7.5 ton lorry, routine maintenance and what tools/oils I need

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

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I have recently bought an old 7.5 ton Leyland Daff horsebox. It's been serviced, plated etc, and I'm starting to get more confident about driving it, but I'm totally igniorant of what I need to do to maintain it, apart from having it serviced. I'm stuck on the basics like what oil and where does it go, what about brake and clutch fluid etc? Is there a Dummy's guide, or something online somewhere? I hate feeling like an idiot, and I've always done things on my car and trailer, and motorbikes when I had them. But lorries??? Whole new ball game.
I'd also like to know what I should carry on the lorry, apart from my horse stuff and personal stuff. Any "must have" tools, fluids, etc?

ANY suggestions gratefully received!!
 
Try google......the answers depend on the age, model and size of engine. For both of my old lorries there was a forum that 'affecionados' had set up that proved to be an invaluable source of information and allowed we to download manuals, wiring diagrams etc. However, these were Dodge and Iveco vehicles so not much use to you.

Failing the above, get a tame local mechanic to show you/provide you with consumables....in the first instance at least.

Basics I carry with me are oil and coolant. I always walk around vehicle and do a visible check on tyres and lights/indicators.

HTH
 
My OH looks after mine but i do carry spare bulbs, spanners, warning triangle and hi viz tabard, heavy duty jump leads, wind up torch as well as alsorts of other tools that OH has put in there over time.
 
You need someone to teach you how to carry out your dayly checks .There are a number of items that should be checked each time before the vehicle is used ,(and idealy after ,so that there is time to carry out repairs if a problem is found).Theere is little point me giving you a list, you need to be shown and taught. There are two major items that cause a huge amount of problems ,Wheels/tyres and brake fluid levels.Your tyres must be good and you need to check they are all inflated and hard before you drive. This does not involve checking the pressure.It involves bashing the road surface of the tyre with a sleel bar or pick axe handle. It should make a good healthy "Boing" .You will soon learn to reccognise a soft tyre . A soft or flat tyre at the back will overload its twin and cause both to blow. Check the wheel nuts regularly ,rust streeks indicate looseness. Throw away any wheel trims ,they are dangerous as they prevent you carrying out your daily check properly. The Brake fluid reservoirs ,should be checked daily because ,despite the fact that the level will remain the same for months or years ,one day a seal will fail and the fluid level will start to drop. That is the point you get your mechanic to fix the brakes .Fail to spot this and the brakes will fail shortly after. I am so glad you are taking such a positive attitude to your responsibilities and wish there were more box owners like you.
 
Wow, some excellent answers here, especially Mike 007. You'll be pleased to know that there are no wheel trims :-). But if I find a soft tyre, what do I do? Will a car pump fit? Or one at a garage? Or are there dedicated lorry garages?? The more I find out, the more I find out I don't know.

I'll be checking for owners forums tomorrow, and trying to track down a mechanic to tame...
 
There are tyre garages all over the place ,find one locally and first off ,book your truck to have its tyre pressures checked , Also ask them about the general condition. There is an ellement of trust required here . If (and this has happend) my local tyre fitter said ,"I dont like the look of that tyre"despite it being to all outward appearances legal (legal does not meen safe!)I hve scrapped it immediately. Try to fit new front tyres on a regular basis, every 4 to 6 years Swap the part worn to the back by all meens ,but keep your best tyres the stearing tyres. You do not want a front wheel blow out . TRUST ME ON THIS ! Dont try to pump up tyres your self ,the pressures are too high and you might cause a problem by disturbing a valve. "The more I find out, the more I find out I don't know". ... Hell ,you are still ahead of the game because you are thinking and asking, good on you! PS edited to add that taming a mechanic requires patience to listen while he bores the socks off you, also large amounts of tea ,milk ,no sugar I,m dieting, are requiored.
 
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Really good advice from Mike007. I found myself in exactly the same position - buying a lorry with no manual and finding the right manual online proving a bit tricky! Your oil and water/coolant are probably behind the cab. If it's the same as mine the coolant 'tank' has two lids, and you check the level by opening the lower 'lid' and ensuring you can see the top of the liquid near the neck of that lid (if you can't peer into it with a torch then dip a rolled up bit of kitchen roll or something to the right level and check it comes out wet :) You can also get testers cheaply at halfords etc to check the proportion of coolant / anti freeze to water is high enough. Oil - the dipstick is next to the oil top up lid. The dipstick is the longest thing in the world - you check it when the lorry has been standing, take it out, clean it, dip it and check the level. You pop mine's bonnet with a little catch in one of the lower 'rows' on the front grill and then lift it up - it pops up and underneath you find the little brake fluid bottle and the washer bottle.

I would absolutely echo what Mike007 said about just getting professionals to do your tyres. You'd need an HGV pump anyway which you can only find near the HGV pumps at big service stations (and which are helpfully usually bloody switched off in my experience!) and the only time I asked a kind person to do it for me with their compressor they struggled with the valve and when I went to head off to my lesson the next day that tyre was flat and had to pay a nice man £60 to come out and replace the valve.
 
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