Three tips for seat belt maintenance
Seat belt laws have been in place long enough that most everyone has become accustomed to buckling up. You get in, reach over, pull the belt across and click it in place. It is most likely such an automatic part of getting ready that the act hardly gets noticed. As a result, seat belts can
Air disc brake maintenance tips
Over the past several years, adoption of air disc brakes (ADBs) has climbed to 18% to 25% of brakes ordered on trucks, according to brake manufacturers, who anticipate that number reaching 50% within the next decade. This means that technicians will need to be familiar with both the tried-and-true drum brakes and their disc brake
Tips for diagnosing intermittent electrical issues
Diagnosing performance problems is often challenging, especially when the concern doesn’t happen all the time. Intermittent problems tend to be time consuming and frustrating to diagnose. The diagnostic process for such issues sometimes amounts to trying a replacement part stored in the toolbox for just such occasions. That can work, but not always. For instance,
Truck tire inflation tips
The biggest challenge ensuring that you maximize your tire life is maintain proper inflation. According to Tiona Campbell, program manager for the Hendrickson controls business unit, underinflation is the biggest threat to tire life. Underinflation results in sidewall deflection, which generates excess heat and, in turn, weakens the internal tire structure, called the carcass. When
Tips for ‘old school’ electrical connector maintenance
With the end of summer, the beginning of the wet and cold seasons looms on the horizon. For those who service or operate older equipment without weatherproof electrical connectors, it means it’s time to ensure that all exposed electrical connections are in good shape, along with all the other winter maintenance checks for commercial trucks.
Maintenance tips for heavy haul trailers
Heavy-haul trailers see it all—rocks, ruts, bumps and jolts. It all translates to an increased risk of damage. The following conversation, between Troy Geisler, vice president of marketing and sales for Talbert Manufacturing and Lloyd Hair, director of maintenance for Keen Transport, outlines some things to keep in mind when hitting the road with the load. 1. What are
Three air spring maintenance tips
Proper maintenance procedures will go a long way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your air springs. Here are three air spring maintenance tips to get you started.
Vetting vendors: Top tips for selecting your service providers
There’s no shortage of service providers in the trucking industry. To ensure that you select the right service for your fleet, we polled our panel of service provider professionals to ensure you ask the right questions. “The vetting process for outside providers is fairly simply but does take time to properly understand, ‘Who do you
Kenworth’s top five tips for spec’ing medium-duty trucks
Today’s operators of medium-duty trucks possess heavy-duty expectations. Truck manufacturers, like Kenworth, are working to make it simpler for customers who want heavy-duty characteristics in traditional medium duty applications, including construction, refuse, liquid bulk, food and beverage distribution, snowplows and highway maintenance, and fire and rescue. Companies that operate medium duty trucks seek a business solution
Tire pressure tips
An effective tire policy must address the four key elements that contribute to the extended life of any tire: air pressure; rotation; mechanical maintenance of the vehicle; and speed. While maintaining the proper overall maintenance of steer and drive tires is relatively simple and achievable, the overall maintenance of a trailer tire is the most