Break Down Survival Kit

Any trucker will tell you, it’s no fun to be broke down on the side of the road. A road call from a truck shop service truck or a tow by a heavy wrecker can be extremely costly. A truck driver who knows his truck and carries the right supplies may keep a road side break down from turning into a massive road expense.

For a trucker who doesn’t know much about his engine, it’s a good idea to spend some time in the truck shop asking questions if the mechanic seems approachable. Some mechanic shops will run you out but many don’t mind questions so long as you’re trying to learn (as opposed to trying to tell the mechanic how to do his job). Even if your engine is under warranty, that warranty won’t do you much good on the side of the road- and any dealership that’s worth it’s salt will let you turn the busted parts in later as warranty returns.

Knowing how to fix your truck won’t do you much good unless you carry the right parts with you. When you buy your spare parts, you’ll be dropping some cash at the parts counter. But you’ll more than make up for it when the inevitable break down comes. And Murphy’s Law dictates that break down will happen at 5 pm on a Friday when you’re in the middle of nowhere.

Some spare truck parts you’ll want to carry are:

* Serpentine belt, fan belt, etc. Carry a spare belt for every belt that’s on your engine. The belts are cheap, especially compared to a road call. Learn how the belt is run- when a belt comes off you probably won’t be able to see how it winds around the pulleys. You’ll need to know how to work the belt tensioner as well.

* Belt tensioner. If you have a spare belt but your belt tensioner is bad, you’ll be in the same spot as if you didn’t have a belt with you.

* Alternator and Pulley. When you buy a spare alternator, you’ll be paying extra to make up for the core charge. When you have your alternator replaced at a truck shop, you get a discount for the core charge. But when you are buying an alternator to keep as a spare, you’ll be paying extra unless you happen to have an alternator to turn in for the core. The core charge can be up to $200 depending on where you buy your alternator. If possible, buy a remanufactured (reman) alternator- this is an alternator that has been rebuilt. You’ll save a lot of money over buying a newly made one. You’ll need to have the pulley attached to the alternator- if you’re dropping the money on an alternator, most shops will put the pulley on for you free of charge- the pulley has to be torqued down to certain specs. Without the pulley, your alternator won’t do you any good.

* Air Compressor Governor. The governor tells the air compressor when to turn on and when to shut off. Your air compressor can go out, but it’s a lot more difficult to change out. If your governor goes out, however, it’s simple to change out. And without it, your air compressor is worthless.

* Tools. You don’t need to have a full set of Snap On tools- but a good set of tools, including a half inch drive ratchet, is a good idea. You’ll want a quality half inch drive socket set and a set of open-ended/box-ended wrenches. No offense to the truck stop brands, but you’ll probably want to buy your tools from a reputable hardware store. Cheap tools break.

Don’t forget to buy your spare parts in a state that allows truckers tax exempt status.

Having the right spare parts for your truck and knowing how to replace them saves truckers time and money. This is on open-ended subject. Comments about other spare parts or suggestions about the spare parts mentioned are welcome.