-downs are properly secured
    Battery pack is fully charged

Battery Inspection
Inspect the truck battery pack as part of your regularly scheduled vehicle inspection, any time the operator is experiencing ‘hard starts’ or the truck is being used for shorter runs with hotel loads. When the battery pack is tested, look for the following factors:

    State of charge of the battery pack
    Full charge is 12.6 volts for flooded batteries and 12.8 volts for AGM batteries
    Hold-downs and battery connections are securely fastened
    Batteries are fully recharged and tested with either a load or conductance tester
    Evaluate what loads are being used and how much power is being taken by the additional use of air conditioning during warmer months

If the battery pack is 2-3 years old, the user may want to consider replacing batteries to reduce the risk of a no-start situation or emergency repairs.

Conductance Testing in our Truck Repair Shop.
Conductance uses the battery’s response to a very small signal in attempt to predict the effects of a much larger current. Conductance testing is ineffective on a discharged battery. If the battery is known to be discharged, or if the tester tells the operator to charge before testing again, the battery must be completely recharged.

State-of-Charge
State-of-charge is estimated from the open circuit voltage (OCV) and is used to determine if the battery is in a testable state or to estimate how long charging will take. Worth noting:

    Battery design varies
    Typical values are shown on the charging time tables
    A true 75 percent or better charge state is needed for most testing
   

 

 

Whether your truck breaks down on the side of the road or you simply need to tweak a few things on your rig, a basic toolkit can make all the difference in an emergency situation. Keep a hammer, various styles of screwdrivers (including a Phillips and flathead), wrenches, and pliers in your truck so you can do any necessary maintenance to get your vehicle to the nearest pit stop.If you routinely perform mechanical work on your truck, you could amp up your tool kit with with more specific repair tools. This equipment can allow you to work more intensely on your vehicle (if circumstances allow) so you aren’t without transportation for long.
ClothingThe clothing you keep in your emergency kit will depend entirely on the season and your routes. For example, if you travel during the winter season, stock your truck with a few pairs of wool socks, thick pants and shirts, warm hats, and gloves. But if your final destination is in a warmer climate, you should also include lighter clothing so you don’t overheat.
  An extra pair of shoes can prove useful as well. Boots, for example, can keep your feet dry and warm in a snowstorm. And an extra pair of sneakers or work boots can protect your feet should your current pair become unwearable.

 

      Whether you’re an owner-operator or a small fleet, buying a used semi-truck is much more intricate than basing your decision on a favorite make, model or cosmetic styling. When perusing used semi-trucks for sale, some important things to consider are Real Cost of Ownership , efficiency, warranty, and after-sales support. RCO expands the traditional Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis by considering both the hard and soft costs incurred over the lifetime of a running commercial truck. Hard costs are the hard numbers you get by using a calculator, like monthly diesel expenses. Other factors- like comfort, safety and connectivity options- are more difficult to express in dollars and cents; these are the “soft” costs. Both hard and soft costs factor into the real cost of owning a used truck. Once you calculate the costs and decide what truck is right for you, stop by at our truck dealership to receive an expert advice.