Keeping your commercial lorry fleet on the road is essential to the productivity of your company. It can ensure drivers can make deliveries efficiently, as well as prevent you from paying for costly repairs if something does go wrong.

Here are 6 of the most common causes of lorry breakdowns and tips on how to prevent them.

Oil Leaks

Oil leaks are a major problem that is not easy to notice until it is too late. Leaking oils means that there will be a lack of lubrication in your vehicles, increasing the friction which in turn can cause parts to fail quicker. Routine maintenance of your systems will ensure that any oil leaks are dealt with before they cause a major issue.

Brakes

Brake problems are one of the biggest issues when it comes to lorries. The weight of a fleet vehicle and all that is inside of it puts intense weight on the brakes, meaning they will break down a lot quicker than in a car. Regular maintenance and checks of your brakes will help to prevent any issues further down the line.

Overheating

Various issues in your vehicle can lead to it overheating. This includes having a bad radiator cap, a faulty thermometer or leaking coolant. Because it has many causes, it can sometimes be hard to pinpoint the issue of overheating by yourself, but a professional inspection should be able to help find the cause.

Blowouts

Because of the long distances and heavy weights that lorries travel and are cumbered with, tyre blowouts are much more common than on other vehicle types. It is essential that tyres are checked regularly to see if they have any issues, as well as ensure the correct tyre pressure is maintained and change out tyres when they become worn.

Clutch

If you’re on the road for hours at a time, such as many lorry drivers, this is a lot of wear and tear on the clutch, which you will probably be using a lot as you travel. Clutches will break themselves over time from use, but constant use like from a long-distance vehicle will speed this up. You will need your clutch repaired or replaced if it is becoming an issue.

Suspension

If there is a lot of shaking or clicking noises during driving, you might have an issue with your suspension. This can create an uncomfortable ride for the driver as well as damage your fleet vehicle. Diagnostic checks can help you to identify issues and deal with them before they become worse.

Lorry Maintenance & Repair From Transcare

If your commercial fleet lorry has suffered a breakdown, or you wish to make sure everything is alright, work with Transcare for efficient and reliable lorry maintenance and repair services. We know how important it is to keep your fleet in the best condition possible, which is why we are on hand to make sure you are back on track.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, contact us today.