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
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
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
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
Truck wheel technology for weight savings, corrosion resistance, connectivity
Every fleet has unique preferences for wheel specifications, notes Mike Palladino, director of wheels product management at Accuride. Manufacturers should ask what’s important to their customers, he relates. For example, is it light-weighting equipment, financial impact, aesthetics or driver preference? They also need to be ready to meet all of the requirements for any vocation.
How the right vocational truck suspension spec can improve driver comfort
Given the amount of time drivers of vocational trucks spend in their vehicles, ride quality is critical to keeping them comfortable, notes Bryan Redeker, power suspensions product manager at SAF-Holland. “Some vocational trucks spend the majority of their operating time traversing uneven and rough roads, so poor ride quality can lead to discomfort, back issues
How to get maximum fuel efficiency from your truck engine and transmission
Integrated powertrains can offer multiple advantages to fleets compared to a traditional manual and legacy automated transmission-based systems, noted Kristopher Ptasznik, powertrain total cost of ownership and consultancy leader at Cummins. “Traditionally, drivers can account for up to a 30% difference in a fleet’s fuel economy,” Ptasznik said. “By making it easier to operate the
What’s in it for fleets spec’ing the latest in driver comfort options?
How can fleets measure the value of driver comfort options? According to truck manufacturers, it starts by listening to your drivers and measuring the impact of your choices on recruitment efforts and retention success. “Quantitatively, fleets can measure the impact of comfort and convenience items through metrics like driver retention, driver health and recruiting efforts,”
The coming of the e-axle age
As a highly efficient power source for propelling electric vehicles, truck e-axles must be designed to go beyond providing torque and power to also balance performance, durability and reliability with maximum time on the road per charge. That’s according to Steve Slesinski, director of global product planning for Dana. “E-axles have continued to advance in
Answering the top truck service technology questions
As fleets increasingly employ telematics and remote diagnostics to drive down maintenance costs and limit downtime, Senior Contributing Editor Seth Skydel discusses the subject with Alec Johnson, product manager at Noregon, and Andy Turnbull, vice president of customer solutions at Decisiv. How do telematics capabilities benefit fleets and their maintenance operations? Johnson: Fleets are using
Werner Enterprises reduces downtime with its Breakdown Management solution
In March of 2020, Werner Enterprises Inc. launched Breakdown Management, a cloud-based solution that the carrier says simplifies repair processes and reduces downtime. Breakdown Management was developed by Werner EDGE, the innovation arm of Werner Enterprises, to advance the fleet’s performance. The in-cab, tablet-based solutions leverage on-board telematics for to support operations, safety and maintenance.
