With soaring temperatures likely to afflict much of the nation for a few more weeks, failing to inspect your tires and keep them properly inflated could be a deadly mistake.
When a tire blows or a pet darts into the road, even veteran drivers can be startled, get into trouble and over-correct. The result can be disastrous -- the vehicle often veers off the road, out of control and doesn’t stop until it strikes a tree, bridge pylon or another vehicle.
Summer’s sizzle increases the danger. Nicole Nason, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said that recent NHTSA research showed that hot weather can also affect tire aging, particularly in warmer regions.
"Overloaded vehicles, under-inflated tires, and hot weather can all combine to possibly turn a family vacation into a horrific nightmare,” Nason said. "Properly maintained tires improve the steering, stopping, traction and fuel economy of your vehicle. Under-inflated tires or worn down treads are a major cause of failure."
Show HotTires.wmv at www.nhtsa.dot.gov
A survey by the tire industry this year found that 85 percent of drivers don’t check tire pressure or do it incorrectly. Each year, NHTSA estimates, crashes associated with tire problems claim about 660 lives and injure 33,000 people.
For more info on tire care:
http://www.safercar.gov/Tires/Index.htm
http://www.tiresafety.com/ (you can sign up for monthly email reminders to check your tires’ air pressure)
Showing posts with label Safety Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Safety Tips. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Hey...It Won't Go!
by Lyndon Conrad Bell.
Lock your car, take your keys, don't give car thieves a chance...
That stern admonition is quite familiar to anyone who grew up watching television in the 1970's. Remarkably, even today, twenty percent of all cars stolen are unlocked, with the keys in them, at the time of the theft. Amazing how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Almost.
If you're on the other side of this transaction and jacking rides is the pill that gives you a thrill, you might want to start choosing your marks a bit more carefully. OnStar now has the ability to practically stop a vehicle at the touch of a button––from Detroit––no matter where the car is located in North America.
This new move––Stolen Vehicle Slowdown––is the latest enhancement to OnStar's stolen vehicle services.
OnStar advisors, working with local law enforcement, can send a signal to a stolen vehicle to reduce engine power, slowing the vehicle to a virtual crawl.
The process works as follows:
* Once a vehicle has been reported stolen to law enforcement, the subscriber can call OnStar and request Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance.
* OnStar will use real-time GPS technology to pinpoint the location of the stolen vehicle and provide this information to law enforcement to help them recover the vehicle.
* When a police officer has established a clear line of sight of the stolen vehicle, they can request OnStar to slow it down remotely.
* OnStar then sends a remote signal to the vehicle that interacts with the powertrain system to reduce engine power and slow the vehicle down gradually.
And, as for the one behind the wheel when all that jumps off…well, we’ve all seen enough Cops-like shows to know the rest of this little adventure plays out on foot; and typically ends up with the perpetrator face-down in a pile of dog poo –– don’t make that be you.
Research has shown that 95 percent of OnStar subscribers want the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service on their cars and trucks. So, the question becomes which cars have it and which ones don’t?
Well, you’ll just have find that out on your own. We will tell you there is no way to tell just by looking at the vehicle.
And yes, this would probably be a good time to just find another occupation.
Don’t say nobody never told ya!
Lock your car, take your keys, don't give car thieves a chance...
That stern admonition is quite familiar to anyone who grew up watching television in the 1970's. Remarkably, even today, twenty percent of all cars stolen are unlocked, with the keys in them, at the time of the theft. Amazing how the more things change, the more they stay the same. Almost.
If you're on the other side of this transaction and jacking rides is the pill that gives you a thrill, you might want to start choosing your marks a bit more carefully. OnStar now has the ability to practically stop a vehicle at the touch of a button––from Detroit––no matter where the car is located in North America.
This new move––Stolen Vehicle Slowdown––is the latest enhancement to OnStar's stolen vehicle services.
OnStar advisors, working with local law enforcement, can send a signal to a stolen vehicle to reduce engine power, slowing the vehicle to a virtual crawl.
