Little Tricks and Fixes for Truck Maintenance Posted by DC Cargo Mall on November 25, 2013

• Bet you’ve never heard of this silly sounding piece of sound advice: We know it’s fun to stack up your key with a key-chain full of collectibles, mini truck models, Indian beads, fun quoted plaques, and more. Trust us though, keep it lightweight and simple. The less pressure you put on the key, the less pressure the key will put on your ignition. After years of sticking the same heavier-by-the-month key-chain collection into your ignition, can eventually wear out the tumblers inside and lead to ignition switch failure. It’s an accumulative process, so don’t let the simplicity of this trick fool you. Lightening the load of your key can add years of life to the ignition on your truck, especially with all the bumping on the road, adding weight to that already heavy key-chain.

• Remember: Tires are the only thing between you and the road, and in losing even one, it’s automatic accident. Check to see if your tires need replacing often and replace them in advance to damaged conditions. Waiting longer for repair will hike up the bill at the mechanic. Use a gauge to determine that your tires have the proper pressure. To check that the tread has adequate depth, place a coin inside the groove with the top of the head up. If more than half of the head is visible, it’s time for a tire replacement.

• Choose a mechanic you like and stick to it. When you go to the doctor, you likely keep the same one throughout as he carries a record file of your medical history and already knows your background, being able to make a quicker diagnosis and more accurately base his assumptions off of a larger knowledge bank. Similarly, whenever your truck needs repairs, going to the same guy can save you time in explanations and perhaps even a few bucks (if you’ve established a nice rapport with the guy!)

• To prevent your truck from getting snatched up by greedy thieves, aside from the obvious tips like keeping doors locked, not leaving any spare keys in the car, removing valuables before exiting, and installing alarms, here are some things to know: keep your truck looking tip-top, thieves will actually view a rustic or abandoned vehicle as an easier target. They will assume you may have neglected to lock doors or attend to it closely, and view it as one that will bring payment in straight up cash, and will go for those first.

• The second tip in preventing truck thievery is to put up as many obstacles as possible: even if he can chop through each and every one of them, this might make him hesitate to choose your truck as a target, or even if he does, will stall you for time to catch him even red-handed, coupling with timely police arrival following your numerous alarms. The more of the following that you choose to install, the better: An ignition cut out switch, fuel cut out switch, steering wheel lock, transmission lock, wheel lock/boot, lockable fuel cap and wheel nuts (fuel and wheels are frequently stolen) and a VISIBLE vehicle alarm system to scare him off.

• Last but not least, when loading that truck of yours, ensure that any straps that are even a little lose and tightened and any load locks etc. are in a complete lock hold. Any items that shift during your ride will not only serve as a safety hazard, or earn you points that you don’t want, but will cause abrasion to your truck, and lose out on potentially long-term longevity. Load safe!