 Transporting road maintenance and construction materials to the worksite requires a dependable dump truck in almost continuous operation. Lack of materials at the worksite will slow down or completely shut down the progress of the road project. No matter what the make or age of your truck, you can help ensure its dependability by following the operator daily maintenance procedures. This videotape will show you the general methods and procedures for operator daily maintenance on dump trucks. But these procedures can be used for other types of transportation vehicles, such as asphalt distributors, water trucks, fuel trucks, and maintenance equipment. Each agency has their own specific maintenance activities and each equipment manufacturer has its recommended procedures. It is your responsibility to be sure that none of the special requirements for your machine are overlooked. Follow along with our operator as he goes through the complete set of daily maintenance activities. Using a check-off list, our operator has divided the daily checks into four groups of activities. The activities are the pre-start check, the warm-up check, the daily operating check, and the shutdown check. If during these activities problems are discovered, follow your local guidelines to determine corrective procedures. Now watch our operator as he begins with the first activity, the pre-start check. This is a walk-around inspection for damaged or worn parts and fluid leaks. It also includes fluid level checks. Check the air pressure of your front and rear tires. Be sure all valve stems are equipped with valve caps and that they are securely screwed down. The truck manufacturer should give you the recommended tire pressures for your make and model dump truck. Also, check the tires for wear and damages such as cuts, radial cracks, and sidewall damage. Remove any stones embedded in the tire treads and check for rocks that may be lodged between the dual rear tires. Rocks lodged there can cause tire failure. With the added weight of material in the dump body, a tire problem could cause you to lose control of your truck. Part of your pre-start check also includes looking for any fluid leaks. Fluid leaks can affect the safe and efficient operation of your dump truck. Look under the engine compartment, the transmission, power take-off, and the differential. If you see any wet spots or stains on the ground, look above the spot to locate its source. During the pre-start check, inspect for loose or worn components. If loose components are not taken care of immediately, they can cause serious maintenance and safety problems in the future. Be sure to check the steering linkage for excessive play. Inspect the brake hoses for bruises and cuts. Check the suspension system. The next area for inspection will be inside the engine compartment. Here, the engine fluid systems need to be checked for leakage. Hoses should be inspected for cracks. Make sure they are not pinched. Connection should also be inspected for tightness. Fuel and oil filter leaks are most common around the filter bowl seals or at the hose connections. Feel the bottom of the oil and fuel filter bowls for any leakage. If any leaks are found, notify your supervisor. That completes the inspection for fluid leaks, but you still need to know if the fluids are at the correct operating levels. In the engine compartment, you should check the engine oil level. The oil must be within the safe levels indicated on the dipstick. If the oil level is near or below the indicated level for safe operation, do not start the engine. Add the proper type and amount of oil until the full level is reached on the dipstick. Next, look at the fluid level in the power steering pump. If fluid is low, you will need to add power steering fluid to the proper level on the dipstick. In carrying out this procedure, use only the type and grade power steering fluid recommended by the truck manufacturer. The power steering is essential for controlling the truck on turns and for greater maneuverability both on and off the road. Now look at the radiator coolant level. If your vehicle is equipped with an overflow tank, check the level there. Be sure the coolant is at the level required for your particular vehicle. Add more coolant if needed. Never remove the radiator pressure cap when the engine is hot. The cap is designed to maintain pressure in the cooling system. This pressure, if released by removing the cap, could cause serious injury to you. The fan will help control the temperature of the coolant. Proper operation of the fan depends on the fan belts. They should be checked for wear and tautness. Important additional inspections are at the battery. If your battery has a protective cover, remove it. Now start your inspection by checking the fluid levels of all the cells. If your truck is equipped with a maintenance free battery such as this one, you will be unable to determine battery fluid levels. A quick inspection of the hydrometer will be all that is needed. The green color as shown here indicates a charged battery. If this indicator turns dark, notify your supervisor immediately. If your battery is not the maintenance free type, use the following procedure. If needed, fill each cell to just above the top of the battery plates with clean, distilled water. Never fill the cell to the top of the filler neck or allow the fluid to drop below the top of the battery plates. Always follow your local guidelines when working with batteries. After you have checked the fluid level in the cells, make sure the battery is securely fastened. Inspect the battery cables, clamps and connections for tightness and corrosion. A word of caution. Batteries give off explosive gas. There should be no open flame or smoking permitted around the battery. Now we are down to our last two pre-start checks. Before you start the engine, you should drain the condensation and sediment from the fuel tank. To do this, a drain cock is provided at the bottom of the fuel tank. Open the drain until all condensation and sediment have been removed. Be sure to close it. Never perform this operation while smoking or with an open flame in the area. You must also drain the condensation from the air tank. Overnight, condensation collects in the air tank. This moisture can cause serious damage to your brake system if not removed daily. Open the drain cock until the condensation has been removed. Be sure to close it. Use caution when working with air under pressure. Before we go on to the equipment warm-up activities, you may wish to stop the videotape at this point and review the inspection steps. In the last segment, we finished our pre-start checks. Now let's go on to the second activity, the equipment warm-up check. The equipment warm-up check is carried out in the parking area. It helps