Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/599520
22 Service Bay this when a part number found on a component doesn't turn up any results in the company's inventory. "We have had experience with just Googling a casting number, sub number and a part number, and in most cases the search results will show the [aftermarket] number and even pictures," he says. An Internet search also is great due to its speed. Inputting a part's character- istics into a Google image search might not immediately offer an OEM or after- market stocking number, but it's a good bet to at least show you what it is. It also gives you options for a next step. Supplier search So long as you know who built the part you're trying to replace, you can typically search for its number within the manu- facturer's catalog. Most print catalogs list both OEM and aftermarket numbers, and some also match components to the spec'ing confi gurations of the vehicle on which they were installed. Online catalogs provide that same information as well as image galleries, detailed product descriptions and related components. And unlike print catalogs, which are updated just once or twice per year, most suppliers update their online catalogs constantly. Meritor says distributors and the gen- eral public can access more than 250,000 searchable parts on its catalog, meritor- partsonline.com. "Parts are added to the database on a regular basis with the site being updated once per month," says Justine Scriptunas, direc- tor of program manage- ment, Aftermarket, at Meritor. Third-party reference tools The heavy-duty independent aftermar- ket also is home to multiple third-party parts number databases. These platforms — which house hundreds of supplier catalogs within a single interface — al- low you to fi nd not only the aftermarket equivalent of a supplier's factory- installed part, but also corresponding numbers for the same component across most aftermarket brands. This alternative part information is incredibly valuable when the original component in question is a proprietary OEM brand you don't stock. Rather than being forced to call an OEM or dealer, the system does the research for you. It tells you what you may have on hand that can fi ll your customer's need. MOTOR Information's FleetCross tool fi lls this role at Midwest Wheel. FleetCross allows users to search OEM, aftermarket and all-makes catalogs T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5 Meritor's online catalog allows North American customers to search for more than 253,000 parts. The site also groups parts by system and product category for easy access. In cases where a customer doesn't know exactly what they need, Midwest Wheel will ask a customer for a description of the component so they can search for it online and within their stock.