The process works as follows:
* Once a vehicle has been reported stolen to law enforcement, the subscriber can call OnStar and request Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance.
* OnStar will use real-time GPS technology to pinpoint the location of the stolen vehicle and provide this information to law enforcement to help them recover the vehicle.
* When a police officer has established a clear line of sight of the stolen vehicle, they can request OnStar to slow it down remotely.
* OnStar then sends a remote signal to the vehicle that interacts with the powertrain system to reduce engine power and slow the vehicle down gradually.
And, as for the one behind the wheel when all that jumps off…well, we’ve all seen enough Cops-like shows to know the rest of this little adventure plays out on foot; and typically ends up with the perpetrator face-down in a pile of dog poo –– don’t make that be you.
Research has shown that 95 percent of OnStar subscribers want the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service on their cars and trucks. So, the question becomes which cars have it and which ones don’t?
Well, you’ll just have find that out on your own. We will tell you there is no way to tell just by looking at the vehicle.
And yes, this would probably be a good time to just find another occupation.
Don’t say nobody never told ya!
Why Kids Are at Risk
The popularity of trucks is growing every year, and more parents are using trucks to transport their families. Children are 10 times more likely to die when riding in a cargo bed than while riding in the passenger area. Each year, children account for more than half of the 200 deaths resulting from riding in cargo beds. Ejection during a crash is the most common cause of death and injury. However, even if there is no crash and you are driving at a low speed, sudden swerving, stopping or bumpy roads can cause injury to children in the cargo bed or who fall out of the vehicle. Cargo covers do not provide protection. In fact, they can potentially lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Protecting Your Family
* Never allow anyone to ride in the bed of a pickup truck.
* Always use child safety seats and/or safety belts correctly.
* Child safety seats must not be used on side-facing or rear-facing jump seats.
* Be sure at least 80 percent of the child safety seat base is on the truck’s seat.
* Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag. Please see your owner’s manual regarding the passenger air bag cut-off switch.
* Restrain children ages 12 and under in the back in a forward-facing seat. If there is no back seat available, forward-facing children (over 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds) should be placed in their appropriate child safety seat with the vehicle seat pushed as far back as possible.
Protecting Communities
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the Kids Aren’t Cargo campaign for various businesses, nonprofit agencies and safety advocates to educate families about the dangers of kids riding in cargo beds. Safety advocates are working with their local and state legislators to enact laws making it illegal for children to ride in cargo beds. Twenty-five states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws that restrict certain passengers from riding in pickup truck beds. However, many of these laws still contain huge gaps in coverage -- potentially leaving child passengers at risk.
Protecting Your Family
* Never allow anyone to ride in the bed of a pickup truck.
* Always use child safety seats and/or safety belts correctly.
* Child safety seats must not be used on side-facing or rear-facing jump seats.
* Be sure at least 80 percent of the child safety seat base is on the truck’s seat.
* Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag. Please see your owner’s manual regarding the passenger air bag cut-off switch.
* Restrain children ages 12 and under in the back in a forward-facing seat. If there is no back seat available, forward-facing children (over 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds) should be placed in their appropriate child safety seat with the vehicle seat pushed as far back as possible.
Protecting Communities
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the Kids Aren’t Cargo campaign for various businesses, nonprofit agencies and safety advocates to educate families about the dangers of kids riding in cargo beds. Safety advocates are working with their local and state legislators to enact laws making it illegal for children to ride in cargo beds. Twenty-five states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws that restrict certain passengers from riding in pickup truck beds. However, many of these laws still contain huge gaps in coverage -- potentially leaving child passengers at risk.
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Tire Pressure Monitors? Can You Rely on Them?
Drivers Must Still Be Vigilant, Even With TPMS
By Mac Demere, Contributor
Here's a quiz: What might it mean when your car's tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light is not illuminated?
a) Your tires may have plenty of pressure for all situations;
b) Your tire pressures might be so low that they may overheat and blow out;
c) Your tire pressures might be so low that the tires have little traction for wet roads or accident avoidance;
d) All of the above.
