When The Price Is Right

      It's the old story of "pay me now or pay me later." The cheap guy buys on price alone and the wise man considers costs he's likely to encounter down the road, spec'ing his equipment to avoid running expenses. In the end, the wise man saves more dough and suffers less grief.
      Over the years, suppliers have brought out various products that promise to cut maintenance and increase uptime for trucks and trailers.
      Time and experience by fleet owners show that many of these products actually work. Many cost just a few more bucks to buy on a new truck, and some can be installed on existing trucks. Here are some things to consider.
      • Premium electrical components - Electrical problems still top most maintenance managers' lists of woes, and many could've been avoided with top-quality wiring and lighting fixtures.
      On trailers, you should spec sealed wiring with plug-in connectors and wiring gauge that's as large (e.g., with the smallest numbers) as possible throughout the vehicle.
      The Technology and Maintenance Council of ATA has published recommendations on wiring (and many other things). You can obtain copies from TMC (703) 838-1763, or visit http://tmc.truckline.com, and build them into your specs.
      • LEDs - Lamps made of light-emitting diodes last 10 times as long and use one-tenth the current as old-style incandescent lights.
      They're available in red, amber and white, and emit rich rays that catch anyone's eye. They are standard on many trailers and power units and optional on others. Say yes to these.
      • Tire inflation devices - Tire failures are the single biggest category for road service calls, and most of these expensive experiences are due to low air pressure.
      Face it: Few drivers bother to "stick" valve stems with a gauge, and it's too much trouble for them to get the rig near an air hose if they do detect an underinflated tire. On-board devices can monitor pressure and even do the inflating automatically.
      No? At least consider stocking each tractor with a 50-foot air line fitted with a glad-hand connector, or better yet, plumb a quick-connect fitting into the air system to allow easy use by the driver.
      • Extended-service brakes - Brake shoes with wider, thicker linings and usually wider dimensions can extend the time between relinings.
      Avoiding one reline can more than pay the modest premium for this option, and meanwhile the truck also stops better.
      Maybe it's also time to consider air disc brakes, which are even more powerful, inherently self-adjusting and automatically balance themselves. Discs are available from more and more truck builders.
      • OE brake parts - Original equipment shoes last longer and, according to a recent fleet-manager survey, don't suffer rusting and lining "jacking" when splashed with aggressive road salts as do cheap will-fit shoes.
      This jibes with OE manufacturers' long-standing claims that their products are of superior quality, and they cost only a few bucks more.
      • Integrated hubs - Separately spec'ing wheel-hub parts is becoming a thing of the past as smart fleet managers adopt integrated hubs. Bearings and seals are precision-installed by experienced supplier people instead of by harried workers on a truck assembly line.
      This all but eliminates misadjusted bearings and damaged seals, which can be major headaches for truck owners
      One major leasing fleet says its switch to integrated hubs almost entirely did away with leaking seals, which usually soaked brake linings with oil and ruined them.
      For trailers, there are integrated axle-and-suspension combinations. Virtually all parts, from axle tubes, bearings, seals and sometimes brakes to the air-bag suspension, are assembled by one supplier and shipped to trailer manufacturers.
      All that's left to choose are the wheels and tires. Integrated trailer tandems claim lower maintenance and less weight, often carry a longer warranty, and will cost less than individually spec'd parts.
      • Bypass filters - Standard oil filters do a good job of protecting an engine's innards, assuming the oil is changed per recommendations.
      Some users change oil more often than required because they just know they're treating the engine right. They're not wrong, but they're spending time and money they could save by installing a good bypass filter.
      There are various types - and you need to be sure that a maker has test results to prove any claims - but in general, a bypass filter takes a small percentage of oil out of the pump stream and cleanses it of minute impurities - often down to just a few microns.
      Eventually, all the engine's oil is super cleaned and the engine stays extra healthy. And drain intervals can be extended by several times, though oil analysis must be done regularly to determine the correct mile or time interval.
      • Fuel heaters - The globe may be warming, but bitter-cold winters are still a harsh reality in northern climes. If you run up north, fuel tank heaters and heated fuel lines can keep fuel flowing and avoid clogging filters with wax.
      A heater will usually remove any water in fuel, and some filters do the same. Good fuel additives can accomplish the same things, but you've got to train drivers to pour in the correct amounts.
      • Air dryers - They're standard on many trucks today, but be sure before you approve final specifications in a truck order.
      Clean, dry air is absolutely necessary for the safe operation of brakes and the efficient working of a truck's various air-powered accessories (horn, seats, etc.).
      • Premium paint - Standard paint on today's trucks will almost always stay shiny during the time the first owner has the truck, but it might begin fading soon after. That's the next guy's problem, but paint that's begun to go dull can cut resale value.
      Base coat/clear coat paints last longer, and a few builders offer other products that keep a truck looking good for many years. Often they cost little more than standard.
      • Anti-corrosion coatings - Aggressive road salts and chemicals are corroding parts and causing grief for many truck operators. So the wise fellow we spoke of would be doubly smart to check into the availability of special coatings, especially in the undercarriage.
      Makers of some brake parts, trailer landing gear and lift gates are applying e-coatings and other special finishes that better withstand the ravages of calcium- and magnesium chloride salts; seek them out.
      Consider pickup-bed-type coatings for the underside of trucks and trailers in especially tough service.
      So, what'll you be - cheap guy or wise man (or woman)? Pick only a few of the above in your next vehicle order and at least you'll be a wise guy.