Fleet Maintenance - 31

» With more than 270 branch locations across
the country, FleetPride shelves are stocked
with the best-known parts brands in the
industry, plus an assortment of private brands
like OTR. The company says its approach to
private label is to continue raising the bar
for quality, innovation, and durability by
partnering with world-class manufacturers.
Photo courtesy of FleetPride

Eaton's aftermarket offering includes clutch and
transmission products to support the Eaton Fuller
product portfolio.
Meritor, a supplier of axle, brake, and suspension solutions, formally structures its aftermarket
products portfolio the same way:
Ü Best - Meritor Genuine, ideal for newer trucks
and fleets looking to maintain overall condition
and like-new performance
Ü Better - Meritor and Euclid-branded all-makes
aftermarket components, ideal for second and
third truck owners
Ü Better - Meritor remanufactured products
Ü Good - Mach-branded all-makes components
focused on value, ideal for trucks in later lifecycle stages
Eaton's Bauer says that while original equipment (also known as genuine) parts make a lot of
sense for newer vehicles, they can also be a good
choice for older vehicles. "Many manufacturers
have products that are an older design or have
been de-featured to provide a balance between
performance and price," Bauer points out.
Sometimes a fleet simply wants to stick
with genuine parts. There are several common
reasons why.
"One is total cost of ownership, including
what the vehicle is worth at trade-in," says Mike
Eppes, managing vice president of parts for Rush
Enterprises, which operates roughly 130 commercial vehicle dealerships (Rush Truck Centers)
across the U.S. "Overall risk can also be a factor.
Some fleets don't want to take on the liability of
using an aftermarket part in case something ever
went wrong and they ended up in court."
Fleets should recognize that genuine replacement parts are components of a system specifically designed and engineered to work together,
maintaining the same level of quality originally
offered as first fit parts.
"Design tolerances and mechanical properties
separate an original part from a will-fit," says
Michael Keller, D.M. director of sales (aftermarket, regional fleet, and dealer) for SAF-Holland.
"Altering a system with a will-fit replacement part
may result in jeopardizing performance and safety." The SAF-Holland product offering includes air
disc and drum brake axles, spring and air ride
suspensions, fifth wheels, landing gear, tire presÜ Continued Page 32

Tim Bauer, vice president of Eaton's North
America aftermarket vehicle group, likes to separate replacement parts into a good-better-best
scenario based on features, benefits, performance,
and price. This helps fleets maximize return on
investment (ROI) by matching the right type of
part at the right stage in a vehicle's lifecycle.

» Eaton's Advantage Clutch (pictured)
meets and exceeds OE specifications
and has a recommended lubrication
interval of 50,000 miles - double the
recommended interval of Eaton's lower
price point option. Fleets should keep
preventive maintenance needs in mind
when choosing a replacement part.
Photo courtesy of Eaton

July 2019 | VehicleServicePros.com

31
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Fleet Maintenance

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