As summer comes to an end and the weather starts to get cooler, something you might want to consider is winterizing your truck scales. As we’ve discussed many times, the importance of correct measurements is vital to your organization when it comes to profits, quality, and productivity.
It is often underestimated how much damage can be caused by severe winter weather. That is why the condition of your truck scales needs to be a priority and you’ll want to get ahead of the game before it’s too late.
Start Early
Your best bet to maintain the condition of your truck scales throughout the winter is taking preventative measures early. For example, you should always schedule a preventative maintenance check leading up to the winter to guarantee your truck scale is clean.
Regular maintenance will certify you’re keeping up with minor repairs and also confirm that your scales are calibrated to avoid measurement issues. When dealing with such a heavily used product, external factors are always a threat to performance. It’s for this reason that we recommend calibrating early before the opportunity for ice and snow to affect your measurements happens.
Cleaning
Cleaning your truck scales is probably one of the most important things to do beforehand because dirt, ice, snow and debris will only build up as the months go on. External factors like this will build up and ultimately cause measurement issues. Therefore, always make sure your scales are clean going into the winter season.
In addition, an accumulation of dirt or debris can lead to even worse issues like rusting or corrosion. These are problems you really want to avoid in the winter because they can seriously affect how certain mechanisms and moving parts perform.
Stay safe on the road by properly winterizing your truck scales.
Freezing
The biggest issue with severe weather conditions is freezing. Any frozen mechanisms can render moving parts dysfunctional. To avoid problems like this, we suggest conducting weekly inspections of your scale to not only remove dirt but also moisture—as this is the main cause of freezing. This will also include checking your scales after each ride and removing any build up.
Another great way to avoid freezing is to invest in a pump. A pump can be used to avoid problems like pooled water. Pooled water is kryptonite for truck scales in cold weather so using a pump to remove water or moisture is something that should happen regularly.
It’s Not Just the Scale
Safeguarding proper function of your truck scale isn’t isolated to a clean and dry scale. This also includes the surrounding area of your scale. Always remember to inspect underneath your scale and the surrounding areas for excess dirt or other potential problems. Keeping your truck neat in addition to what’s around it will ensure optimal performance during the winter.
Trip Planning and Communication
Although truck scales are the focus here, driver’s safety will always be paramount. Weather affects more than just truck scales so always plan ahead to maximize your time on the road and avoid problems.
In order to keep everything in your truck functioning properly, we highly recommend checking for weather and traffic conditions ahead of time.
At Active Scale, our main goal is to ensure optimal performance and measurement of your truck scales. Allow our experts to examine your scale and get it ready for the tumultuous weather to come. Call Active Scale today toll free at 1–866–284–2223 to get started with winterizing your truck scales.
