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Virtually every technician in the vehicle service industry with more than a few years of experience knows the mechanic proverbs passed from one generation to the next. These proverbs are basic wisdom in a simple, yet memorable form that helps the technician in performing maintenance and repairs.
Fleets may pay greater attention to truck cooling systems when preparing for seasonal changes where extreme low or high temperatures test the capabilities of the system. This extra attention to the cooling system does help keep the truck on the road. However, the best way to avoid downtime is to keep the cooling system in proper order with regular maintenance and pre-operation checks throughout the year.
Today, engines need to meet ever-increasing emission requirements while at the same time increasing in power output as well as efficiency. As a result, the technology necessary to provide clean, efficient and powerful engines is more refined than ever before.
With today’s sophisticated electrical systems, proper testing practices and repair procedures are critical in ensuring a proper diagnosis and repair. Let’s take a look at some of the potential problems and solutions that may be encountered.
Tires are clearly the unsung heroes of the road, doing exactly what they were designed to do mile after mile without a lot of fanfare. Nevertheless, as tires are the buffer between the truck and the road, they take a lot of abuse running on what are often some fairly rough roads. Thus, tires are a vital maintenance point to keep the truck moving down the road safely and efficiently.
A truck service technician is like the conductor, tuned into the truck’s performance with special knowledge about the systems on the vehicle. In fact, today’s trucks are much like a finely-tuned orchestra; when all the parts as working in unison, they are a joy to behold. However, when one component goes awry, well, things are just not so enjoyable. Learn how Truck Series can help you bring the entire thing together during the repair process.
A truck repair shop is obviously a noisy environment, with the cacophony of air tools operating, engines running, and various other sounds constantly present when servicing and repairing vehicles. Hearing loss can be a big problem for technicians, but there are many preventive measures you can take.
Sounds associated with gears and bearings vary or disappear depending on the gear position selected and vehicle speed. From those sound clues, the technician may look at the transmission power flow charts to determine which gears and bearings are in operation when the sound occurs. Once the noise has been isolated, it may be time to pull the transmission out of the truck to take a look inside. This is when things get exciting.
We’ve all heard the old adage, “no news is good news.” While that saying may sound encouraging, the logical part of our mind probably wonders what’s going on with the “no news” part. See how TruckSeries can help you be ahead of the curve when it comes to ADAS.
Keeping tires inflated to the proper pressure helps to improve tire life, fuel mileage and vehicle safety. Obviously, on a tractor and trailer there are a good number of tires to check and maintain. It takes time to check and balance the air pressure on 18 or more wheels. Thus, a tire inflation system can truly help the operator and maintenance personnel maintain uniform tire pressures with considerably less effort.