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Why Is My Semi-Truck Transmission Failing?
When it comes to trucking, a bad transmission can stop you in your tracks. When you notice a problem, you shouldn’t wait to make a repair with a trustworthy commercial vehicle mechanic. You should act now, or you might end up dropping a large amount of money on repairs and maintenance, plus all the downtime your truck will need in the garage, which hurts business. To problem solve and prevent things from getting worse with your vehicle,here are some answers.
Gear Issues
Issues with your semi-truck’s gears are a common cause of transmission issues. Drivers should let their fleet manager know if a gear isn’t engaging or isn’t staying in gear. Or, if your truck is taking longer than normal to get into gear, the transmission is slipping, or you’re getting high engine revs. Check the dipstick level to see if your transmission fluid is too low, as this might be the cause. Follow up with your owner’s manual to make sure you’re using the right transmission fluid.
If this isn’t the case, it might be a leak that’s causing the malfunction. You can inspect under the big rig to see if there’s any red fluid, which is a sign of a leak. This might cause buzzing, grinding, or a humming noise, too. Otherwise, you might have shifter or shifter cable issues, which requires a mechanic to make a replacement.
Bad Clutch
Your transmission might be failing if your clutch is worn from heavy use on the road. Usually a loud grinding noise when you shift your gears is an obvious indicator of a problem. It might not be releasing, or you may have damage to individual components like a synchronizer ring or gear. You might also notice jerking between gear shifts, when ordinarily this should be a smooth motion. If the clutch catches high, you might have a broken pressure plate or clutch disc on your hands. If it grabs low, it might be a faulty hydraulic system to blame.
You can inspect your vehicle for its individual components to see if you can pinpoint the problem. It might be a matter of a replacement for an individual part, but if it’s multiple things wrong with your clutch, or you’re unsure the exact cause, take your truck in for service.
Go easy on your transmission and the clutch, know when to shift gears, and don’t do high-performance starts. Gently shift gears, and when you park on an incline, use the emergency brake to take pressure off your vehicle parts. Don’t overload your vehicle either, because this can cause its components to overheat. If necessary, you can use an auxiliary cooler for those hot days on the road.
Torque Converter Damage
A torque converter transfers power from the engine to a rotating driving load for your semi-truck with an automatic transmission. However, if the torque converter incurs damage when it overheats, has a broken needle bearing, or a bent blade, you’ll encounter transmission damage. Listen out for a loud grinding noise as a bigger indicator of a problem. You can see if one of these individual parts or the torque converter can be replaced to protect your transmission.
Engine Problem
A separate but similar problem to why your semi-truck engine is losing power, the transmission might be failing because the computer within your big rig has detected a larger issue. This could affect a component within your vehicle and the flow of power to your engine. You’ll notice an issue if the vehicle starts and is running, but you’re not getting anywhere. Take your truck to an expert and have them run a diagnostic test to see if they can trace the issue to see why the engine is losing power and your transmission is acting up.
A shot transmission can disrupt driving right away, costing a serious amount of time and money. Keep up with routine maintenance, drive with care when you’re behind the wheel of the vehicle, and don’t ignore the signs of damage when you need to make a repair. If you’re looking for your next new or used work truck or van, shop from a nationwide selection of listings at hipoinnttrucksales.com
Credit:CommercialTruckPaper