Commercial Truck Preventative Maintenance Checklist

Category: Equipment and Solutions

You count on your large commercial trucks every day to get the job done. Whether it’s moving loads across your yard or the country, when you turn the key, you need your truck to fire up and run flawlessly until you’re at your destination. One of the best ways to increase the reliability of your fleet of commercial diesel engine trucks is to follow a methodical preventative maintenance program.

Don’t leave anything to chance. Performing regular maintenance and inspection allows you to spot problems as they occur and avoid costly unplanned downtime. Here at NMC, we’ve been a Nebraska leader in large commercial truck maintenance since 1938 and have the knowledge and experience to take care of all of your fleet’s preventative maintenance.

Creating Your Checklist

The first step in planning your preventative maintenance (PM) is creating a checklist. While many common points will vary for all large diesel engine vehicles, each truck will have its own checklist that includes any unique features, options or considerations unique to that truck.

We suggest you break your checklist down into different areas of your vehicle, including things such as:

• Cab: Consider items related to the safety and controls of your cab, including lighting switches, warning lights and alarms, dashboard gauges, HVAC controls and seat belt operation and condition.
• Underhood: Your underhood PM checklist should include verifying all fluid levels and condition, inspecting hoses and gaskets for leaks, verifying all pulleys and hydraulic circuits, etc.
• Chassis: Perform regular chassis PM that includes checking tire pressure, brake and fuel line inspection, suspension verification, wheel bearing and brake performance testing, etc.

These are just some of the common PM points you should consider for your commercial truck fleet. If you would like help creating your checklist, our expert team can give you a hand.

How Often Should I Perform Preventative Maintenance?

Some PM inspections and service should happen on a daily basis, while others are weekly, monthly or several times per year. We invite you to locate your nearest NMC location and contact our team to create a checklist for your diesel engine commercial trucks. Together, we’ll create a checklist that ensures your trucks are running smoothly, reliably and efficiently and helping your business save money over the long haul.