The answer is "d." And "D" is the best grade some tire safety experts, consumer groups and drivers may give tire-pressure monitoring systems. Why? Because TPMS will warn you only when a tire is severely — perhaps dangerously — underinflated.
TPMS: Mandated by the Federal Government
If you're driving a car, truck or SUV built in the past few years, there's a good chance that it has a TPMS. Starting with all 2008 models, in fact, it's a required feature. In response to the rollover incidents involving the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires, Congress enacted the TREAD Act in 2000. Part of this act got the process moving for having a TPMS in every vehicle.
An illuminated tire-pressure warning light symbol looks like the cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point in it. But due to a variety of considerations from tire companies and automakers, a TPMS warning light isn't required to come on until a tire is 25 percent underinflated.
"[This is] well below the pressure required for safe driving," says the American Automobile Association. This is partially because the recommended pressure for some vehicles is barely adequate to carry the vehicle's maximum load, according to the Rubber Manufacturers' Association (RMA). This means if you're driving a minivan full of high school football players or a pickup with a bed full of damp mulch on a slightly underinflated tire, it could overheat and blow out.
Only as Good as the Driver
In theory, a TPMS is just one more feature that helps a driver understand the safety of his or her car. But it's effective only if drivers are still vigilant about checking their car's tire pressures.
People who rely on the TPMS to warn them about low pressure are taking their chances. A worrisome survey conducted by the RMA revealed that 40 percent of motorists say they would never check their tire pressure unless the TPMS light came on.
And once the light does come on, of course, some people might wait days to get around to filling their tires. In addition to being a safety hazard, low tire pressure decreases fuel economy and causes tires to wear out more quickly — all reasons to be vigilant.
Losing Control Before the TPMS Illuminates
From personal experience on the racetrack and test track, I know how poorly a car handles in emergency situations with a tire underinflated by even a small amount.
But everyday drivers are also at risk. During driving demonstrations, I've ridden with hundreds of non-professional drivers in cars with low air pressure. They drove around a wet-handling course in two identical cars: one with proper pressure and the other with rear tire pressure intentionally set 23 percent low.
When the rear tire pressure was low, many drivers lost control and spun out before they had completed a single lap.
If you reversed the situation — properly inflate rear tires but reduce pressure in the front tires — the car won't respond appropriately when you turn the steering wheel. It will just plow straight ahead.
The accompanying photos, taken by Michelin engineers, explain much of what's happening. A vehicle moving at 60 mph passed over a glass plate covered by 5mm of green-colored water. When inflated to the recommended 35 psi, the tire kept much of its tread on the surface. When pressure was lowered to 30 psi, less of the tire stayed in contact with the surface. When pressure was dropped to 25 psi, almost the entire tire literally floated on top of the water.
The accompanying infrared photos show that underinflating a tire just 5 psi can potentially cause a tire failure. An underinflated tire flexes more than a properly inflated tire, and that creates heat. Excessive heat can break down components and chemical bonds inside a tire: It's much like bending a wire coat hanger: Bend it far enough and long enough, and it'll heat up and snap. This is especially important when the weather is hot and speeds are high.
Where Do Automakers and the Government Stand?
So why didn't the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) require that the warning light illuminate sooner, before the pressure dips too far? According to NHTSA spokesman Eric Bolton, "The TPMS regulations were meant to warn drivers that a tire failure is imminent, not to indicate unsafe handling might occur."
From the standpoint of the automakers, having a TPMS that activates at a lower threshold is problematic from a false warning perspective. Changes in temperature can have a dramatic effect on tire pressure. The concern is that frequent tire pressure warnings would cause drivers living in places with extreme temperature fluctuations to ignore the systems entirely.
Indirect Vs. Direct TPMS
Much more useful to drivers are the type of systems that actually display the pressure of each tire. There are two types of TPMS: indirect and direct. The lower-cost, indirect TPMS doesn't actually monitor air pressure. Rather, indirect systems use the antilock braking system's wheel-speed sensors to detect that one tire is rotating faster than its mates. (An underinflated tire has a smaller circumference so it has to roll faster to keep up.) Thus, the margin of error of indirect systems is large.
