Truck Maintenance Tips

Making sure your truck is properly maintained is similar to caring for a sedan or SUV, but there are a few big differences to keep in mind. While all vehicles do need regular maintenance and servicing, trucks need a little extra attention. Because your truck helps you tackle hefty towing and hauling jobs and it is built to handle rough terrain, wear and tear more than that of an ordinary commuter vehicle.

If you’re not sure about how to properly maintain your truck in Birmingham, our team at Tuscaloosa Ford has all compiled the information you need to make sure your truck is getting the care it deserves. Read our truck maintenance tips and when you’re ready, give us a call to schedule service for your vehicle.

Truck Maintenance Tips 

Do you want to maximize the value, lifespan, performance, and safety of your Bessemer truck? We thought so. Take a moment to check out our truck maintenance checklist to identify the most important forms of truck maintenance to look out for: 

• Differential Oil: Your differential oil helps your drivetrain efficiently distribute torque to the axles that move your wheels. Differential oil can be used up fast if you do a lot of off-roading, towing, or hauling.
• Brakes: Towing or hauling heavy loads means your brakes have to work harder to stop your truck, and you can easily burn through brake fluid and brake pads more quickly. Make sure to keep close tabs on your brakes if you do commercial driving, towing, hauling, or off-roading. 
• Coolant: Your engine heats up more and more the harder it works, and of course, off-roading, towing, and hauling all put your engine to the test. An overly hot engine can fail catastrophically, so your radiator must be regularly topped off with coolant between every 15,000 and 100,000 miles. 
• Suspension: If you drive on rugged or off-road, your suspension is at greater risk of warping. You can tell that your suspension is warped if your vehicle drifts to the right or left. If this happens even when your steering wheel is straight, you’ll need a vehicle alignment.
• Frame: From your truck’s chassis to its undercarriage, it’s important to inspect the frame of your vehicle for scrapes, fissures, and warping. This is especially true if you regularly drive on rough terrain.  
• Transmission Fluid: Top off your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. After all, your transmission will need to work especially hard to adapt torque distribution to the highly dynamic demands of off-road driving or towing/hauling. Transmission fluid lubricates your gears, allowing your transmission to work as efficiently as possible. 

Are You in Need of Truck Maintenance or Repair Near Centreville?

No matter what maintenance or service you’re looking for, our team at the Tuscaloosa Ford service center is here to help. We look forward to helping you and getting you back out on the Birmingham and Bessemer roads as soon as possible. Until then, be sure to take advantage of our service specials!