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One of the most essential parts that make up your heavy-duty truck is its transmission system. When there are faults that affect your transmission, such as your gearbox, then it’s important to have them inspected and fixed by a qualified diesel mechanic without delay. Continuing to drive with a worn-out or broken transmission can cause a breakdown of the truck and even result in much greater expenses. You’ll discover five of the most expensive transmission repair mistakes heavy-duty truck drivers sometimes make.
A common mistake that people make when driving a heavy-duty truck is the failure to regularly check up on the transmission fluid. Lubrication within the transmission system is incredibly important, which means problems can quickly start to show up when the transmission fluids run low.
This is not something that should only be checked when sending your truck for routine maintenance. It’s important to ensure truck drivers regularly check the transmission fluids. Remember that leaks can sometimes develop in the hoses and connectors that carry transmission fluids toward different parts of this system. These holes can cause the transmission fluid to leak out and the tank to run empty quickly. If transmission fluids are declining too fast, then it’s important to look for signs of leakages.
Another common and potentially very costly mistake is adding transmission fluids in the tank that is not compatible with the specific heavy-duty truck. There are different types of transmission fluids on the market, and they are not all the same. This is why it’s so important to ensure you always take a look at the specifications of the truck you are driving. Use this information to identify what transmission fluids the truck uses.
If you add the wrong transmission fluids, it could cause serious problems, including damage, to the system. This could potentially lead to long delays as the truck may need to go for repairs before you can take it back onto the road.
There are often warning signs of a transmission that’s having difficulty functioning properly. Ignoring these warning signs can also be a costly mistake. Start by always checking the dashboard of the truck. Certain warning signs can indicate problems that affect the transmission system. With this said, not all warning signs are related solely to the dashboard.
Take note of things like gears that slip when you change them and the truck suddenly becoming unresponsive while changing gears. If you are in neutral gear, the clutch may not disengage properly, and there might also be a weird noise coming from the transmission. These, along with grinding noises when moving the gears and a burning smell coming from the truck, are common signs that indicate troubles with the transmission system. Don’t overlook the sweet smell of transmission fluids too - if they leak, it could spell trouble for the truck in the long run.
A large number of cases related to transmission damage and repairs are caused by overheating. It’s also a relatively common problem in heavy-duty trucks, especially when proper and regular maintenance is not performed. There are many reasons why a heavy-duty track can overheat - and sometimes, this heat affects the transmission system.
Transmission fluid works best when it is about 175 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature goes over 200 degrees Fahrenheit, then this is where problems start to occur. When the transmission’s temperature reaches more than 260 degrees Fahrenheit, it can cause the bands to slide, problems with the clutches, and even result in seals starting to burn. A varnish can also form on the metal surfaces in the transmission, which then further contributes to the damage caused by overheating.
A common reason why heavy-duty trucks overheat lies in the driving patterns and behaviors of the driver. If the driver makes too frequent stops while riding the truck, then it increases the chances of overheating. This may sound contradicting because the truck can cool down when it is off, but the constant starting up and driving only short distances can contribute to a significant increase in transmission temperature.
You just cannot stress enough how important maintenance to the transmission system in a heavy-duty truck is. Unfortunately, many truck drivers and owners fail to know how frequently they should get the transmission system serviced and the maintenance steps they should implement in between these sessions.
Properly maintaining the gearbox and other parts of the transmission system can greatly reduce the risk of breakdowns and faults. Heavy-duty trucks are used consistently as they need to transport goods, which also means debris and dirt continuously collect in different parts of the vehicle. As the debris builds up in the transmission system, it can lead to damage to various parts. Additionally, poor lubrication is also known to spell trouble when it comes to maintaining a working transmission in a heavy-duty truck.
It’s important to ensure you get your transmission serviced after every 30,000 miles driven with the heavy-duty truck. Some may extend the service time but do not allow the truck to go over 60,000 miles before you have it sent in for a service. How you drive the truck and the frequency at which the truck is used are also factors that influence how regularly you should send it for servicing.
Transmission troubles can cause breakdowns and downtime, which leads to losses and delays on your side. At Specialized Truck Repair, we are highly experienced in working with heavy-duty truck transmission systems. We can help diagnose common problems that affect your transmission system and offer regular maintenance to ensure they don’t become a hassle again. Contact us to get a quotation or to find out more about the truck repair services we offer.
https://blog.amsoil.com/what-is-transmission-fluid/
https://gobdp.com/blog/which-automatic-transmission-fluid-should-i-use/
