Winter weather can take a toll on your vehicle, making mid-season checks vitally important in preventing costly breakdowns on your snow removal fleet. The following are simple maintenance steps you can take throughout the plowing season to keep your vehicles running at their peak performance:
Evaluate Snow Plow Cutting Edge
Monitor the cutting edge of your plow for excessive wear and tear. If the cutting edge is less than 4 inches tall, replace it.
Secure Mount Bolts & Runners
Check and retighten all mounting bolts after the first plowing session of the season and at regular intervals throughout the season. Adjust the runner height to allow the cutting edge to be ½ inch above the ground.
Examine Electrical Connections
Regularly check the battery terminals to ensure that they’re clean and free of corrosion. Add dielectric grease at least once a month to all connections to help prevent corrosion from occurring. Also check the electrical connections to assure they’re tight and corrosion free.
Inspect Vehicle Lights
Check for and replace dim or burned-out bulbs. Wax your headlamps to get optimal effectiveness. Clean the headlamps of dirt, rub any type of car wax onto the lamp, let dry and buff off. Repeat as necessary. The wax will prevent ice from building up when road slush is sprayed onto your vehicle, keeping your lights free and clear.
Monitor tire pressure
Tires lose a pound of pressure for every drop of 10 degrees Farhenheit. Under-inflated tires can cause your truck to react more slowly to steering, increasing the potential for an accident. Be sure to add enough air to keep all tires at the recommended levels of inflation for each trip.
Properly maintaining your vehicle throughout the snow plowing season can keep your fleet operating longer, reducing unexpected maintenance costs and ensuring you meet your performance goals. Meyer Products has a complete list of vehicle maintenance tips along with a full line of reliable, durable snow plows and accessories to get you through the season, guaranteed.