Most experts say that detecting and dealing with refrigerant leaks is the biggest challenge in regular maintenance of air conditioning systems on Class 8 tractors. For that reason, regular maintenance on the systems is critical.
Steven Schaeber, manager of service training and technical editor for the Mobile Air Conditioning Society, said there’s no such thing as a leak-free HVAC system on a tractor. They all have minute leaks at every joint, at every O-ring connection, every sealing point. The hunt to find and address leaks is constant. Without regular maintenance, Schaeber noted, the problems only get worse.
“Over a period of time — it may be seven, eight, 10 years — the refrigerant charge drops down, and if you don’t maintain the charge level you run the risk of overheating the compressor and that’s where it fails,” he said.