Auto Maintenance Tips for Bus Owners
A commercial business requires intensive care. The more destinations the vehicle has been through, the more likely it is to have hidden issues. Moreover, as an owner, you are responsible for the safety of your passengers. If your negligence leads to an accident, you may have to deal with the court.
Therefore, you need to keep reminding yourself to ensure that your bus is always in its prime condition. And here are some maintenance tips for your bus.
Engine Maintenance
The engine of every vehicle is like a heart to humans. If your bus often goes through steep and challenging terrain, the engine’s parts such as oil seals, belts, bearings, valves, crankshafts, and camshafts will wear out soon. You need to check on them at least once a month since they are essential bus parts.
First, open the engine’s cover, then turn it on, and listen to the sound. If there are any cracklings or friction noises, you have to disassemble the parts and search for the source. Do not take such a problem for granted because abrasion between two metal parts can spark a fire and result in a further mess.
Examining the Lubrication
Like any other vehicles, if your bus runs out of engine oil, it will be disabled. The repair cost will be expensive because you may need to replace the entire engine. Furthermore, if this mishap ever happens to your bus, its value will drop drastically.
If you rent your bus for long trips, you have to check the oil every time the bus returns to you. This habit will minimize the possibility of severe damage in case there is any oil leakage. Your checklist must include engine oil, transmission oil, and axle oil.
Checking on the Chassis Units
The chassis is the primary frame of your bus. If you have not rust-proofed the part, you must check and clean it regularly. Usually, rust won’t do severe damage, unless you leave in a coastal area.
The next thing to examine is the brake system, suspension, and alignment. However, you need to go to wheel balancing service for accurate chassis alignment checkup because it uses special equipment and a hydraulic lift. This step is crucial for safety because many rollover crashes often occur to imbalance vehicles.
Examining the Cooling System
If your engine heats up surpassing the red line on the temperature indicator, you must get your car to an auto service as soon as possible. A cooling system failure can be fatal because it may lead to combustion. Therefore, you must check the indicator’s accuracy too.
Checking the Electrical Wiring and Lighting
Commercial buses are meant to be on the road for days and nights. And during the night, your vehicle’s lighting can be a matter of life and death. For example, if you have only one headlight, drivers in your opposite direction may think your vehicle as a motorbike. And that scenario usually leads to an accident. Besides, if the traffic police will undoubtedly fine you on the highways. Therefore it is necessary to check the electrical system and ensure the lights (headlights, tail lights, fog lights, brake lights, and hazard lights) can function properly.…