CONSUMABLES
Consumables The overlooked bits
Keeping your lorry, truck or HGV in good condition has its obvious range of benefits. Regular maintenance and servicing prolongs the life of the vehicle, reduces overall repair costs and keeps the drivers and passengers safe.
Similarly, industrial machines need regular checks and servicing to keep them running, extend their life and reduce downtime. Looking after vehicles and machines can
determine how long they last for. Care and consideration can extend the life of both for years, in some cases even decades. What can often be overlooked with both
vehicles and machines are consumables, the parts that collectively contribute to their running and effectiveness. Consumables come in all sorts of shapes
and sizes and when overlooked can lead to short/mid or long term damage.
What is a consumable? A consumable is commonly, a good that can
be used up ‘relatively quickly’ and are sometimes referred to as ‘non-durable’.
Vehicle consumables The amount of consumables on your vehicle are vast, including:
Cleaning products Cleaning may not be of much importance to some drivers, but did you know that regular driving on dirty and dusty roads builds up grime and debris and can affect your vehicle? For example, bird waste is acidic. The
droppings can damage paint if left for too long. A dirty windscreen is also a health hazard.
Splattered bugs and dirt can obscure your view. Regular cleaning, including valeting keeps
your vehicle in good condition and will result in a higher value when it comes to reselling or trade-in. It has been said that having a clean vehicle
can also improve your fuel-efficiency. Whilst this has been a topic of debate for years, it has been argued that dirty vehicles have more drag, due to the increased air stuck in the particles of the grime. According to Mythbuster (
goo.gl/ gwIuXi), the effect of a dirty vehicle can cut fuel economy by up to ten per cent!
Air Whilst air may not be viewed entirely as a consumable, missing this one vital element of your vehicle checklist can cause your tyres to blow out. Maintaining the correct pressure at all times at the correct psi will avoid any unwanted accidents on the road.
66 SHM August 2015 Issue 117
Tyres Tyre maintenance is essential to the overall health of your vehicle. It’s not enough to just keep checking your tyre pressure, the overall tread needs to be monitored regularly. Driving a worn-down tyre can result in a warning, fine and even points on your licence. For larger vehicles with heavy weight and long mileage, tyres can need replacing every few months. When tyres are highly underinflated, the
sidewall flexes, causing damage to the cords within the tyre. Under-inflation may not always be apparent, especially on vehicles with multi-wheel axles. The damage to the internal part of the tyre may not be obvious and may cause a bulge when the tyre is re-inflated. The further strain on the tyre cords can result in accelerated snaps, spreading quickly around the sidewall, resulting in ‘zipper failure’ due to the casing within the tyre coming apart with forceful speed.
Fuel Fuel is literally your engine’s blood. Putting good quality, high grade, diesel or petrol in your vehicle will benefit it longer term and give you more MPG. Another ongoing topic of debate for
drivers is supermarket petrol and it being allegedly ‘watered down.’ Water and fuel doesn’t mix, but like any other consumable – you are purchasing from a brand every time you fill up. If a certain brand doesn’t work for you, change to another. How you fill at the pumps can also
contribute to fuel economy, albeit if only a bit. For example, pumps that gush out cause fuel to froth, reaching the filler line more quickly.
Additives For both petrol and diesel, using a fuel additive can improve the efficiency and overall health of your engine. However, it’s easy to get confused with which one is which. Gas treatments, fuel injector cleaners, fuel system cleaners, and multi-system additives are some of the options available and serve different functions. You can ask a mechanic or the manufacturer of the vehicle for fuel additive advice.
Batteries A vehicle’s battery life will depend on varying factors. A battery needs to be in optimum condition to run the vehicle correctly and will avoid non-starts, loss of power and poor running of the engine. Batteries need replacing every few years
and your garage should advise you of this at servicing intervals. If anything causes a defect in your battery, it can result in voltage fluctuations, which can be a real threat to the safety of the vehicle. The way you drive will also have an effect
on the battery. It isn’t often that a factory defect causes the battery to stop working properly. Heavy breaking, cold weather, age of battery and corrosion can all cause the battery to malfunction. Batteries have a natural way of
discharging themselves, so avoid long periods of rest.
Fluids » Water
Larger vehicles consume a lot of water due to the size of the radiator and the heat generated. Keeping your water tank at the correct capacity will save your vehicle from over-heating. Water tanks that run dry can cause damage to the head gasket, one of the most common causes of overheating, and also a very costly repair. Most vehicles have a warning light when
your water is low, but older vehicles don’t. Keeping a note to check your vehicle regularly, especially before and after long journeys and keeping spare water will reduce the risk of serious damage to your engine.
» Summer coolant
It’s not just water that your tank needs. In hot weather, adding summer coolant to your tank will keep it at a stable temperature, avoiding overheating.
» Anti-freeze
Similarly, in cold weather, adding anti-freeze to your tank will avoid the water in your tank freezing and exploding,
» Engine oil
Engine oil serves three main functions: it helps avoid the build-up of carbon, keeps components working smoothly, and helps draw heat from the combustion chamber. Engine oil should be changed at regular
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