Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/15908
Spec’ing a trailer Minimize maintenance Spec premium quality for components, such as long-life brake linings, wide brakes, long-life wheel ends and seals, recommends Brian Buck- ham, program manager for Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems. “They tend to last longer and they don’t break early,” he says. Many opera- tors “don’t want to make the initial investment, but it usually pays off in reduced downtime.” Controlling corrosion will also reduce mainte- nance worries. You’re reducing cost per mile and maintenance costs by spec’ing special coatings that protect trailer parts, Buckham says. For ex- ample, some trailer manufacturers offer galvaniz- ing to protect door frames, hinges and the entire sub-frame. Spec’ing any system that eliminates wearable parts will minimize maintenance. Buckham gives the example of an early model air ride suspen- sion that had a separate axle that was welded and attached with a U-bolt. Today, Hendrickson’s In- traax suspension integrates the axle into the beam with no wearable parts on the axle connections. “You can extend that philosophy to any system Hendrickson’s Intraax suspension integrates the trailer axle into the beam, reducing the number of parts that can wear out. Wide-base single tires, such as Michelin’s X One, reduce equipment weight and can be spec’d for hauling maximum load weights. under or on the trailer,” such as bushings, he says. Intraax has two bushings per suspension, four per trailer, compared with a mechanical spring suspension’s four bushings per suspension, eight per trailer. Some air ride systems have eight bushings per suspension, 16 per trailer. “Any time you add a part, it can wear out and you have to perform maintenance on it,” Buckham notes. In reefers, a glass-reinforced thermoplastic SmartWay add-ons focus on aerodynamics For trailers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program focuses mostly on aerody- namic technology that can be spec’d with new equipment or acquired as add-ons. These devices include gap reducers, boat tails, side skirts, end fairings and trailer skirts. Carrier Transicold, for example, offers AeroFlex, a trailer skirt for dry vans or reefers. The flexible plastic panels meet California Air Resources Board requirements for 2011 trail- ers and offer an SAE/TMC-verified fuel savings of 7.5 percent, although some fleets report even better results, says Jason Forman of CT. However, trailer aero products cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and they add weight, require maintenance and may need replacement before the trailer does. For more information, do an Inter- net search for “SmartWay Tractors & Trailers.” liner can reduce maintenance expense, says Dave Gilliland, vice president of branch sales and operations for Great Dane Trailers. The high-end Thermoguard product seals the trailer’s insulation and reduces “outgassing effects” that cause foam insulation to degrade. “It helps the trailer maintain excess cooling capacity, reduces operating costs because the reefer unit runs fewer hours and consumes less fuel, and increases the unit’s productivity,” he says. “It keeps the trailer thermally efficient for a longer period of time.” Similar premium products could include a puncture guard liner to protect the trailer interior against punctures, CorroGuard thermoplastic coating to apply to suspensions and landing gear, and a steel liner with a rigid backing instead of a plywood liner. Reduce weight Weight reduction helps operators who typically “load out” at 80,000 pounds because it means additional payload. It also helps those who usually “cube out” because every pound saved increases fuel-efficiency. Lighter weight usually carries a higher price, but every pound saved on equipment means 40 OVERDRIVE SEPTEMBER 2010 Courtesy of Hendrickson Courtesy of Michelin Americas Tire