Maintenance

Troubleshooting brake imbalance

A balanced brake system is one in which all the vehicle’s brakes apply and release at about the same time, with each brake developing the appropriate braking force for its respective load.

February 1, 2023

blue semi-truck being flipped

Step-by-step air brake inspection

If you are inspecting brakes, you should become familiar with federal and state periodic inspection requirements because anyone performing required periodic inspections must meet specific criteria in terms of experience and training.

January 4, 2023

transervice technician

Air brake system anatomy

Three basic systems of air brakes you should be familiar with before attempting maintenance or replacement work.

December 7, 2022

Tips for spec’ing and maintaining automatic brake adjustors

Guidelines gleaned from fleet managers and field service representatives can help make better-informed ABA maintenance and purchasing decisions.

November 2, 2022

Filters often an unintended casualty of extended intervals, forgetfulness

Joining Matt and Jason on this week's 10-44 is NationaLease Vice President of Truck Technology and Maintenance Joe Puff.

October 27, 2022

mechanic holding an oil filter

Winterizing your fleet will be different this year

Combining a comprehensive annual plan with sophisticated data analytics and maintenance technology can keep trucks on the road and drivers safe during winter.

October 18, 2022

semi truck driving in the snow

More women becoming diesel techs, but not fast enough to meet demand

Leaders in the diesel tech field admit women are often better than men when it comes to working with computers surrounding mechanics, but old stereotypes around gender roles are holding the industry back from attracting women to the field.

October 13, 2022

WyoTech student

Lean on digital fleet network during economic downturn experts say

Trading in a spreadsheet for a fleet network management platform can help cut costs when revenue streams run narrow.

October 4, 2022

maintenance laptop

Brake relining and restoration

Carefully measuring lining thickness is recommended, but if you are performing a visual inspection, look for lining thickness that is slightly higher than the rivet heads that secure it to the brake shoe.

September 7, 2022

Silverback brake

Drivers matter in the fuel economy equation

Make sure the tire pressure is where it needs to be, make sure the trailer is pulling straight and make sure the fifth wheel is greased properly.

August 24, 2022

trip computer average fuel 3.9mpg

Trimble, Navistar integration streamlines outsourced maintenance process

Connected maintenance is part of Trimble's broader Connect and Scale 2025 strategy, which is centered on building cloud platforms to streamline the industry lifecycle of transportation from procurement to planning to execution.

August 16, 2022

Trimble TMT Fleet Maintenance

Selecting the right brake lining

The brake system is the means by which force is applied, but the brake lining is actually the component that bears the brunt of all the heat, weight, energy and force created during braking.

August 3, 2022

drum brake lining

Valvoline opens first heavy-duty service center

The Valvoline Heavy-Duty Fleet Services center technicians perform PMs and oil and filter changes; component checks; transmission and differential service; and DOT inspections, all in 75 minutes or less.

June 16, 2022

Not testing fluids? You could be missing a 150% ROI

Testing and sampling is fairly inexpensive, and the industry average is about a 150% return on what fleets are spending on those samples.

May 26, 2022

lab technician looking at a sample of yellow-tinted fluid in a laboratory flask

Is your HVAC ready for summer?

Hot air blasting through the vents? Squealing? Funky odor? What's wrong with your AC system? Know the warning signs of failing parts, the common causes of a broken AC and how to fix it.

May 12, 2022

air conditioning controls

A top-tier tire maintenance program is a balancing act

Typically, for a steer tire, when a tire isn’t balanced you’ll see cupping or scalloping (wavy wear) on the shoulder ribs. Over time that can progress to the intermediate ribs.

March 11, 2022

Semi truck tires

Tire anomaly technology is more than a compliance and maintenance tool. It’s also a safety tool.

IRD has experienced an "explosion of interest" with it's tire anomaly and classification system because of its accuracy in catching tire abnormalities.

February 13, 2022

Winter weather influences fleet maintenance practices

January is usually the coldest month of the year across the U.S. with average temperatures of just under 35 degrees, but February is not too far behind.

January 27, 2022

Semi covered in snow

Page 1 of 10

Isaac dash camera

Eco-driving coaching can improve driver safety performance

A recent study on behalf of Isaac Instruments found that a 1% increase in the use of eco-driving technique cruise control is associated with a 3% reduction in the odds of a hard-braking event, which can reduce the odds of having a collision.

Knight truck on a Monopoly board

Knight-Swift, U.S. Xpress deal likely passes Go, 'near zero chance' it is a monopoly

drivers looking at a U.S. Xpress trailer

Knight-Swift acquiring U.S. Xpress for more than $800 million

truck waiting at a stop light

Texas-based project would give freight trucks priority at red lights

The 2023 State Of Heavy Duty Repair Report is here.

The 2023 State Of Heavy Duty Repair Report is here.

Get all the info on the top 250 trucking companies in America

View, sort and download the trucking industry’s most comprehensive ranking of for-hire carriers in North America, based on a blend of metrics including fleet size, annual revenue and number of drivers.

Four Ways to Offset Increased Driver Compensation

When you’re paying more to find, train and retain qualified drivers, it’s more critical than ever to offset costs and balance your spending. But how?