Stop Emergency Roadside Breakdowns with These Semi Truck Parts & Products

4th Feb 2025

It’s cold, and late, and you’re suddenly stalled at the side of the road because your semi truck won’t start or won’t budge. If this sounds like a truck driver’s worst nightmare, it’s because it is.

Roadside breakdowns aren’t fun, but they’re potentially avoidable.

Buying the right semi truck parts, accessories, and products can help prevent tangible and intangible costs of roadside stalling: towing fees, repairs, and time.

Aside from practicing good preventative maintenance habits, installing quality tires, and checking your fluid, electrical, and brake system, here are some of the top products that can help you avoid the potential of a lengthy emergency breakdown on the side of the highway.

Essential Tools & Equipment

Grab the bare essentials:

Tool kit (wrenches, pliers, utility knife, etc.)
Heavy-duty jumper cable
Gloves
Flashlight or headlamp
Reflective safety vest
Tire changing tools
Electrical tap and zip ties
Electronics: cell phone and charger, CB radio, and GPS device

Fuel Treatment Injector Cleaner

Fuel injector cleaner helps to lubricate the fuel system to help increase power and mpg by burning excessive exhaust emissions.

A cleaner fuel system can extend the life of pumps and injectors by decreasing the friction of certain components.

Diesel Fuel Additive Formula

A diesel additive can help boost fuel economy, reduce emissions, and horsepower improvement. This additive synthetic formula improves your rig's overall performance.

Buy a Spare Fuel Filter

Investing in spare parts is great preparation. Just in case your current fuel filter gets clogged, viola, you’ve got a spare. Now you can ensure that nothing impedes the flow of fuel to the engine.

Sometimes fuel can gel in cold weather. In extreme situations, your semi will not only struggle to start, but it might not start at all. If it does, you might see less power and acceleration on the road.

A spare fuel filter restores proper fuel flow to the engine. Replacing a filter is a simple task.

Heavy Duty Tire Chain Wrench

If you’re stuck on the side of the road and need to install an emergency mud tire chain, a heavy-duty tire chain wrench is a life-saving item to have in your inventory.

Here's how it helps:

Tightening chains securely around tires
Connecting or disconnecting link chains
Provides leverage for working with tires
Faster removal and installation of tires

Single Snow Tire Chains (Extra Pair)

Another great option for when your truck gets stuck in harsh road conditions is to have a pair of snow tire chains.

Brands like Get Go Tire Chains feature a simple installation and over 10,000 lb-resistance strength.

Steel Tire Chain Carrier

You’ll need to carry those chains somewhere on your rig. A Tire chain carrier is another must-have, low-cost accessory to install on your truck.

There are plenty of different options to choose from, coming in different materials, like aluminum or steel, and some coming with lockable frame mount covers.

Tire Grippers for Traction Assistance

Tire grippers help to “grip” the road when there’s excessive snow, ice, or mud. There are many different types of tire grippers available for various wheel sizes.

Installing this gadget is pretty simple and straightforward.

Air Hose Repair Kit

If an air brake hose gets damaged it can lead to a loss of braking power or just brake failure. This hiccup can set you way behind schedule during a load run, missed time and missed earnings.

Always have an air hose repair kit on hand. These kits are great for repairing a damaged air brake line quickly so you can get back on the road until you can make some more intensive repairs.

Depending on the size of your setup and your airflow needs, there are a variety of kit options, from an ⅜ inch repair kit to an ½ inch kit.

Prevent Roadside Emergency Breakdowns with the Right Aftermarket Parts and Accessories

If you’re looking to enhance the quality of your ride and prevent lengthy roadside breakdowns, start investing in the right parts and accessories for the future.

4th Feb 2025