With a heavy-duty truck comes great responsibility. Driving a truck is vastly different from the usual “regular-sized” vehicles that most people are used to—this is why you are required to undergo additional training and education before being permitted to drive a truck. After all, operating a truck comes with significant risks. Compared to cars, trucks are larger, wider, and heavier, so you must know how to operate them, including using the brakes properly.
Your brakes are an essential part of your truck. Brakes are durable, but they can suffer from excess wear if you don’t perform the proper braking techniques. A responsible truck driver must know how to preserve their truck’s brakes to prevent devastating accidents and avoid paying expensive fees for truck repairs.
Preserving Truck Brakes
Practicing the proper braking techniques is essential to preserving the brakes of your truck. Maximizing the brakes’ efficiency dramatically lessens the chances of wearing down your brakes and causing any severe accidents in the future.
Follow these tips below to preserve the brakes of your truck:
1. Change the Brake Fluid
Flushing or changing the brake fluid every two years is an effective preventive maintenance measure for your truck. Failing to flush the brake fluid can cause moisture to build up, resulting in the corrosion of the truck’s internal parts’ corrosion. The built-up moisture can also cause the rubber seals to wear down much faster than usual, and you will eventually need to get your brakes fixed by a heavy-duty truck repair service
2. Lower Your Driving Speed
Fight your need for speed. Full and complete stops after driving at high speeds are one of the most common causes of premature brake wear. Excess speed makes the brakes work even harder and causes more energy to dissipate! The more energy they have to consume, the more worn out your brakes will get.
Save your brakes from excessive wear and tear by driving at just the right speed.
3. Coast Whenever You Can
Instead of using the brakes every time you have to slow down, coast when you can. Pay more attention to the traffic flow and cars ahead of you to figure out when you can coast. Doing so will further extend the lifespan of your brake pads and prevent you from spending on heavy-duty truck repairs.
4. Keep the Truck as Light as Possible
The heavier your truck is, the more pressure you will need to put on your brakes, causing it to wear down much faster. Get rid of the excess items in your truck that you don’t use daily.
5. Know When to Slow Down
Slowing down takes preparation—when you notice a stop sign or stoplight ahead, determine how much time you need to come to a full stop. Don’t slam on the brakes or two-foot the pedals; these will only cause more wear on the brakes and lead to brake taps.
Mind Your Brakes: Reach Out to the Experts
As a competent truck driver, you have a responsibility not to wear your brakes out too soon! Keep in mind the proper braking techniques to practice in order to avoid premature brake damage or wearing down. Reach out to professionals who offer heavy-duty truck repairs as soon as you think your brakes need a bit of repairing.
Towing and Truck Service in Dallas, Texas
Leave your trucking repairs and towing needs to us at Massey Towing and Truck Service! We are a licensed and insured transport company that is able to meet your needs better than anyone else would. From minor to major heavy-duty truck repairs in Dallas, Texas, we ensure that your vehicles are safe to hit the road again. Call us at 214-682-7558 for a free quote!