Meanwhile, direct TPMS measure a tire's actual pressure. Expensive versions are accurate to within 1 psi. Current direct systems use a gauge mounted to the wheel or tire valve. This gauge sends a signal to the car's computer. When you see the warning light from a direct system, trust it and immediately check your tire pressures.
Until recently, if a moderately priced car had TPMS, it was likely an indirect system. Only super-high-performance cars and those equipped with run-flat tires had the more expensive direct systems. In order to meet the full requirements of NHTSA's TPMS standard, however, almost all new cars have direct systems. With direct TPMS, an automaker can also decide whether to display the actual pressures for each tire via a multifunction display or just rely on the warning light.
Rely on Yourself
On new cars, the automaker's recommended pressure is on a placard on the driver's doorjamb. On older cars it can be on the trunk lid, fuel door, glovebox, center console lid, passenger's doorjamb or in your owner's manual. It's not on the tire.
Rely on TPMS to warn you only of a puncture or an active air leak. If you take away only one thing from this article, this is it: It's your responsibility as a driver to check your tire pressures monthly, or at least to have them checked by someone else.
Mac Demere is a vehicle tester and race driver who competed in the NASCAR Southwest Tour and Daytona 24 Hours.
By Mac Demere, Contributor
Here's a quiz: What might it mean when your car's tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light is not illuminated?
a) Your tires may have plenty of pressure for all situations;
b) Your tire pressures might be so low that they may overheat and blow out;
c) Your tire pressures might be so low that the tires have little traction for wet roads or accident avoidance;
d) All of the above.
The answer is "d." And "D" is the best grade some tire safety experts, consumer groups and drivers may give tire-pressure monitoring systems. Why? Because TPMS will warn you only when a tire is severely — perhaps dangerously — underinflated.
TPMS: Mandated by the Federal Government
If you're driving a car, truck or SUV built in the past few years, there's a good chance that it has a TPMS. Starting with all 2008 models, in fact, it's a required feature. In response to the rollover incidents involving the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires, Congress enacted the TREAD Act in 2000. Part of this act got the process moving for having a TPMS in every vehicle.
An illuminated tire-pressure warning light symbol looks like the cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point in it. But due to a variety of considerations from tire companies and automakers, a TPMS warning light isn't required to come on until a tire is 25 percent underinflated.
"[This is] well below the pressure required for safe driving," says the American Automobile Association. This is partially because the recommended pressure for some vehicles is barely adequate to carry the vehicle's maximum load, according to the Rubber Manufacturers' Association (RMA). This means if you're driving a minivan full of high school football players or a pickup with a bed full of damp mulch on a slightly underinflated tire, it could overheat and blow out.
Only as Good as the Driver
In theory, a TPMS is just one more feature that helps a driver understand the safety of his or her car. But it's effective only if drivers are still vigilant about checking their car's tire pressures.
People who rely on the TPMS to warn them about low pressure are taking their chances. A worrisome survey conducted by the RMA revealed that 40 percent of motorists say they would never check their tire pressure unless the TPMS light came on.
And once the light does come on, of course, some people might wait days to get around to filling their tires. In addition to being a safety hazard, low tire pressure decreases fuel economy and causes tires to wear out more quickly — all reasons to be vigilant.
Losing Control Before the TPMS Illuminates
From personal experience on the racetrack and test track, I know how poorly a car handles in emergency situations with a tire underinflated by even a small amount.
But everyday drivers are also at risk. During driving demonstrations, I've ridden with hundreds of non-professional drivers in cars with low air pressure. They drove around a wet-handling course in two identical cars: one with proper pressure and the other with rear tire pressure intentionally set 23 percent low.
When the rear tire pressure was low, many drivers lost control and spun out before they had completed a single lap.
If you reversed the situation — properly inflate rear tires but reduce pressure in the front tires — the car won't respond appropriately when you turn the steering wheel. It will just plow straight ahead.
