Maintenance Tips for Your Livestock Truck and Trailer

As livestock trucks tend to see plenty of wear and tear as they are often driven on dirt tracks with occupants that have hoofs, it is important you take care of your vehicle. Here, we’ll look at maintenance tips for your livestock truck and trailer. You may also find this useful if you’re in the market for buying a used livestock truck as a checklist similar to those shown on Truck1.eu and other sites.

So with this in mind, how do you maintain a livestock truck or trailer?

Wash After Every Trip

It is good practice to wash down your livestock vehicle after every use. Hoses rather than jet washers are recommended as they will protect the finish. Soap and water are ideal here and as you clean you’ll notice rust spots. Scrape these off with steel wool or sandpaper and then touch up with antirust paint the same colour as your truck.

Trucks and trailers of this kind tend to be quite high so to reach the roof and high points you’ll need a stepladder or extended brush.

Don’t neglect the underside of your vehicle as this is where road chemicals, grease, dirt, and grit tend to gather.

Never neglect the lights and reflective surfaces when you clean especially on a trailer. You’ll appreciate it when driving in winter when the days are shorter.

Tyres

Always ensure the tyres are pumped to the correct air pressure. Given the weight and nature of your cargo, it makes a lot of sense that your tyres are inflated correctly.

Always check your tyres for wear and tear and replace all the tyres at once should one become worn. Remember, trailers especially are prone to swaying if tyres are not in good condition or are underinflated.

Lights

The lights on the trailer need to be tested regularly. Ensure your lights work in conjunction with one another to ensure there is no flickering, and test each light separately. As well as the lights check the connector pins ensuring they are clean. Many coat the connector with dielectric waterproof grease to prevent moisture from getting into the circuit.

Check the Brakes

Always ensure the brakes are in good condition and working correctly. If you have a trailer ensure the handbrake is working as it should. If it points to the sky or is floppy something is wrong and you need to fix it.

Grease is Your Friend

It is good practice to grease the ball hinge, tongue jack, and ramp hinges before each use. Further, the wheel bearings should be greased every 12,000 miles or once a year whatever rolls around first.

Many use a professional to grease the wheel bearings as they are quite hard to reach and can easily overheat if not treated properly.

With a little care and maintenance, your livestock truck and trailer will last for many years. Given how many livestock regulations you have to adhere to, it makes sense that your vehicle is up to the job.

Finally, if your budgets are a little thin you may want to explore the used vehicle market as it is possible to pick up some real gems.