Avoiding a frozen battery
When batteries freeze, the water in the electrolyte expands and can break connections and/or cause other damage inside the battery.
Prepare reefers for colder weather
Thermo King offers practices and solutions to help prepare reefers for the cold weather and avoid downtime.
Transmission bearing damage checklist
Differential and transmission problems can can be detected at an early stage.
Maintain the right PSI for better tire performance
Trick question: Would you say that most of the tires on commercial vehicles today are overinflated or underinflated? The surprising answer, according to Rick Phillips, director of commercial sales, Yokohama Tire Corp., is that most of the tires (drive and trailer) on commercial vehicles are actually overinflated. The reason for this is that many fleets
How to avoid CSA violations
Jeff Kaley, product manager, TruckVantage compliance for GE Capital Fleet Services, talks about avoiding CSA violations. He suggests developing the following strategies: 1. Strong fleet policy—A strong fleet policy that is properly administered will set the right expectations and tone as to how drivers are managed relative to their vehicle operation responsibilities. 2. Comprehensive maintenance
Signs and symptoms of wheel-end problems
When it comes to detecting wheel-end problems, it pays to take a closer look at the bearings, say the experts at Timken. Careful observation can reveal early signs and symptoms of wheel-end problems before bearings are damaged and need to be replaced. With prompt inspection and maintenance, fleets can reduce bearing damage in conventional wheel
Tire Facts and Tips
The tire experts at GITI have compiled the following list of facts and tips: • Tire air pressure: For every 10% of underinflation in the tires on a vehicle, a 1% reduction in fuel economy will occur, which although small in appearance is actually big when you multiply by tire positions, trucks in your fleet
Why not to ‘over-buy’ parts
Many fleet maintenance shops tend to buy more parts than they need, in effect storing company cash on parts room shelves. Even when buying ahead, they sometimes pay more than necessary. That’s the word from 30-year vehicle maintenance veteran Dave Reed, maintenance consultant for Arsenault Associates, providers of Dossier maintenance management solutions. According to Reed,
Protect charging systems in warmer weather
Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. In hot weather, a vehicle’s charging system is taxed more than any other time of the year, say the electrical maintenance system experts at Purkeys Fleet Electric. Hot weather brings increased electrical loads from air conditioners and other loads such as coolers and fans associated
Avoiding CSA ‘brakes out-of-adjustment’
Brake Sentry notes that the CSA citation "brakes out-of-adjustment" carries a (4) severity rating under the CSA BASIC scoring method. It is one of the top equipment violations affecting a fleet’s safety score and has the highest out-of-service violation rate of nearly one in eight vehicles inspected. In addition, it is the most frequently cited
Top tips for prime truck performance
Schaeffer Manufacturing, maker of synthetic oil and fuel additives, provides this list to help keep trucks in prime condition: 1) Maintain a quarterly testing routine for bacteria proliferation and contamination in both the fuel and storage tanks. 2) Use a moisture control treatment before or during the winter months to disperse and encapsulate water in
Regular maintenance extends battery life
Battery inspection and maintenance tips maximize the life of batteries and improve performance: Problem: Loose battery hold-downs leave the battery subject to vibrations, which can cause the active material to shed from the car battery plate grids, resulting in a shorter battery life. What to do: • Secure the battery firmly to its mounting bracket.