10-Point Safety Checklist: Know Before You Tow

Is your fleet safe and road-ready? Keep your fleet vehicles in tip-top shape and protect your drivers with this 10-point towing safety checklist. Whether you’re a seasoned hauler or a towing newbie, these items are key to a successful excursion.

1.      Brakes
Brakes are important. Without them, you'd be in for a pretty hair-raising experience, as could those around you. Before you leave, check wear to make sure you can stop in time, on a dime, even with the extra weight. Before leaving, perform a thorough test of brake lights. When in motion, avoid riding the brakes, which can cause overheating and fade.

2.      Wiring
Whether your lights were pre-wired, or DIY, always check for short circuits before you tow, and that wiring and power supply are adequate to run both your truck and trailer lights.

3.      Cooling system
Meltdowns are no fun, and they put a definite crimp in arrival times. Keep your cool, checking your radiator and fluid before disembarking, as well as your hoses, thermostat/housing, water pump, cooling fan, and switch.

4.      Oil & transmission fluids
Letting oil and transmission fluid needs ride will land you in the fleet trailer maintenance hot seat pretty fast. Avoid a several thousand dollar repair bill with a quick eyeball of transmission fluid and oil before each trip, replacing them regularly.

5.      Suspension
Eyeball suspension before departure, as well as hub bearings. These small but mighty components cause significant problems when neglected, and could cause wheels to fall off. Consider upgrading your tow vehicle's suspension to heavy-duty springs and shock absorbers to ensure stability and prevent sag in your tow vehicle. They'll also make the ride comfier. 

6.      Tires
Choosing tires with the correct load rating, and inflating them properly, are crucial to a safe trip. Proper tires are essential for both tow vehicle and trailer, the latter of which is more prone to dry rot from age (rather than mileage-related wear). Check the DOT code on the sidewall, replacing tires more than 5-years old to avoid dangerous blowouts during towing. Carry a spare for these events, or the number for a speedy mobile trailer repair company. 

7.      Mirrors
Towing is increasingly more difficult when you can’t see behind you. Upgrading to extended towing mirrors offers enhanced visibility, preventing lane changing snafus.

8.      Windshield
We're not talking about cracks. (Cracks are illegal, and we know you wouldn't drive with them.) However, bugs, grease, and other road dirt impeding your line of sight are just as bad. Keep your windshield clean.

9.      Hitching devices
Know and understand the capacity limits of all gear before towing, and suitability for your intended use. Make sure your hitch ball is firmly attached to the drawbar before each use, and that the coupler and hitch ball fit snugly. Be certain tow bars are parallel to the ground with the tow vehicle attached.

10.  Safety chains
Safety chains mitigate drift, and are the only thing that will keep your two vehicles together in the event your trailer becomes unhitched. Properly used, they save lives, so make sure they're sufficient for whatever you're towing.

-Heavy-duty: 5/8-in
-Medium-duty: 1/2-in
-Light-duty: 5/16-in
Always crisscross them beneath the trailer tongue so they won’t drag if the trailer comes unhitched.

Ensure a drama-free drive. Stay on top of maintenance needs with a proactive monthly maintenance program from Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This article was previously published at:

http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/10-point-safety-checklist-know-tow/

Tips for Keeping Your Fleet in Top Shape

How can you keep your fleet in top shape? With regular fleet maintenance from a trusted local repair shop. Staying on top of maintenance needs yields huge rewards, improving fuel efficiency, extending the lifespan of your vehicles, and ensuring roadway safety. With a few slight changes, including a designated fleet maintenance manager, routine maintenance task list, preventative maintenance schedule, good records, and an open line of communication with drivers, you can more easily manage these needs.

Who’s the Boss?

Oftentimes, routine maintenance is overlooked because everyone is busy, assuming someone else has it handled. By clearly designating who’s in charge of this task, whether it’s fleet drivers or a new employee, routine maintenance can be monitored and managed more effectively.

What Am I Doing?

To avoid overlooking key maintenance tasks, its essential to have a checklist. At a minimum, your list should include the following, though it may also include more industry-specific needs:

●       Brake system

●       Fuel system

●       Engine

●       Exhaust system

●       Auxiliary brake system

●       Frame

●       Undercarriage

●       Suspension

●       CV joints

●       Mounts

●       Bearings

●       Tires, wheels, and rims

●       Exterior and interior lights

●       Cabin controls, including heat and AC

●       Safety features, including horn and seat belts

●       All fluids

●       Belts

●       Hose connections

●       Visual inspection for leaks, loose connections, electrical issues

When Do I Do It?

Waiting for an emergency roadside repair call is not the best way to manage fleet maintenance. Avoid scheduling nightmares and spiraling repair costs with a proactive approach. This means scheduling routine maintenance before issues arise, so signs of wear and tear can be identified before future breakdowns occur, negatively impacting your customers and business’ reputation.

How Do I Keep Track of Everything?

Effectively managing fleet maintenance requires tracking data, whether on paper or using technology. The choice is yours, though software can make this task much easier, quickly turning piles of paper into easily manageable files of usable information and automatic alerts.

Why Ask for Help?

No one understands what’s going on with vehicles like the drivers who operate them daily. They are an excellent resource for useful feedback on what will keep vehicles running well. Your trailer maintenance manager and local repair shop are also great resources that can help your business improve maintenance compliance and effectiveness.

It’s easy to overlook routine maintenance needs in the hectic fleet environment. Take a load off with the help of a pro. Learn more about proactive monthly maintenance programs from Ainsworth Trailer Repair today.

This article was previously published at:

http://www.trailerrepairdenver.com/tips-keeping-fleet-top-shape/