Vehicles are separated into nine classes by the DoT: 

• Class 1 - 0 to 6,000 lb
• Class 2 - 6,001 lb to 10,000 lb
• Class 3 - 10,001 lb to 14,000 lb
• Class 4 - 14,001 lb to 16,000 lb
• Class 5 - 16,001 lb to 19,500 lb
• Class 6 - 19,501 lb to 26,000 lb
• Class 7 - 26,001 lb to 33,000 lb
• Class 8 - 33,001 lb to 60,000 lb
• Class 9 -  60,001 lb and above

Three major groupings of the nine classes:

• Light-duty vehicles - up to 10,000 lb (Classes 1 and 2)
• Medium-duty trucks - up to 14,001 to 26,000 lb (Classes 3 to 5)
• Heavy-duty trucks - over 26,000 lb (Classes 6 to 9)

 

Some heavy-duty trucks:         

• Transit buses
• Dump trucks
• Semi-trucks
• Cement mixers
• Mobile cranes

Heavy Truck Maintenance

Regular maintenance is the best way to maintain the performance of your heavy truck. There are a lot of issues good maintenance can help you avoid:
​

• Random and frequent breakdowns
• Trouble with the DoT
• A poor fuel economy
• Safety issues
• Transmission problems
• Engine problems

​During maintenance, we inspect:

• Wheels and rims
• Belts and hoses
• Engine and transmission mounts
• Fluid leaks
• Braking system
• Tires
• Body, glass, and mirrors
• Driveshafts or CV joints
• Seat belts and seat structure
• Horn
• Transmission fluid

• Exhaust system
• Tune-ups
• Windshield wiper system
• Steering and suspension system
• Undercarriage and frame
• Fuel system
• Engine oil and filter changes
• Auxiliary systems
• Exterior and interior lights
• Electrical system components

• Cooling system

Heavy Truck Repairs

There has never existed a machine that didn’t suffer from wear and tear. Things like accidents also make repairs inevitable. Repairs are an integral part of heavy truck ownership. Our goal is to make the repair process as painless for you as possible. 

U-Joint Failure 

If you hear clicking sounds or vibrations at higher speeds, your U-joints are probably acting up. U-joints transfer rotary power from the driveshaft to the differentials which in turn rotate the wheels. A failure would leave you grounded so don’t wait around for it to happen.

Brake Failures And Fluid Leaks 

Heavy trucks need a lot of stopping power. This strain on brakes sometimes causes brake fluid to leak. This is not a major problem as long as you service your truck regularly and change the brake fluid. Failing to do this is courting brake failure. 

Failure to Start

Diesel engines hate the cold, often needing some coaxing to start up. If your engine fails to start one time too many, however, the problem might run deeper than just a little chill.

Overheating of the engine

Heavy trucks come with similarly heavy engines. These large and heavy engines can sometimes prove tricky to cool even with all the cooling systems. If a gasket bursts,  a coolant leaks, or a fuel line is punctured, these engines can overheat.
 
Overheating is no joke due to the high cost of engine replacement. The engine of a heavy truck costs more than many small cars. To dodge such a hefty bill, service your engine regularly and bring your truck in for repairs if the engine starts overheating.

Wheel Bearing Issues

Ball bearings reduce the friction. This in turn makes wheel rotations extremely smooth. Without ball bearings, wheels would be extremely noisy. Axles and rims would have also needed to be replaced far more often.
 
Signs of worn wheel bearings:

• Noisy wheels
• Jerky wheels
• Unstable movements when steering

 
If you experience any of the above signs, get those wheels looked at.

Click here to contact us.

​Contact​

Click Here to contact us. We install, service, and repair HVAC systems on all kinds of buildings and machinery.  

Heavy Equipment Repair Services Charleston

Phone: 843-905-2441
Email: info@heavyequipmentrepairscharleston.com