march2022 - 16

Spec'ing the right equipment for the duty cycle,
combined with a proper preventive maintenance
strategy, solid pre-trip inspections, and good driver
habits are the surest way to avoid breakdowns
in general. You also want to keep the driver's body
from breaking down. Prioritizing the spec'ing
and maintenance of the suspension and steering
systems becomes an elegant solution to both.
" Front axle and suspension maintenance is
critical to ensuring the vehicle is being kept in
prime condition, " said Sam Marco, senior product
manager for front axle at Meritor, which makes
suspensions, axles, and associated parts such as
kingpins. " And that ultimately will translate to
less driver fatigue and a driver staying focused
when they're behind the wheel. "
To reduce that fatigue through the development
of new products, Marco looks at reducing three
factors: noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).
" All of those factors strain other components
on the vehicle and then ultimately translate to
potential driver fatigue, " he explained.
To reduce that fatigue, and keep drivers more
comfortable at their company, fleet managers and
maintenance supervisors need to understand how
the various factors fit together. Everyone looks
at these issues with a different lens, so to help
discern the best approach for your fleet or shop,
we gathered points of view from a variety of stakeholders.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but
the following advice should help steer your strategy
in the right direction.
The driver's perspective
" It makes a big difference when you got the right
suspension, " asserted Bernie Gray, an owner-operator
for about 30 years, who recently moved
over to a driver trainer at J.J. Keller & Associates,
a transportation safety consulting firm.
Gray started out
in an old-school Class 8
truck with a " kitchen chair for a driver's seat, "
" armstrong " steering (meaning you literally needed
bulging biceps to keep the truck centered), and
a leaf spring suspension that felt more like steel
rods bolted to the chassis. In the mid 1990s, he got
his first air ride suspensions and power steering.
" That made life so much easier, " Gray recalled.
Life on the road was still hard, going for weeks
on end hauling freight. Even with the best maintenance
and comfortable ride, the road catches
up with a body.
" What I used to be able to accomplish when
I was younger is way different than what I can
accomplish today, " he noted.
After 3 million safe miles, Gray opted for the
trainer gig, teaching box truck and step-van drivers,
along with some heavy-duty truckers, safe
driving and pre- and post-trip inspections. Gray
asserted that if he were to take on more freight,
he would opt for a more comfortable ride versus
slightly higher pay.
" I would much rather lease onto a company
that has good, maintained trailers with air ride
suspension rather than spring ride, especially as
an owner-operator, because I don't want that trailer
beating up on me, " Gray surmised.
He said a bouncy trailer will tug at the tractor,
and compensating for that strains the driver's
16 Fleet Maintenance | March 2022
" If you and your drivers
take care of your
suspension, your money
comes back two-fold. "
Bernie Gray, former owner-operator
body while also risking damage to freight and
exacerbating wear and tear on the truck.
Air ride systems cost more, and there are
additional maintenance considerations. Air ride
suspensions require air lines from the compressor,
along with a regulator valve. The air bags themselves
are also vulnerable to tears and damage.
» Lasers mounted to the wheel assist
technicians in getting a precise alignment.
Photo: Blaine Brothers TruckAline
" If you and your drivers take care of your
suspension, your money comes back two-fold, "
Gray said of air ride systems. He said part of
this is due to less overall maintenance on the
tractor-trailer, adding that third-party logistics
carriers will also have a wider pool of customers,
because " most shipping companies want air ride
suspension over the spring rides. "
Gray also noted drivers who leave a fleet with
best-in-class ride and steering will soon realize
how good they had it after 1,000 painstaking
miles in their new fleet's truck with a suspect
suspension. Call it resigner's remorse.
Shop perspective
" I have been everything from a lube technician
to a director of maintenance, and truck drivability
and comfort has always been an issue, " said
Tim Lamoreaux, truck service manager at North
American Trailer, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota,
part of the Blaine Brothers Family of companies.
" The drivers are in the trucks for 10-plus hours
march2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of march2022
