Truck-Lite harness system to be standard on East flatbed trailers
Truck-Lite Co. has announced that its 99 Series harness system will be standard on all East BST, BST II, MMXTM and Narrow Neck flatbed trailers, starting in the first quarter of 2018. The Truck-Lite 99 Series has been designed as a closed system by integrating a molded plug with two sealing surfaces, rather than just
Thermo King launches Connected Precedent trailer refrigeration unit
Thermo King unveiled the Connected Precedent trailer refrigeration unit. Starting in 2018, all Precedent units will be equipped from the factory with Thermo King’s hallmark asset management system TracKing, which provides real-time updates for efficient temperature management, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance and refrigeration unit performance. Once activated, the Connected Precedent allows users to
Trailer orders improve in August
According to the numbers from both ACT Research Co. and FTR, net trailer orders in August rose compared to both last month and August of 2016. FTR had the number at 9% improvement month-over-month and 4% year-over-year, while ACT had 8% improvement over July and even with last year. Overall consensus was that it was
Meritor makes wheel-end heat sensing standard on its automatic tire inflation system
Meritor, Inc. announced that its Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) for trailers will include the ThermAlert wheel-end heat-sensing system as standard, beginning this month. ThermAlert alerts drivers to overheating wheel-ends, increasing safety and minimizing vehicle downtime and costs. Engineered to activate an indicator light when wheel-end temperatures are abnormally high, ThermAlert helps fleets avoid potential damage
Stoughton Trailers unveils a new refrigerated trailer
Stoughton Trailers launched a new refrigerated trailer line: PureBlue. The design of the PureBlue refrigerated trailer, debuting at the North American Commercial Vehicle Show, provides one of the lightest weight trailers without sacrificing strength, according to Stoughton. To begin with, an aluminum scuff and integral composite scuff liner help prevent damage while loading and unloading the
Kinedyne announces two new curtain-side products
Kinedyne introduced two new products at the North American Commercial Vehicle show: a load-rated curtain-side system and a double-decking system designed specifically for curtain-side applications. The curtain-side system opens and closes quickly, but is engineered to restrain lateral cargo movement, the company said. A load-rated curtain gives a trailer the combined advantages of flatbed access
Optimizing trailer life and service with doors, lift gates and floors
By nature of their application, trailers tend to spend more time away from the home base than in residence. For that reason, it becomes very important to mitigate the wear-and-tear damage related to cargo shifting, loading and unloading, all of which can have a direct impact on doors, lift gates and floors. You can do
Dealing with lighting replacement issues
Homer Hogg, manager of technical development for TravelCenters of America (TA), says that the most frequent lighting replacement/repair maintenance issues with which the TA technicians deal are wiring/voltage issues and bulbs (burned or otherwise failed). “For the wiring issues, I’d say focusing on proper testing and repair techniques are important,” Hogg advises. “We run into
Preventing costly trailer electrical system failures
“Corrosion-causing moisture is always present and any breach in integrity enables it to invade an electrical system,” says Brett Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Optronics International. “When connections aren’t maintained, not only can it mean an early death for that particular component, it can mean that the entire system may be in jeopardy.”
The value of low rolling resistance trailer tires
For many years, tire manufacturers have been promoting the fuel-saving potential of their low rolling resistance products. Their claims, based on sound research, indicate that tire rolling resistance accounts for a significant percentage of fuel consumption. Their case for adopting low rolling resistance tire technology becomes even stronger when you consider that, under the EPA
Truck-Lite releases Road Ready system product
Truck-Lite Co. has released product for its Road Ready trailer monitoring and communication system. The Road Ready system creates a “smart” trailer with its solar-powered Master Control Unit (MCU). With its military-grade solar panel and 10-year, quick-charging battery, the MCU continually monitors and transmits crucial data from customizable Road Ready sensors to its user interface
Trailer orders down month-over-month, up year-over-year
According to FTR, July net trailer orders came in at 13,400 units, falling from June with a month-over-month drop of 29%, but still up 40% from last July. The July activity met expectations with all segments except flatbeds taking a hit. Trailers orders have now totaled 264,000 units over the past twelve months. Production fell
