{"id":8854,"date":"2020-12-17T16:36:04","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T15:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=8854"},"modified":"2020-12-17T16:36:39","modified_gmt":"2020-12-17T15:36:39","slug":"winter-prep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/12\/17\/winter-prep\/","title":{"rendered":"The ABCs of Winter Prep"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo: Wikimedia Commons User\u00a0Oregon Department of Transportation<\/a>,\u00a0CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/p>\n

Bendix reminds technicians that air, brakes, and controls system components need proper upkeep for safe vehicle operation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Freezing temperatures; snow and ice in the air and on the ground; corrosive road treatments: Winter throws a lot at truck drivers and their vehicles. With an eye on keeping trucks in good operating condition in cold and nasty weather, this installment of the Bendix Tech Tips series provides reminders on taking proper care of\u00a0air, brakes, and\u00a0controls\u00a0system components.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Is for Air<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cA lot rides on a truck\u2019s air system \u2013 from braking to automated manual transmissions to emissions controls \u2013 and, in particular, on a reliable supply of clean and dry compressed air,\u201d said Richard Nagel, Bendix\u2019s director of marketing and customer solutions \u2013 Air Supply & Drivetrain. \u201cWhen it\u2019s cold, moisture in the air system can condense and freeze, which increases the odds of brake and valve malfunctions. That\u2019s why it\u2019s always advisable to manually drain the air tanks at the start of the cold weather season. And while draining every three months is generally sufficient, monthly or weekly drains may be necessary for vehicles like vocational trucks, which have a high air demand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The beginning of cold weather is also a good time to replace the air dryer cartridge \u2013 although if you haven\u2019t yet, it\u2019s not too late, especially if you\u2019re unsure whether it\u2019s overdue. Since oil aerosols can be particularly harmful to a truck\u2019s air system, by damaging valves and seals, Bendix recommends an oil-coalescing cartridge that incorporates PuraGuard\u00a0<\/sup>filtration, even if you\u2019re replacing a standard cartridge. If the vehicle is already using an oil-coalescing dryer cartridge, it\u2019s important to stick with that type for system protection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep an eye on the dryer\u2019s purge valve for grit accumulation or corrosive damage due to road-clearing chemicals. Putting in a new one is a quick and simple bit of preventive maintenance that can save bigger headaches in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, avoid using de-icing solutions on an air system, unless it\u2019s an emergency. These chemicals can corrode O-rings and valve seals. If it\u2019s absolutely necessary, limit the exposure to the smallest area possible, and conduct follow-up checks on the affected parts.<\/span><\/p>\n

B Is for Brakes<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cAt the wheel-ends, the onset of winter weather means paying extra attention to brake components,\u201d\u00a0said Mark Holley, director of marketing and customer solutions \u2013 Wheel-End. \u201cDuring pre-trip walk-arounds, drivers should look at the air brake chamber housings for corrosion or damage that could allow corrosive materials to take hold, and make sure dust plugs are properly installed. The idea is to prevent corrosion from getting a foothold when these areas are most exposed to hazardous situations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the shop, there are several steps to take to keep braking components healthy in the winter. On drum-braked wheel-ends, lubricate the automatic slack adjusters, clevis pin connections, cam tubes, shafts, and bushings. It\u2019s a standard preventive maintenance procedure that also keeps moisture from building up and enabling corrosion.<\/span><\/p>\n

On wheel-ends equipped with air disc brakes, check the guide pins and inspect the boots for tears or punctures that could permit corrosion. Replace any pins or boots as needed. Verify that the shear adaptor cover is in place and fully seated. Also, check for free movement of air disc brake pads in the carrier. If necessary, remove them and clean the carrier surface with a wire brush to make sure the brake moves freely on its guidance system.<\/span><\/p>\n

C Is for Controls<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cDriver assistance technologies, such as stability and collision mitigation systems, may be called upon more often in wintry road conditions, while tire pressure monitoring systems are valuable in keeping proper inflation during temperature swings,\u201d said TJ Thomas, Bendix director of marketing and customer solutions \u2013 Controls. \u201cIt\u2019s key to follow pre-trip inspection recommendations detailed in the Bendix Service Data Sheets to make sure these electronic systems are operating properly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to check electronic connections to ensure they are secure and watertight. Connectors and other sensitive components can be ruined by moisture, salt, and road chemicals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drivers should also be mindful of keeping external cameras and radar sensors, such as forward-mounted collision mitigation units, free of snow and ice by checking them just before driving. Thomas noted while today\u2019s advanced driver assistance technologies are integrated, the foundational technologies can sometimes remain operable if higher-level functions are limited by winter conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA blocked lane departure warning camera, for instance, doesn\u2019t shut down the entire collision mitigation system,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cSimilarly, if a radar unit becomes obstructed by snow during driving, while the collision mitigation functions may be limited, the underlying full-stability technology is still supporting the driver.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Like it or not, winter always comes around: preparation and preventive maintenance help fleets and owner-operators avoid the toll it can take on their trucks, enhancing the safety of the men and women behind the wheel and everyone who shares the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

by GF Staff<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.worktruckonline.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

CUT COTS OF THE FLEET WITH OUR AUDIT PROGRAM<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The audit is a key tool to know the overall status and provide the analysis, the assessment, the advice, the suggestions and the actions to take in order to cut costs and increase the efficiency and efficacy of the fleet. We propose the following fleet management audit.<\/p>\n

FLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo: Wikimedia Commons User\u00a0Oregon Department of Transportation,\u00a0CC BY 2.0 Bendix reminds technicians that air, brakes, and controls system components need proper upkeep for safe vehicle operation. Freezing temperatures; snow and ice in the air and on the ground; corrosive road treatments: Winter throws a lot at truck drivers and their vehicles. With an eye on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[53],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8854"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8854"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8854\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8857,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8854\/revisions\/8857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}