What Can Be Done to Prevent Freeze Ups in Your Commercial Truck and Trailer Air System?

For over five decades, Munden Truck & Equipment has been providing a wide range of commercial truck and trailer maintenance services to customers and clients in the Kamloops and BC Interior Region.

Munden Truck & Equipment has a rich history serving the British Columbia forestry industry and, although we began as a small operation in Savona, BC, the company has grown over the last several decades to include third-party commercial vehicle maintenance and heavy-duty services.

As part of our repair services, we regularly provide air system maintenance and other mechanical repairs for commercial trucks and trailers. As such, during the colder, winter months it's important to ensure that your commercial truck and trailer air systems don't freeze up. Freeze-ups are even more common during the shoulder seasons, as temperatures often fluctuate widely from well below to above 0 degrees.

Winter temperatures can take their toll on your systems, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to prevent or handle. Being prepared first and foremost will help prevent freeze-ups and will also save money and time.

With that in mind, here are a few tips to keep in mind to avoid potential freeze-ups.

Invest in Automatic Drain Valves

Naturally during the winter months, as snow and ice melt it's inevitable that it will turn into condensed water, which can be damaging to your air-brake system. In colder climates, ice can block the air from reaching the brake mechanism and lead to the wheels locking, which is dangerous.

Automatic drain valves can prevent this problem, and modern systems may already have these installed. If you're not sure, check to see if you have them installed, and then monitor the valves regularly to make sure they're working properly.

Air Dryers

Air dryers are integral in keeping your system running, and in colder weather water can freeze in the valves thus creating problems with your air-brake system. That's why it's important to regularly maintain your air dryer, which includes having it filtered properly according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Drain Air Tanks Daily

Moisture in the lines will no doubt affect the entire air system, which is why the air tanks should be drained daily, particularly during the winter months. Doing so will discharge moisture in the tanks, which over time will accumulate and end up in the lines and freeze.

You can also keep a bottle of airline antifreeze on hand. If the airlines are frozen, add airline antifreeze into the supply line and air up the trailer. Use airline antifreeze sparingly—more is not always better. It generally only takes a small amount of airline antifreeze to do the trick. Using too much airline antifreeze can also cause long-term valve problems.

Contact Munden Truck & Equipment

If you need assistance with maintenance and repairs for freeze-up prevention, here at Munden we're more than happy to help.

Stop by our service department, which is a modern, 10-bay government-certified inspection facility where we can help with any freeze prevention needs. Our shop has the most convenient hours of any shop in the BC interior—open seven days a week from 7 am to midnight, every day.

Learn more about our Parts & Service Department to see how we can help you today.