Well bass season is finally here (four days and counting) and so is the HOT weather. Everone has been prepping all winter getting rods, reels and tackle ready and probably getting the boats ready as well. Some of the most over looked things can ruin your day very quickly. I am talking about trailer and vehicle maintenance.
My past background is an auto technician and wanted to pass along some stuff that isn't normaly talked about. First is your tires on your vehicle and trailer. Yes we all know check tire pressure but also check your tires for any weather cracking and or buldges in the sidewalls. Weather cracking while not always causes problems it can in hot weather cause a tire to fail and blow. Weather cracking is when you start to see cracks around the treads of the tire. I have driven on tires with it but it's a chance you take. Buldges on the sides of a sidewall indicate you bumped a curb or hit a bump to hard causing it. It to can cause a tire to fail not to mention usually the belts on the tire might have shifted and cause a unbalanced tire.
Under your hood, feel your radiator hoses and if they feel very hard or very soft time to replace them. This of course applies to older vehicles but even new ones check your conections for any signs of leaks. If you haven't replaced your t-stat in several years don't wait until your vehicle is overheating and be proactive and replace it before hand. Follow your vehicle guidlines for doing coolant flushes as well. Also check your oil level and transmission level to ensure it's full and ready. If checking your tranny fluid and it's not pink but brown that means some disks have burnt in the transmission and should be checked. Check your brake fluid as well as in stop and go traffic fluid gets very hot and does break down a bit so top up. Finally top up the power steering fluid as well. If unsure of anything always go to the shop you trust and have them check anything out as you want to enjoy your fishing season and not be on the side of the highway waiting for that tow truck.