Suppliers of the five best products introduced into the aftermarket in 2006 received awards from Heavy Duty Trucking magazine last week. The presentations were part of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week’s Industry Awards Program at the Mirage in Las Vegas.

Winners were Cummins’ newly introduced, user-friendly Fleetguard fuel and lube filters; the Haldex self-setting automatic slack adjuster; Kysor HRU drop-in replacement fan drive; Phillips Industries’ Clear-Vu battery jumpers; and Stemco’s Data-Trac programmable mileage counter.
Heavy Duty Trucking’s editorial staff judged the 2006 product introductions, based on their usefulness to truck operators. They must be innovative products that can be stocked by independent distributors and repair shops, and that can be installed on all makes of trucks or buses.
The judges looked for products that will: (a) drive customers to parts and repair facilities, (b) create opportunities for those facilities to detect problems with other parts and services, and (c) help those operations develop new customer relationships.

• The Fleetguard user-sriendly Filter is designed to make technicians’ jobs easier and quicker. This ensures a more consistent filter change while giving the technician time to look around a truck during service for other areas that might need attention.
It’s aimed at the Cummins B- and C- series and similar size engines, and replaces current metal fuel and lube filters. Because of the engine sizes, the filters have wide application in medium-duty and regional haul applications as well as in the RV business. It has an easy-grip surface and, significantly, a built-in one-way socket for easy filter removal. Its mounting eliminates damage due to cross-threading. Fleetguard products are manufactured by Cummins Filtration.

• The Haldex self-setting automatic slack adjuster has wide application in truck, tractor and trailer applications. Its self-setting adjuster solves problems caused by incorrect installation by ensuring correct fit.
Easy installation, improved performance, extended service life and streamlined inventories should make it popular in brake shops everywhere. The self-setting adjuster establishes its own reference point within permissible control arm positions. Flexibility of those positions effectively replaces several fixed control-arm adjusters, reducing part numbers and lowering shop inventory costs.

• The Kysor HRU is a drop-in replacement fan drive, which was added to the SKF line of Borg Warner Cooling components last year. The on-off HRU is engineered to meet or exceed OE specifications and is a simple drop-in replacement for existing OE fan drive assemblies. Since it is available for 44 competitor applications, it represents a simple and effective way for cooling shops to maintain a good, efficient inventory.
It is a two-piece modular design for easy servicing, with a fail-safe feature that keeps the fan clutch engaged in the event of air system pressure failure, ensuring trucks do not overheat.

• Phillips Industries’ Clear-Vu battery-to-battery jumpers are designed to address corrosion problems increasingly caused by winter de-icing chemicals. They allow early detection of power-robbing corrosion build-up.
The product was chosen because the jumpers can be easily retrofitted at any service location. They ensure full electrical power to the battery, starter and alternator, saving electrical system failures and warranty claims. Clear, heavy-wall shrink tubing seals the tin plated copper lug from the elements. Clear-Vu is available in translucent black, translucent red and universal clear jacketing….in gauges from 2 to 4.

• The Stemco programmable Data-Trac mileage counter is a tool that enables fleets to track service intervals and accurately measure component cost per mile. It’s the first of its kind in trucking.
Users can customize it to individual tire specifications. Using a corresponding Stemco programmer, the Data-Trac can be set to fit any of the 2,500 most common tire models and sizes. Because it can be calibrated on site, ordering is simplified for distributors and fleets while inventories can be reduced.
It is completely electronic, and is accurate and durable.