Seth Skydel, Author at Fleet Equipment Magazine - Page 3 of 47
~
Top truck wheel end maintenance tips

Reducing overall heavy-duty truck maintenance costs plays into every decision related to wheel-end systems, noted Tony Ryan, national service manager–fleets at SAF-Holland. “For example, air disk brakes have a higher initial cost which is offset by reduced overall maintenance costs,” he said. “Premium hub/bearing/lubrication systems can reduce maintenance issues.” In general, the wheel-end maintenance needs

wheel-maintenance-1400
Vehicle maintenance in last mile delivery operations

The widespread and steady growth of last mile operations has brought with it new and unique maintenance challenges for fleets operating light- and medium-duty delivery vehicles. One of the main issues, according to Grant Hilliard, client development manager for Utilimaster (a Shyft Group brand), is the limited access to vehicles due to the long hours

EV maintenance—what we’ve learned so far

Electric trucks, with fewer moving parts and fluids, as well as the elimination of exhaust aftertreatment systems, are widely expected to reduce equipment service needs. Likewise, routine maintenance for things likes brakes are anticipated to drop as well. Still, with electric commercial vehicles increasingly being operated across North America, fleets are on an EV learning

Truck tire pressure: If you’re using a bat, you’re doing it wrong

Suppliers are in full agreement, perhaps best summed up by Mike Steiner, customer engineering support time zone referent at Michelin North America Inc.: “Striking a tire with a bat or hammer to determine air pressure is a method worth forgetting. There is no replacement for the high-quality, calibrated tire gauge. It remains the most effective

Truck air suspension ride height setting, service tips

With any system or component, it goes unsaid that a routine maintenance schedule is essential to a long service life and ensuring safe operation. For air suspensions, which are now widely used on commercial vehicles, a key part of any routine maintenance program involves correct ride height settings. When it comes to maintenance, air and

Diesel engine aftertreatment service tips

It’s probably not a surprise to hear that a large number of the most common issues with today’s diesel engines involve aftertreatment systems. Recently, Fleet Equipment discussed the causes of problems such as excess regeneration activity and how to determine if the regeneration frequency with their engines is within a normally accepted range. Our panels

Volvo-Engine-Service1-1400
Visible value that parts inventory software can bring to truck shops

It’s probably not a surprise that parts costs can account for a substantial portion of a fleet’s maintenance and repair expenses. What’s not often as apparent, however, is the cost of managing parts, and the ways that activity can be streamlined to generate savings and improve a service operation’s productivity and efficiency. “Fleet operations often

shop-software-1400
Powertrain maintenance tips for engines, transmissions

While a key goal for any fleet maintenance operation is to avoid unscheduled repairs, another cost-saving objective is to eliminate repeat trips to the shop for the same issue. In those instances, and especially when higher cost powertrain components are involved, unnecessary downtime and the impact on shop and technician productivity add up quickly. “Having

Smart solutions for fleet service shops

During the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC)’s Fall Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, TMC and Decisiv Inc. released their most recent North American Service Event Benchmark Report, which showed an increase in parts and labor costs over the first six months of 2021. The reports, which cover power unit costs in nine top Vehicle Maintenance

Smart-Shop-Solutions-1400
What’s new with truck axle technology

With ongoing development, the latest technologies for axles on heavy-duty commercial vehicles are focused on maintenance and performance improvement. Recently, Fleet Equipment spoke to several heavy-duty axle manufacturers about design initiatives, new axle specifications and the advent of electronics. Taking part in the discussion were: • Steve Mastroianni, senior manager of product planning, Dana• John

axle-hendrickson-meritor-1400
What fleets need to know about truck brake, wheel end service

While a comprehensive maintenance program is always essential for the performance of key heavy-duty truck brake and wheel end systems, it can be even more critical when fleets adopt new and different types of components and technologies. “Regulatory changes, such as those requiring copper-free brake pads, may influence maintenance intervals for brake components,” says Jeff

truck-brake-combo-1400
Engines and transmissions: Making the right choices for vocational applications

Every jobsite, application or body demands something a little different from vocational vehicles, notes Len Copeland, product marketing manager at Detroit Products. “There can be power and frame space needs, demands for light weight and a shorter wheelbase for maneuverability,” he adds, “and environmental considerations in extended idle applications or at remote worksites.” “The first

transmission-engine-1400