Getting Your Fleet Ready for Spring
By Richard Kemner, Founder • RDK Truck Sales • Tampa, FL • 40+ Years in the Refuse Industry Dealing with Hydraulic System Maintenance Issues.
✅ SPRING HYDRAULIC CHECKLIST
☐ Pull and inspect hydraulic fluid sample
☐ Change all hydraulic filters (return line, suction, in-line)
☐ Inspect every hose for cracks, bulging, and chafe marks
☐ Check all fittings for leaks
☐ Inspect cylinder rods for scoring and pitting
☐ Look for weeping seals on all cylinders
☐ Test full system operation under load
☐ Listen for pump noise, cavitation, or whine
☐ Verify reservoir fluid level after full cycle
☐ Check breather cap on reservoir for blockage
Winter is hard on garbage trucks. If you run a fleet anywhere that gets real cold, you already know that. But what a lot of operators don’t think about is what happens when the weather changes. That transition from cold to warm is where a lot of problems show up, especially in your hydraulic systems. I’ve been in the refuse business since 1983. Started riding routes at five in the morning just to learn. Over 40 years later, I’m still learning. But one thing I can tell you with absolute confidence is this: your hydraulics are the heartbeat of a refuse truck. If they go down, you go down. And spring is when they like to remind you of that.
Why Winter Beats Up Your Hydraulics
Cold weather thickens hydraulic fluid. When temperatures drop below freezing, your fluid viscosity changes dramatically. That means your pumps are working harder, your cylinders are moving slower, and every seal in the system is under more stress than it was designed for. The rubber in your hoses and seals contracts and gets brittle. Metal components expand and contract with temperature swings. All winter long, your hydraulic system has been taking a beating even if everything looked fine from the cab.
Here’s what we’ve seen over the years: the trucks that have the most spring breakdowns are the ones that nobody looked at during winter. They just kept running them. And now, as temperatures rise, all those cold-weather microdamage starts showing up as real problems.
Hydraulic Fluid: Check It, Change It, Get It Right
This is step one and it’s the most important. Pull a fluid sample. Look at the color. Fresh hydraulic fluid is a clear amber. If yours looks dark, milky, or has visible particles in it, you’ve got contamination. Milky fluid almost always means moisture got in, and that’s a killer for pumps and valves. Even if your fluid looks okay, consider when it was last changed. Most manufacturers recommend a full hydraulic fluid change every 2,000 to 4,000 operating hours depending on the application and the conditions you’re running in. If you ran hard all winter and you’re anywhere near that interval, spring is the time to do it. One thing we tell every customer: don’t mix fluid types. If your system calls for AW-46, use AW-46. If it calls for AW-68, use AW-68. Mixing viscosities or brands can cause foaming, overheating, and accelerated wear. When in doubt, check your operator’s manual or give your body manufacturer a call.
⚠ ️ RDK Pro Tip: If you see foam on top of the fluid when you open the reservoir, you either have an air leak on the suction side or moisture contamination. Don’t ignore it. Both will destroy your pump over time.
Hoses and Fittings: Look for the Warning Signs
Walk around every truck in your fleet with a flashlight and look at every hydraulic hose you can see. You’re looking for cracking on the outer cover, bulging anywhere along the length, wet spots or oil film around fittings, and any hose that looks like it’s been rubbing against the frame or body. Winter cold makes rubber brittle. Spring warmth makes it expand. That cycle is exactly what causes hoses to fail. A hose that survived all winter can blow on the first warm day because the rubber finally gave out after months of contracting and expanding. Pay special attention to hoses near heat sources like the exhaust manifold and engine. Also check any hoses that route through tight spaces where they might rub. Chafing is one of the most common causes of hydraulic hose failure on refuse trucks, and it’s almost always preventable with proper routing and clamps. At RDK we’ve seen hoses blow on route and dump 40 gallons of hydraulic fluid on a residential street. That’s an environmental issue, a safety issue, and a very expensive tow. A ten-minute visual inspection can prevent all of that.
Cylinders and Seals: Where the Money Is
Your packer cylinders, tailgate cylinders, and body lift cylinders do the heavy lifting every single day. After a hard winter, check every cylinder for rod scoring, pitting, and any signs of oil weeping past the seals. Even a small drip means the seal is compromised, and it’s only going to get worse as temperatures rise and the system heats up under load. Seal replacement is relatively inexpensive if you catch it early. A failed cylinder because you let it go is not. We’ve seen packer cylinders lock up mid-cycle because a seal blew out and all the pressure was lost. That’s a truck off route and a crew standing around waiting for a service call.
Filters: The Cheapest Insurance You Can Buy
A key step in hydraulic system maintenance is changing your hydraulic filters. Every single one. Return line filters, suction filters, and any in-line filters your system has. Coming out of winter, those filters have been catching all the contaminants that cold weather and condensation created. A clogged filter means your pump is working against restriction, which means heat, which means accelerated wear on every component downstream. This is one of the simplest and cheapest maintenance items you can do, and it’s one of the most commonly skipped. At RDK we stock filters for every body and chassis we sell. There’s no reason to skip this step.
Test the System Under Load
After you’ve checked the fluid, inspected the hoses, looked at the cylinders, and changed the filters, run the system through a full cycle under load. Watch for slow operation, jerky movements, unusual noise, and any vibration that wasn’t there before. Cycle the packer. Cycle the tailgate. Operate the body lift if applicable. Do it multiple times and pay attention.
A system that works fine with no load but struggles under load is telling you something. Usually it’s a pump that’s starting to wear internally, a relief valve that needs adjustment, or a cylinder that’s bypassing internally even though it’s not leaking externally yet.
This Is Blog 1 of 3 in Our Spring Maintenance Series
Blog 1: Hydraulic System Maintenance: Getting Your Fleet Ready for Spring
Blog 2: Exhaust System & Body Maintenance Preparing for Spring Rain and Wet Weather
Blog 3: DOT Inspection & Chassis Readiness – A Friendly Reminder That Could Save Your Fleet
Subscribe to our email list or follow us online so you don’t miss the rest of the series. And as always, if you have questions or want to talk shop, give us a call.
Let’s Talk Trash & Hydraulic System Maintenance
After 40-plus years in this business, I can tell you one thing for sure: I’m still learning. Every fleet we work with teaches us something new. Every season brings a new challenge. That’s what keeps this industry exciting. If you’ve got a trick that works for your fleet, a question about something we covered here, or you just want to talk trucks, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line, give us a call, or stop by the shop in Tampa. At RDK, our customers aren’t just customers. They’re family.
“We Service What We Sell”
Disclaimer: The information in this hydraulic system maintenance blog is based on over 40 years of hands-on experience in the refuse industry. It is intended for general informational purposes only. Every fleet, every route, and every truck is different. We strongly encourage you to conduct your own due diligence, consult with qualified technicians, and follow your manufacturer’s specific maintenance guidelines when making equipment servicing and purchasing decisions. If you have questions or want to talk shop, give us a call. We’re always learning and we welcome your feedback.