The accompanying photos, taken by Michelin engineers, explain much of what's happening. A vehicle moving at 60 mph passed over a glass plate covered by 5mm of green-colored water. When inflated to the recommended 35 psi, the tire kept much of its tread on the surface. When pressure was lowered to 30 psi, less of the tire stayed in contact with the surface. When pressure was dropped to 25 psi, almost the entire tire literally floated on top of the water.
The accompanying infrared photos show that underinflating a tire just 5 psi can potentially cause a tire failure. An underinflated tire flexes more than a properly inflated tire, and that creates heat. Excessive heat can break down components and chemical bonds inside a tire: It's much like bending a wire coat hanger: Bend it far enough and long enough, and it'll heat up and snap. This is especially important when the weather is hot and speeds are high.
Where Do Automakers and the Government Stand?
So why didn't the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) require that the warning light illuminate sooner, before the pressure dips too far? According to NHTSA spokesman Eric Bolton, "The TPMS regulations were meant to warn drivers that a tire failure is imminent, not to indicate unsafe handling might occur."
From the standpoint of the automakers, having a TPMS that activates at a lower threshold is problematic from a false warning perspective. Changes in temperature can have a dramatic effect on tire pressure. The concern is that frequent tire pressure warnings would cause drivers living in places with extreme temperature fluctuations to ignore the systems entirely.
Indirect Vs. Direct TPMS
Much more useful to drivers are the type of systems that actually display the pressure of each tire. There are two types of TPMS: indirect and direct. The lower-cost, indirect TPMS doesn't actually monitor air pressure. Rather, indirect systems use the antilock braking system's wheel-speed sensors to detect that one tire is rotating faster than its mates. (An underinflated tire has a smaller circumference so it has to roll faster to keep up.) Thus, the margin of error of indirect systems is large.
Meanwhile, direct TPMS measure a tire's actual pressure. Expensive versions are accurate to within 1 psi. Current direct systems use a gauge mounted to the wheel or tire valve. This gauge sends a signal to the car's computer. When you see the warning light from a direct system, trust it and immediately check your tire pressures.
Until recently, if a moderately priced car had TPMS, it was likely an indirect system. Only super-high-performance cars and those equipped with run-flat tires had the more expensive direct systems. In order to meet the full requirements of NHTSA's TPMS standard, however, almost all new cars have direct systems. With direct TPMS, an automaker can also decide whether to display the actual pressures for each tire via a multifunction display or just rely on the warning light.
Rely on Yourself
On new cars, the automaker's recommended pressure is on a placard on the driver's doorjamb. On older cars it can be on the trunk lid, fuel door, glovebox, center console lid, passenger's doorjamb or in your owner's manual. It's not on the tire.
Rely on TPMS to warn you only of a puncture or an active air leak. If you take away only one thing from this article, this is it: It's your responsibility as a driver to check your tire pressures monthly, or at least to have them checked by someone else.
Mac Demere is a vehicle tester and race driver who competed in the NASCAR Southwest Tour and Daytona 24 Hours.
Sunday, 22 June 2008
How Effective Are Car Alarm Systems?
When it comes to car security devices, the alarm system must be the cheapest and the easiest one to install on any vehicle. The purpose of this system is quite simple – it is programmed to go off and produce a high-pitched sound every time somebody tries to open the car, or even go near it for that matter, without turning the alarm off first. So if the alarm is switched on and you tried to open it, the alarm would go off. This is designed to discourage thieves to go near your car and steal it. However, how effective these devices really are? And do they really work as designed?
When car alarm systems are first released in the market, a lot of car owners begin installing them in their vehicles. But as time goes by, people are starting to hate them. For one thing, these devices disrupt the peace and quiet of a residential community big time.
Because almost everybody has car alarms in their vehicles, noise complaints are being filed left and right. Most people who will go in a vacation tend to leave the alarm of their cars on. And so whenever a cat or a dog goes near it, the sound would go off and they are two hundred miles away to turn it off. That’s only one instance wherein car alarms can be such an inconvenience.
