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
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
Winter-proof: How to keep your trailers in the best possible shape during the harshest season
There’s plenty to like about the winter, but it’s not all skiing and hot chocolate, especially if you’re a fleet manager who has to worry about the damage the harsh season will cause your equipment. Let’s zero in on trailers, which are susceptible to a variety of potential issues when running during the winter. Luckily,
Tips for reefer unit maintenance in the winter
Reefers equipped with transport refrigeration units (TRU) come with their own winter maintenance checklist. In addition to those mentioned above, here are a few reefer- and TRU-specific tips. “It’s essential to get units checked out before the cold sets in to ensure that the system is operating at full capacity,” recommend Scott Koch and Freddy
VIDEO: Commercial Products Overview, Presented by Evercoat
BodyShop Business Editor Jason Stahl and Tim McKinney, senior application engineer from Evercoat, discuss the research and development behind some of Evercoat’s commercial products for fire engines, trains and other similar-type vehicles.
Think carefully about your maintenance cost-cutting measures
Costs are continuing to rise thanks to COVID-19. The costs of off-shore parts have risen and are continuing to rise, and because of this “margin madness” is taking place, and bonus incentives seem to be upper management’s avenue to lowering costs. I know of one small fleet with 150 trucks and 450 trailers that decided
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
Three ways telematics can reduce truck fleet maintenance costs
There are a few variables to look at when calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your vehicles, including acquisition cost, operating costs, depreciation and more. However, the one variable that carries some of the largest cost is maintenance. Maintenance cost will increase during a vehicle’s lifetime, ultimately affecting lifetime costs of ownership. According
Eaton launches new metal 3D printing program
Eaton‘s vehicle group is implementing a new 3D metal printing program as a part of its “Industry 4.0” strategy to reduce development time and improve efficiency. The first metal printer system was installed at the Kings Mountain, N.C., facility, and a global deployment of 3D polymer printing technology is slated to be completed by first-quarter
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
Peterbilt GM Jason Skoog charts today’s truck support, tomorrow’s truck solutions
Peterbilt made headlines recently when it became the first major North American OEM to open orders for an electric truck, the Peterbilt 220EV. In this exclusive interview, Peterbilt General Manager and PACCAR Vice President Jason Skoog details the technology investments that are keeping fleets productive during this year’s trying pandemic and laying the groundwork for
Can a change in application impact your truck axles?
The easy answer to the headline question is: Yes! The more complicated answer to the seemingly simple follow up: How? … that will take some explaining. The impact on your equipment operation The pandemic put all fleets in a do-what-you-gotta-do predicament. With so much uncertainty, no one could fault you for rolling your trucks into
