Troubleshooting trailer service issues
Trailer brake systems tend to make up the bulk of trailer service issues, with tire and wheel service issues following right behind. While those are the two main issues that will put trailers on the side of the road, electrical and lighting issues will generally get your trailer pulled over. Now, historically, we haven’t had
Predicting the future of truck maintenance
Fault code and related service information has been flowing off of trucks for years, and truck technology companies have been hard at work developing algorithms that delve into that data and find patterns in truck component failures. Using sophisticated probabilities, truck service technology is quickly approaching the point where it can offer predictive repair suggestions.
The truck service similarity between ADAS and aftertreatment
Advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, like advanced cruise control and active lane keep assist technologies are helping to improve truck safety, but these systems are starting to create service mysteries for shops as they roll into bays. they’re complex systems that can make seemingly basic repairs like a windshield replacement a costly and time-consuming
Spruce up your shop with these seasonal truck maintenance tips
The biggest thing you should look out for is corrosion. Trucks have been rolling down the winter road, through de-icing chemicals that cling to the underbody. On top of that, Spring temperatures can fluctuate widely–freezing one day, warm and wonderful the next. It can impact important components. But it’s not just the underbody. Air dryers
OEM vs. third-party scan tools: What’s the right mix for your truck shop?
We’re taking it back to basics to talk about different scan tool options. The scan tools you have in your shop should allow you to work on all makes and models of commercial trucks and simultaneously diagnose all electronic components on a vehicle. Maintenance and repairs drive uptime, so it’s critical for technicians to be
Getting to the root of truck service root-cause analysis
Getting to the core of a truck service problem as quickly and accurately as possible is key to reducing dwell time for the fleet and boosting truck shop throughput, but it’s easier said than done. We’ve all had those comebacks show up and it’s never a good sight. So let’s think back to the last
When working with truck remote diagnostics, think: Audience
Remote diagnostic systems are now offered in some form by all the major truck and engine OEMs, as well as third party providers. These systems collect diagnostic data on the truck’s performance and status, and automatically send fault codes and warnings to service managers. Today’s remote diagnostics systems indicate fault code severity levels and allow
Providing the right mix of truck technician training
The first and most important thing that heavy-duty technicians need to understand is the tools used in the shop. Today’s tools need to be standalone solutions for day-to-day use but also integrate with OEM applications for increased functionality. The best of these tools will make technicians more efficient by providing rapid diagnostics and pertinent service
What’s supporting your truck equipment warranty?
Equipment warranties play a big role in your truck service operation’s profitability. No fleet is a stranger to the warranty claim process, and the headaches that come along with it. But, with all the service data streaming off of your trucks, you have a host of information to help push your claim through. The catch?
Training, retaining the next generation of truck technicians
Headlines across the web announce the challenge of a labor shortage, while truck service shops across the country say: “Welcome to the party.” While we have more company in the battle to find the right people with the right skills, the challenges remain. But remember: many of the benefits you offer a technician to join
Getting heavy-duty, medium-duty trucks to talk the same service language
When a truck service location is faced with both heavy- and medium-duty vehicles all sporting different name plates, there’s often a communication breakdown. Technicians interface with different trucks in different ways, they have to use various methods of pulling the needed service information off said trucks, and jumping back and forth between heavy-duty and medium-duty
Coolant choices are important, here’s why
It’s easy to judge a diesel engine coolant by its color. Easy, and also problematic. The complication comes in as there are two very different types of coolants: conventional fully formulated and extended life (or organic acid technology, or OAT). They protect engines from corrosion very differently and if you mix the two, both will