On an estimate, false alarms occur 95% of the time. This means that the chance that you’ll catch a criminal with the system is only 5%. That’s a small percentage, compared to the inconvenience of 125 decibels worth of high pitched siren ringing in your ears. These alarms are so loud you can hear the sound outside your window. Just imagine car alarms waking you up in the middle of the night for nothing.
Now if 95% of car alarms are false alarms, why should anybody be concerned with it whenever they go off? Surely, a passing motorist would shrug off the sound thinking that the alarm isn’t what it really means. On a recent survey conducted, only 1% of all people who hear alarms going off actually call the police. An astounding 99% percent ignores them. With this fact, how can you be sure that car alarms still work?
So if you are considering a security system for your car, be sure to look for other options rather than a car alarm system. Car alarm systems cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000. You are going to save so much if you opt for a more effective system than this one.
But of course, if this is the only one that you can afford at the moment, you have to be sure that you send your car to a trustworthy shop to have the system installed. Some unscrupulous individuals can do a minor change in the system that would create a backdoor to it and leave your car vulnerable. You think that your car is secured. But all along, you have just sent your car to the thief without your knowledge.
When car alarm systems are first released in the market, a lot of car owners begin installing them in their vehicles. But as time goes by, people are starting to hate them. For one thing, these devices disrupt the peace and quiet of a residential community big time.
Because almost everybody has car alarms in their vehicles, noise complaints are being filed left and right. Most people who will go in a vacation tend to leave the alarm of their cars on. And so whenever a cat or a dog goes near it, the sound would go off and they are two hundred miles away to turn it off. That’s only one instance wherein car alarms can be such an inconvenience.
On an estimate, false alarms occur 95% of the time. This means that the chance that you’ll catch a criminal with the system is only 5%. That’s a small percentage, compared to the inconvenience of 125 decibels worth of high pitched siren ringing in your ears. These alarms are so loud you can hear the sound outside your window. Just imagine car alarms waking you up in the middle of the night for nothing.
Now if 95% of car alarms are false alarms, why should anybody be concerned with it whenever they go off? Surely, a passing motorist would shrug off the sound thinking that the alarm isn’t what it really means. On a recent survey conducted, only 1% of all people who hear alarms going off actually call the police. An astounding 99% percent ignores them. With this fact, how can you be sure that car alarms still work?
So if you are considering a security system for your car, be sure to look for other options rather than a car alarm system. Car alarm systems cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000. You are going to save so much if you opt for a more effective system than this one.
But of course, if this is the only one that you can afford at the moment, you have to be sure that you send your car to a trustworthy shop to have the system installed. Some unscrupulous individuals can do a minor change in the system that would create a backdoor to it and leave your car vulnerable. You think that your car is secured. But all along, you have just sent your car to the thief without your knowledge.
Monday, 5 May 2008
Keeping vehicles cool
With images of snow and ice all too fresh in our memory, it might be easy to forget that summer's blistering heat lies just ahead. While much attention is given to getting worktrucks ready for winter each year, preparing for the opposite extremes during summer seems to be nothing more than an afterthought.
However, nothing could be farther from the truth. The heat of summer puts a great deal of extra stress on key components. Here are several pointers that will make for cool running in the warm months ahead.
1. Check Your Rubber ? Heat is the mortal enemy of many rubber-based parts such as tires, hoses and belts. The signs of wear due to heat exposure are warning signs that real trouble is on the way. Ignoring the fact that a belt is developing cracks on its backside, that a radiator hose looks like it is about to spring a leak or that a tire is regularly losing air pressure amounts to volunteering for big trouble ahead.
Ailing truck components just don't get better with age. They will fail at some point, and that point can be at the worst possible moment. Little time and money are lost when an aging belt is replaced while the truck is in a shop for routine maintenance. Similarly, a radiator hose that fails on the open road generally results in a loss of expensive coolant.
