Equipment World Digital Magazine
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to operate the service body and equipment such as hydraulic cranes, air compressors, and elec- trical and welding power," says Tom Wibben, sales and service manager at Maintainer. APUs take their power from a separate diesel engine that is smaller than the trucks primary engine, reducing fuel consumption and mainte- nance cost on the chassis engine. Anti-idling laws are also a driver behind the increasing popular- ity of APUs, says Brian Richards, manager interactive marketing and communications at Knapheide. With APUs you can turn the chas- sis engine off and still have all the tools you need to work without running afoul of the law. "Most of the systems today feature a Tier 4 compliant engine," he says. Terry Cook, product manager of commercial products at IMT sees a trend toward more frequent use of compressor/welder/genera- tor combination units on service trucks. And many of these, are also using self-contained diesel powered units to provide hydrau- lic power to their cranes, he says. While there are more trucks be- ing upfitted with APU's, the jury is still out on their ROI, says Tim Davison, product manager at Stel- lar. "Although these units use less fuel, we believe the break even point is still a theoretical discus- sion, rather than empirical data," he says. "Time will tell whether April 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 72 maintenance | continued Remote control crane operation, shown here with a Palfinger Pal Pro service truck, is an increas- ingly popular option that improves safety and productivity. Reading's Classic II service body op- tions package includes remote keyless locking with a hands-free key fob and audible alarm, aluminum diamond pattern wear guards, modular drawer units and LED lighting.