Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/749298
A s days get shorter and nights get colder, fl eets and owner- operators throughout North America are once again turning their attention toward winter. Service providers should be doing the same. Winter is the toughest season for heavy equipment, and one most vehicle owners avoid battling unprepared. Aftermarket service provid- ers offering comprehensive winterization inspections and maintenance programs now offer peace of mind to customers dreading the cold, wet days ahead. Any service provider offer- ing a winterization package of their own would be advised to include inspection points for the following parts and systems: Tires Tires are at risk during all weather extremes. Oppressive summer heat drives air pres- sure up while chilly winter weather does the opposite, driving tire pressure down and causing under infl ation. Gary Clark, market manager at GCR Tires & Service, says under-infl ated tires greatly increase the likelihood of a failure that leads a customer "to being parked on the side of the road." Clark says to never re- infl ate a truck tire that has been run at very low infl ation pressure (80 percent or less of normal operating pres- sure) without a complete inspection of the entire tire. Immediately have the tire demounted and inspected by a qualifi ed tire service profes- sional to determine the cause for the air loss and usability. "Tires lose up to 2 PSI for every 10°F of change in temperature," adds John Car- penter, fi eld service manager for Toyo Tire Canada. "A 5 PSI loss is enough to sacrifi ce han- dling, traction and durability." In regions where snow and ice are especially common, GCR Store Manager Matt Ellis says siping — a process where tiny incisions are made into the tread of a tire to ex- pose more rubber to the road — also can provide additional traction and improve vehicle control. Wheels Heavy-duty truck wheels are manufactured with metals that are vulnerable to cor- rosion. And with a growing subsection of municipalities turning to extremely aggres- sive road salts and de-icers to keep roads clean in the winter, wheels are increasingly com- ing under attack. Winterization inspections should allow time for examin- ing and cleaning all wheels to remove rust and identify cor- rosion. Any wheel (or wheel attaching part) displaying corrosion that has begun to weaken the integrity of the unit should be immediately replaced. Brakes As bad as road salts are on wheels, brakes have it even worse. Coated by abrasive road chemicals thrown upward by tires while in mo- tion, brakes and other under carriage parts are equally susceptible to degradation from corrosion and lack the premium exterior position to be easily cleaned. The phenomenon of rust jacking (where corrosive chemicals seep into a brake system between a pad and shoe table and over time push the two units apart, weaken- ing brake performance) is 20 Service Bay 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 6 By Lucas Deal, Editor lucasdeal@randallreilly.com Winterizing customers' equipment for the weather ahead Bracing for impact