2. Keep Your Cool ? Today's engine coolants present a special problem if their "long life" promotion is taken too seriously. They do live longer than they used to, but they don't live forever. A problem with an aging coolant can be the failure of its power to inhibit the formation of rust in the radiator.
It pays to have the rust protection checked before deciding to run the current fill of coolant another year. Running without rust protection can lead to catastrophic failure of the cooling system, which is almost sure to result in damage to the engine. It's also important to ensure that any additives or makeup coolant added to the system are compatible with the truck's existing coolant.
3. Don't Go Down The Drain ? Winter's road-spray can accumulate in some out-of-the-way spots on your worktruck, including the inside of the engine compartment. When this thin film of moisture and dirt settles on the top of the battery, it can complete a circuit between the positive and negative terminals, which will slowly but surely drain the battery, even when parked. As with other parts of the truck, giving your batteries a good bath during spring cleaning can help you avoid singing the summertime blues.
4. Charge It ? Worktruck batteries today are frequently said to be "maintenance free." In general, they are, but it pays to check on them from time to time. A thorough electrical check, including a battery load test, will help to avoid a road-service call during the heat of summer.
5. See Clearly ? Windshield wiper blades deserve some extra help when summer begins. They are put under extra stress while working against ice or snow in winter, and they may need to be replaced to wipe without streaking during the rainstorms of summer.
Another effect of summer is the bugs that will inevitably accumulate on your windshield. Although wiper/washer systems were designed to clean a minimal amount of dirt from the windshield, they were never intended to work for large-scale bug removal. Part of getting ready for summer includes making sure you have a good quality squeegee and a supply of window cleaner onboard.
6. Don't Work Under Pressure ? In spite of technological advances, there aren't many worktruck tires with self-adjusting air pressure on the road yet. That remains a job for the driver. It is an important one, too.
Probably nothing contributes more to tire wear than the heat that builds up when running with insufficient air pressure. The heat of summer can balloon the problem. Over-inflation is bad news, too. It renders treads hard and subject to cuts and tears. Tires should ideally be checked at least once a week using a calibrated air gauge.
7. Clean Up Your Act ? From salt to mud to paper or just plain dirt, the inside of the truck cab can collect a mountain of debris during a winter. It's up to the driver to give it a good spring house-cleaning to make it a pleasant place to work.
Similarly, there are dozens of nooks and crannies around the outside of a truck where dirt and debris can accumulate out of sight from the driver and out of reach from even a good truck wash. In extreme cases, this accumulation can amount to an extra 50-100 pounds to carry around day in and day out. Left unattended, this little mess can turn into a big problem by shorting-out electrical circuits, corroding body panels or just developing a stink from mildew.
8. Line 'Em Up ? Poor wheel alignment can cause excessive tire wear and reduced fuel mileage. While many fleets focus primarily on alignment of the steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle alignment are equally important. According to Goodyear, fleet experience has shown that proper alignment of drive and trailer axles can extend tire life by 25 percent while improving fuel mileage by 0.5 mpg to 1 mpg.
9. Make It Pretty ? After surviving all that winter can throw at your truck, it's time to take a look at your worktruck's paint and graphics. Often, your trucks are your most visible public presence, seen more frequently than most other forms of advertising. Faded lettering, rust spots and chipped paint make for a poor portrayal of your company's image. Have the paint job touched up and any faded or damaged graphics replaced before the busy summer season.
10. Chill Out ? Check and tune-up your worktruck's AC system before the heat comes. Just like your truck's appearance, your driver's appearance is a big part of the customer's perception of your company. Arriving at a job site dripping with sweat because the truck's AC system failed doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.
author: By Tom Kelley
However, nothing could be farther from the truth. The heat of summer puts a great deal of extra stress on key components. Here are several pointers that will make for cool running in the warm months ahead.
1. Check Your Rubber ? Heat is the mortal enemy of many rubber-based parts such as tires, hoses and belts. The signs of wear due to heat exposure are warning signs that real trouble is on the way. Ignoring the fact that a belt is developing cracks on its backside, that a radiator hose looks like it is about to spring a leak or that a tire is regularly losing air pressure amounts to volunteering for big trouble ahead.
