Jake Schell, Author at Fleet Equipment Magazine - Page 4 of 5
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Five steps to a more accurate truck service diagnosis

In today’s trucks, there seem to be fault codes available for virtually every monitored system. Because these systems interact with each other, it’s not uncommon to see multiple codes being set.  In many cases, diagnostic procedures will indicate whether additional fault codes may be set that share circuitry or depend on the actions of another

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As trucks grow more complex, the basic principles of diagnostics still apply

“Could not duplicate. No problem found.” Those words bring out all sorts of customer frustration when they appear on the work order. Most of us have been on the customer side reading those fateful words, despite the fact that we know a problem exists. After all, we brought the vehicle into the shop for a

Checking your scan tool’s connection

Ever try to find the light switch in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar room? Yep, it’s pretty tough, and we all have memories of stubbing toes or knocking into furniture while feeling our way around in the dark.  Well, walking around in the dark half asleep is much like trying to diagnose

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Smoking is expensive: How proper maintenance can help avoid tire burnouts

Smoking is expensive! Now, before anyone thinks I am going off on a tangent lamenting the cost of a pack of smokes, rest assured that is not on the agenda. The smoking under consideration here produces the unmistakable aroma often noticeable at intersections or from the underside of a trailer just before a shower of

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Hidden pearls of mechanic wisdom

Virtually every technician in the vehicle service industry with more than a few years of experience knows the mechanic proverbs passed from one generation to the next. These proverbs are basic wisdom in a simple, yet memorable form that help the technician in performing maintenance and repairs. It really is okay to admit that the

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Truck diagnostics: Don’t jump to the wrong conclusion

It’s a lot like déjà vu. For technicians who are fortunate enough to maintain a fleet of similarly-equipped vehicles, it comes as no surprise when they see the same fault codes and failures occurring on those vehicles. Typically, there are a limited number of potential codes that ever set, even though some vehicle systems have

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Avoid downtime from coolant leaks

Fleets may pay greater attention to truck cooling systems when preparing for seasonal changes where extreme low or high temperatures test the capabilities of the system. This extra attention to the cooling system does help keep the truck on the road. However, the best way to avoid downtime is to keep the cooling system in

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Diagnostic complexity keeps growing

Trucks have become increasingly complex over the last few years. Generations of mechanics were once able to easily adapt to changes in truck technology over the span of a career. In some ways, servicing engines became easier as new production advancements appeared.  For instance, when did any of us last adjust the connecting rod shims

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Tips for testing electrical systems

Trucks’ electrical systems grow more complex with each passing year. In the past, before the advent of the onboard computer systems, circuits were more likely to keep functioning with corroded terminals, wire insulation hardened and splitting, improperly spliced wires and any number of other issues. With today’s sophisticated electrical systems, proper testing practices and repair

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The importance of hearing protection in your shop

The sound of birds on a spring morning, crickets chirping in the otherwise still night, a child saying “I love you”—all are precious sounds that we perhaps take for granted. That is, of course, until they are gone from our world due to hearing loss.  A truck repair shop is obviously a noisy environment with

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Seeing the need for proper truck tire service safety

Tires are clearly the unsung heroes of the road, doing exactly what they were designed to do mile after mile without a lot of fanfare. Nevertheless, as tires are the buffer between the truck and the road, they take a lot of abuse running on what are often some fairly rough roads. Thus, tires are

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Sharing scan tools: how many do you need?

Costly as they may be, slowing down the shop can be even more costly.

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