ensure that the truck will perform as it should during its daily use. Before starting the engine, make sure that the transmission is in the neutral or park position, that your parking brake is set and the clutch is depressed if so equipped. Turn the key to the on position. If your vehicle has warning indicator lights, these lights should come on at this time. If all the lights are functioning, start your engine. With the engine running, all these lights should shut off within a few seconds. If any of these lights remain on, turn off the engine and have the system inspected. The engine needs to be warmed up for 5 to 10 minutes. This warm-up period allows the oil pressure to build up and lubricate all the moving parts of the engine while the coolant circulates and heats the engine to its operating temperature. It also permits the air compressor to build up pressure in the air tank. You need to inspect the engine's air filter system. The air filter has an indicator which warns you when to replace the air filter element. If the indicator shows red, as demonstrated here, the operator should have the air cleaner element replaced or have the original element cleaned with compressed air. Never operate the engine without the filter in place. This can cause extensive engine damage. During the warm-up period, you should record the hours registered on your hour meter. If your vehicle is not equipped with an hour meter, record the miles or kilometers registered on the odometer. The reading on the hour meter will determine when you need to notify your supervisor that it is time for periodic maintenance on the equipment. During this warm-up period, listen for unusual noises. If you hear anything irregular, shut the machine down and call your supervisor. Now, take a close look at these gauges. Does the amp meter read on the positive side? Is the oil pressure in the safe zone? Is the fuel tank gauge functioning? Is the fuel tank full? Is the temperature gauge reading in the safety zone? Has the air pressure gauge risen to its safe operating level? Since your vehicle will be used on public roads, it's important to check the various lights a helper can assist you. Turn on the headlights. Now try the high beams. Next, try the turn signals. With your helper at the rear of the vehicle, try the brake lights, turn signals, and backup lights. This test will make sure that the lights are operating and in good condition. Testing the hydraulic hoist system is an additional warm-up check and should be done at this time. Listen and watch as the cylinder rod raises the dump body. Does the cylinder rod extend smoothly? Are there any unusual noises? Are there any hydraulic leaks visible? Now, check the power steering system. Do the front wheels move smoothly in response to the turning of the steering wheel? For our last warm-up check, test the brakes before leaving the parking area. Be sure that all personnel are clear of the truck when making this test. Release the parking brake. Put the dump truck in motion, then apply the brakes. Your brakes should feel solid. If they do not hold or if they need to be pumped, shut down your vehicle and notify your supervisor immediately. All these checks are important to both you and your equipment. Don't leave the parking area until you have determined that the truck is operating as it should and all the inspections are satisfactory. The third daily maintenance activity, the daily operating check, is carried out during daily use. As you perform your various tasks, don't forget these daily operating checks. During operations, you should listen for unusual noises. Read your gauges and be aware of any changes in the performance of your truck. You can look at these individually. Listen to your engine and powertrain. Do you hear anything unusual? Do you feel any excessive vibration? Any unusual noises or vibration would normally indicate a mechanical defect that could be causing serious damage to your truck. Are there any noticeable changes in the performance of the truck or the hydraulic hoist system? Read your gauges constantly. Watch pressures and the temperature closely. If any gauge indicates a problem, stop operations and inspect the faulty system. If needed, notify your supervisor. The fourth and last daily maintenance activity is your shutdown check. The shutdown check helps prepare your vehicle for the following workday. First, pull into the fueling station and completely fill your fuel tank. When doing this, be sure all fueling equipment is clean. This prevents any contaminants from entering the fuel tank. Since these are flammable liquids, do not smoke or have an open flame in the area. Your agency may provide an area to clean your vehicle. If one is available, pull into this area next and clean away dirt or material from the truck. After your vehicle has been cleaned, you should park it in the designated parking area. Put the transmission in park. First gear if you have a standard transmission. Now set the parking brake. Let the engine idle for approximately five minutes before turning it off. During this time, you can record the hour meter reading. Check this reading with the one you took at the start of the workday. This will assure you that the meter is working properly. That completes the detailed description of the four major daily operator maintenance activities. Now, we will review each one of these activities again. The first activity is the pre-start check. The pre-start check is a walk-around inspection that includes checking tire pressure, looking for loose or worn parts, inspecting for fluid leaks, looking at fluid levels, and draining fuel and air tanks of dirt and condensation. The second activity is the warm-up check. These checks are made from inside the cab while the engine is warming up. Be sure to read the gauges, test the lights, the hydraulic hoist system, the steering system, and the brakes before you leave the parking area. The third activity is the daily operating check. Operating checks during the workday include listening for unusual noises, reading your gauges frequently, and being aware of any changes in the equipment's performance. The fourth and final activity is the shutdown check. Fill the fuel tank. Clean away dirt and material. Park the dump truck on a level surface. Set the parking brake. Let the engine idle for approximately five minutes before shutting it off, and record your hour meter reading. This videotape has included general maintenance procedures. Your agency may require that you modify certain activities. There also may be additional safety inspection points. If so, follow your operator guidelines. This concludes the videotape on dump truck operator daily maintenance. Following these procedures will help ensure that your equipment is properly maintained in good operating condition.