Ailing truck components just don't get better with age. They will fail at some point, and that point can be at the worst possible moment. Little time and money are lost when an aging belt is replaced while the truck is in a shop for routine maintenance. Similarly, a radiator hose that fails on the open road generally results in a loss of expensive coolant.
2. Keep Your Cool ? Today's engine coolants present a special problem if their "long life" promotion is taken too seriously. They do live longer than they used to, but they don't live forever. A problem with an aging coolant can be the failure of its power to inhibit the formation of rust in the radiator.
It pays to have the rust protection checked before deciding to run the current fill of coolant another year. Running without rust protection can lead to catastrophic failure of the cooling system, which is almost sure to result in damage to the engine. It's also important to ensure that any additives or makeup coolant added to the system are compatible with the truck's existing coolant.
3. Don't Go Down The Drain ? Winter's road-spray can accumulate in some out-of-the-way spots on your worktruck, including the inside of the engine compartment. When this thin film of moisture and dirt settles on the top of the battery, it can complete a circuit between the positive and negative terminals, which will slowly but surely drain the battery, even when parked. As with other parts of the truck, giving your batteries a good bath during spring cleaning can help you avoid singing the summertime blues.
4. Charge It ? Worktruck batteries today are frequently said to be "maintenance free." In general, they are, but it pays to check on them from time to time. A thorough electrical check, including a battery load test, will help to avoid a road-service call during the heat of summer.
5. See Clearly ? Windshield wiper blades deserve some extra help when summer begins. They are put under extra stress while working against ice or snow in winter, and they may need to be replaced to wipe without streaking during the rainstorms of summer.
Another effect of summer is the bugs that will inevitably accumulate on your windshield. Although wiper/washer systems were designed to clean a minimal amount of dirt from the windshield, they were never intended to work for large-scale bug removal. Part of getting ready for summer includes making sure you have a good quality squeegee and a supply of window cleaner onboard.
6. Don't Work Under Pressure ? In spite of technological advances, there aren't many worktruck tires with self-adjusting air pressure on the road yet. That remains a job for the driver. It is an important one, too.
Probably nothing contributes more to tire wear than the heat that builds up when running with insufficient air pressure. The heat of summer can balloon the problem. Over-inflation is bad news, too. It renders treads hard and subject to cuts and tears. Tires should ideally be checked at least once a week using a calibrated air gauge.
7. Clean Up Your Act ? From salt to mud to paper or just plain dirt, the inside of the truck cab can collect a mountain of debris during a winter. It's up to the driver to give it a good spring house-cleaning to make it a pleasant place to work.
Similarly, there are dozens of nooks and crannies around the outside of a truck where dirt and debris can accumulate out of sight from the driver and out of reach from even a good truck wash. In extreme cases, this accumulation can amount to an extra 50-100 pounds to carry around day in and day out. Left unattended, this little mess can turn into a big problem by shorting-out electrical circuits, corroding body panels or just developing a stink from mildew.
8. Line 'Em Up ? Poor wheel alignment can cause excessive tire wear and reduced fuel mileage. While many fleets focus primarily on alignment of the steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle alignment are equally important. According to Goodyear, fleet experience has shown that proper alignment of drive and trailer axles can extend tire life by 25 percent while improving fuel mileage by 0.5 mpg to 1 mpg.
9. Make It Pretty ? After surviving all that winter can throw at your truck, it's time to take a look at your worktruck's paint and graphics. Often, your trucks are your most visible public presence, seen more frequently than most other forms of advertising. Faded lettering, rust spots and chipped paint make for a poor portrayal of your company's image. Have the paint job touched up and any faded or damaged graphics replaced before the busy summer season.
10. Chill Out ? Check and tune-up your worktruck's AC system before the heat comes. Just like your truck's appearance, your driver's appearance is a big part of the customer's perception of your company. Arriving at a job site dripping with sweat because the truck's AC system failed doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.
author: By Tom Kelley
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