Signs Your Fleet Needs Commercial Truck and Trailer Repair
No one knows your truck better than you. Recognizing warning signs like strange noises, faulty dashboard lights, and low pressure level and getting your truck to a local repair facility can be the difference between a quick stop and a complicated tanker trailer repair or replacement.
Continue reading to learn the common indicators that truck and trailer repair is needed.
The Importance of Commercial Truck and Trailer Repair
Commercial truck and trailer repair is crucial to roadworthiness, minimal downtime, and accident prevention. Prioritizing maintenance and repair safeguards your cargo and keeps your business running smoothly.
What Problems Require Truck and Trailer Repair?
Everything from dinged-up cargo tanks to a dry bulk blower’s compressed air system can require tank truck services. Let’s investigate some of the most common signs a repair is in your near future.
Loss of Air Pressure
Losing air pressure can quickly lead to the inability to load your tank. A faulty air compressor governor often causes these. The most common indicators of a bad compressor are:
- Your air gauges don’t move after several minutes
- The wet tank cycles rapidly
- Your truck is building up too much or not enough air pressure
- Loud, intrusive sounds coming from safety valves
More often than not, the cause of air pressure loss is a stuck unloader valve. However, it’s not uncommon for service line leaks or the air governor to be the root cause of pressure inefficiencies. An experienced service shop can quickly provide the repairs you need to get back on the road.
ABS Lights On
ABS warning lights appear when problems with the braking system are sensed. With so many codes, your lights can start flashing for several reasons, but ABS lights are most commonly triggered by:
- Low battery voltage
- Damaged wheel speed sensor wires
- Faulty wheel bearings
- Dirty tone rings
- A malfunctioning ABS module
If you’re wondering which codes demand immediate tanker truck maintenance, the simple answer is all of them. For the safety of yourself and other drivers, brake issues should be taken seriously and brought in for repairs. Flashing lights on your trailer indicate a fault in the system, while flashing lights on your truck’s dashboard suggest that you need to repair or replace the failing ABS module.
Leaking Product
Product leaks are problematic for a variety of reasons. They can degrade product quality, cause contamination, ruin food-grade freight, or make your product undeliverable, costing you substantial time and money. The two most common signs your cargo tank is leaking are a product in the voids and the pungent odor of the product where there shouldn’t be any smell.
A trained professional can perform an internal inspection to find the source of the leak. Leaks are often inside equipment that an external inspection can’t detect. A thorough assessment provides peace of mind and ensures your tank repair addresses the big-picture problem.
Additional Signs of Truck and Trailer Damage
Nicks and gouges may not seem like much, but they result from some type of impact. You should always bring your vehicle in for repair after an accident. Even if there’s no indication of extensive damage, the impact often causes damage to the coupling that isn’t easily recognizable. Expert mechanics take the coupling plate off and perform an internal visual inspection. Even if there’s no critical damage, putting a new one on may be the best plan.
Unloading pipes usually have a sight glass to monitor the oil inside your equipment without shutting it down. These transparent tubes play an essential role in detecting leaks, contamination, and other issues early. Sight glass is easily cracked, so ask your mechanic to inspect it when going in for repairs.
Have you noticed any of these issues? Reach out to White Tank & Truck Repair; we specialize in all types of tank, truck, and tanker trailer repairs.
How to Avoid Truck and Trailer Damage
Even the most attentively cared for trucks and equipment reach the end of their service life or experience problems. However, you can minimize unnecessary repairs by providing preventative maintenance for your vehicle and following suggested cargo tank inspection intervals.
Preventative Maintenance
Proactive maintenance helps you extend the lifespan of your equipment, reduce costs, avoid replacements, and minimize tanker trailer repairs. Bringing your truck in for routine checks allows certified technicians to pinpoint minor issues before they become costly problems.
Inspections
In some instances, following regular cargo tank inspection intervals is more than a helpful suggestion—it’s required. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires yearly inspections to ensure all trucks on the road meet their regulatory requirements. These inspections include almost every working part of your truck. They’re sure to find the issue if you need tanker trailer repair.
White Tank & Truck Repair: Your Go-To Source for Commercial Truck and Trailer Repair
Since 1985, White Tank has provided high-quality tanker truck repairs, preventative maintenance, tank washes, testing, and installs. Our R-Stamp certified technicians are more than capable of handling any tank weld repairs you need. And if you’re experiencing any problems that require part replacements, our extensive inventory of products is available when you need it most.
If you’re in Missouri, Kansas, or Southern Illinois and need tanker truck maintenance, repairs, inspections, or other services, reach out to White Tank today.
Related Postings
