How to Ensure Your Semi Truck's Driveline is Good
How to Ensure Your Semi Truck's Driveline is Good
Posted on June 16, 2021
The driveline is central to the smooth running of your semi truck, and it's important to do whatever you can to keep it in good condition. In particular, the drive shaft and u-joints will benefit from some care and attention to keep the driveline functioning properly, and here are some important steps you can do for yourself.
- Keep Up with Correct Lubrication
Frequent lubrication of the driveline is essential to keep it working smoothly, keep temperatures down, and extend its life. When applying new lubrication to the U-joints, ensure you remove all traces of the old grease from the seals, or your fresh lubricant can become contaminated and show reduced performance.
At the split splines, don't go overboard with the lube. A simple six to eight pumps of a lubrication gun should provide the required amount for correct operation. Too much grease in the splines can lead to a problem known as hydrolocking, which can badly damage the transfer case.
- Check for Excessive Tolerance
As part of lubrication maintenance, check for any excessive tolerances in the driveline system before applying any new lubricant. Fresh lubricant will often conceal any excessive play, when you'll want to catch any potential issue as early as possible.
- Check Movement Maximums
Similarly, various parts of the driveline have some level of movement allowed within a maximum limit. For example, U-joints have a maximum end play of around 1.5mm and movement over this level risks joint failure. In the same way, up and down slip movement shouldn't exceed .043mm to avoid failure.
- Get Your Bearings
Depending on the age of your semi, the bearings can be of different kinds. Most trucks available since 2002 have new-style self-aligning bearings, which you can recognize by their gold collar and lack of deflectors. These types of bearings should allow a deflection of five degrees positively or negatively, and any more allowed movement than that is a sign of trouble.
- Check for Damage and Debris
A semi truck's driveline can take a lot of punishment, especially when working on uneven or poor surfaces. Even highway driving can have risks, with road debris potentially hitting the engineering at high speeds. Regularly check for dents or other damage to the drive shaft, and check that the correct number of weights are in place.
But actual physical damage isn't the only problem that can occur. Debris from dirt up to grit or sticks can all jam in the driveline's parts, potentially putting it off balance or setting up damaging vibrations. A driveline that carries too much debris over the long term will eventually fail, with expensive damage to the axle and transmission all to easy a result.
High-Quality Semi Truck Repair and Servicing in Edmonton
If a well-maintained and smooth-running truck is essential for your daily work, our service and repair department in Edmonton will keep your vehicle in perfect condition. From hydraulics to panel replacements, driveline diagnostics to brake tests, our experienced team will handle the job quickly and efficiently to keep you on the road.