4 Sounds You Don’t Want to Hear in Your Cab
After driving long distances in the same vehicle, it’s natural to recognize certain noises in your truck’s cab. Usually these aren’t cause for worry, but it is important to know when you should be concerned. Ignoring certain sounds in your truck’s cab is dangerous and can make a serious problem worse. With this in mind, Hood Skinz’s experts give advice on when to seek help.
Squeaking & Squealing
If you’re driving along highways and interstates and hear your engine working just fine — perfect. But it’s common for semi truck drivers to hear an ongoing squeaking sound coming from their hood. Your hood support can rub against the receptacle, which means a Hood Skinz low friction sleeve is all you need. This allows you to drive in quieter conditions, meaning you can better listen for other dangerous noises. If you do hear other noises, bring your vehicle in for repairs as soon as possible to avoid further problems.
Metallic Rattling Or Pinging
When you turn your keys in the ignition and hit the gas, you may hear a metallic pinging or rattling coming from your engine. If this noise persists when you accelerate, it can be a sign of major combustion issues in the engine itself, including spark knock, pre-ignition or detonation. This is distinctly different from the high-pitched squeaking mentioned above, indicating the need for a hood support cover. If you hear this metallic rattling and ignore it, it can damage your engine’s pistons, valves and connecting rods, causing even more problems.
Clickity Clack
Clicking can also occur when turning or moving at low speeds. If it sounds like you’re going over train tracks in your cab, it can mean trouble with your drive axles — specifically the U-joints. These send power to your truck’s wheels and allow you to steer. A clicking noise coming from the engine can also signal low oil supply or low oil pressure. If this is again too similar to a squeak, first make sure your hood support cover is working properly. But if you notice this sound regularly, take your truck in for repairs.
Growling or Moaning
The worst that could happen while driving, especially in the winter, is when your power-steering pump fails. This can cause you to lose the ability to turn, producing disastrous results on snowy or icy roads. The best way to prevent this serious problem is to listen for an animal-like growl coming from under the hood while driving or turning. Check to make sure it isn’t due to a faulty hood support cover and listen for it again. The growling can be a sign of impending power-steering pump failure, meaning your hydraulic setup needs to be dealt with immediately.
While these are only a few of the strange noises you may hear while driving, it’s important to take initiative and investigate anything unfamiliar. Spending a large amount of time in your semi truck should be both comfortable and safe, and Hood Skinz is here to help make that happen!