If you’re a trucker (and if you’re here, you most likely are), it should go without saying how important a regular inspection is to keep you and the vehicle out of harm’s way. There are so many small components, such as air springs and shock absorbers, that bring these massive vehicles to life, and if one of those components breaks, it can cause a domino effect of chaos. These tips for maintaining air springs and shock absorbers will show you just how important these small parts are in your big machines.

Consult the Manual

The first thing you should do to keep shock absorbers and air springs in good shape is to consult the truck’s service manual. In the manual, you’ll find all the specific information you need to keep the vehicle components in tip-top shape, including inspection and cleaning protocols. If you’re at the helm of a truck, you should know how it works on the inside and out. Suffice to say, reading the service manual is always a good place to start.

Keep an Eye on Your Height

Vehicles that feature air springs must meet a specific height requirement, which you can test whether the truck is full or empty. You can find this height requirement in the aforementioned service manual. If the vehicle maintains a height that falls within a quarter-inch of the height in the manual, you should be in the clear.

However, don’t ignore the height control valves either. These valves are important for maintaining a functioning air suspension system, so treat them with just as much attention as you would any other system component. When necessary, clean or replace height control valves to ensure your suspension system remains in working condition.

Wearing and Leaking Calls for a Replacement

This is important because it relates to both the shock absorbers and the air springs. When you’re inspecting these components, keep an eye out for leaks, cracks, cuts, and wear-and-tear, just as you would with any other component.

These are some signs that the components are reaching the end of their life cycle, which means you’ll have to swap them out immediately. It’s vital to fix the issue as soon as possible because, as we mentioned above, if one component breaks and is left in place, it can begin damaging other components around it.

It’s essential for truckers to know these tips for maintaining air springs and shock absorbers because, just like most parts of the truck, they can cause you a lot of problems if they are left in place after wearing, leaking, or taking on other forms of damage. It might sound like a hassle, but finding various components, such as medium-duty truck parts, is easy and worthwhile, given the safety and security they will provide.