Fleet Maintenance - 17

For preventive maintenance, Olson recommends
performing battery load/cable voltage drop tests at
least every six months to ensure the integrity of an
electrical system.
"Poor connections are a notorious contributor to
failures here," he points out.
As important as all of these common trailer breakdown points are, fleets must be careful to not over-

look the trailer body itself. As Utility Trailer's Olsen
explains, trailers are designed so that all components work together to bear the load. For example,
the sidewalls protect the cargo, but also help bear
the load of the cargo and support the floor. Anytime
body damage occurs, technicians should thoroughly
examine it and determine the appropriate way to
repair it.

"It might seem convenient, but you can't always just
slap a piece of aluminum tape over it to simply keep
water out," Olsen says.
On the topic of physical damage, Ryder's Olson says
technicians shouldn't neglect the top of the trailer.
"Technicians need a safe ladder or inspection mirror
on an extendable pole to view the integrity of the
surface skin and attaching crimp or rivets," Olson says.
With respect to reefer maintenance, Utility
Trailer's Olsen says fleets
need to be careful with
the cleaning solutions
they use.
"Caustic cleaners can
be really hard on steel
and aluminum," he
explains. "Plus, it can
be difficult to get them
completely rinsed off. If a
caustic sits on a metal for
too long, it can start to pit
that metal - not enough
to weaken it, but definitely to the point that microscopic holes emerge that
allow moisture in."
When that happens, the
trailer can start to gain
weight, which can negatively impact ROI through
reduced fuel efficiency.
"Caustic cleaners can
also lead to galvanic
corrosion," Olsen adds.
"Most soaps are okay to
use. Just be careful with
caustics such as acids
and bleaches."
East Mfg.'s Sabol says
that maintaining a clean
trailer overall is an easy
thing for a fleet maintenance department to do.
"Clean equipment
makes it easier to see
potential issues during
pre-trip inspections and
normal service intervals," Sabol says.
It is that kind of proactive intervention that
can help reduce downtime, control maintenance costs, and bolster
resale value - all of
which help improve ROI.
When the same kind of
proactive approach is
applied to specifying
trailers in the first place,
fleets can see even more
Shop Cranes
impressive ROI gains.

AMERICAN-MADE LIFTS
WE'LL KEEP YOU MOVING

Our vertically integrated
manufacturing process is here
for you as you support the
trucking industry during this
critical time.

Give us a call at
800-821-7320 today!

Experience
The Gray Difference

* Clutch Jacks

* Fork Lift Jacks

* Engine Stands

* Miscellaneous Equipment

* Shop Presses

* Floor Service Jacks

* Mobile Column Lifts

* Surface Mounted Lifts

* Fluid Handlers

* Oil Filter Crushers

* And more!

For related
content, visit:
VehicleServicePros.
com/Vehicles

1.800.821.7320 * GRAYUSA.COM
VehicleServicePros.com/10094277

VehicleServicePros.com

http://www.GRAYUSA.COM http://VehicleServicePros.com/Vehicles http://www.VehicleServicePros.com/10094277 http://www.VehicleServicePros.com

Fleet Maintenance

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance