Gene Damron has been named general manager of Global Parts Network, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of VIPAR Heavy Duty.

Damron has more than 30 years of experience in heavy-duty parts distribution, which includes overseeing an independent service facility in addition to two brake remanufacturing operations. He is a past president of the Council of Fleet Specialists, a recent board member of the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network and has served on the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week planning committee.

“I am a strong believer in the entrepreneurial spirit of the heavy-duty independent channel,” says Damron. “VIPAR Heavy Duty has the right focus and strategies in place for long-term success. I am truly excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Affinia Group Inc., has acquired certain assets of Brake Pro, Ltd., Ontario, Canada, under the Companies’ Creditors Agreement Act of Canada. The purchase includes manufacturing equipment, friction formulations and unrestricted rights to the brand name.

Affinia is in the process of relocating the acquired physical assets to its own North American manufacturing facilities and will resume production of the Brake Pro product line.

“The Brake Pro name is highly respected in the industry because of the consistently high performance of its proprietary friction products,” says John R. Washbish, president of Affinia’s Under Vehicle Group.

“The Brake Pro line will enhance our existing brake block and medium-duty product offerings. More importantly, it will put is back into the heavy-duty segment and give us a great product offering for severe-duty applications,” says Washbish. “The market can expect to see Brake Pro product from us as quickly as we can reset the equipment.”

Financial terms of the transaction, which was completed on November 7, 2007, were not disclosed.

VIPAR Heavy Duty announced its active participation in and sponsorship of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2008 (HDAW).

The marketing group expects to see a number of its distributors and stockholders attend the January event with the recently announced support of Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN). Many of VIPAR Heavy Duty’s members are also CVSN members, including Jerry Weis, HDAW 08 chairman.

“As trading partners, we now have an event and venue to meet face-to-face to address the common needs of distributors and suppliers, including training, education and legislative issues. This is an important milestone in the heavy-duty aftermarket,” says Steve Crowley, president and CEO, VIPAR Heavy Duty.

HDAW 08 will be held at The Mirage, Las Vegas, January 21 to 24.

What is brake balance? A vehicle’s brakes are said to be in balance if all brakes apply and release at about the same time, with each brake developing the appropriate braking force for its weight load. On the other hand, brake imbalance – for example, a tractor that brakes faster and more aggressively than its trailer – causes rapid lining wear on the hardest-working brakes, bumping of tractors by trailers, jackknifing and panic stops with more panic than stop.

Where’s The Imbalance?
Torque imbalance, pressure imbalance and different tire sizes can contribute to what typically is called brake force imbalance.

Stopping distances on a vehicle equipped with drum brakes will increase when all brakes on a heavily laden combination vehicle are cool but maladjusted. And, when these maladjusted brakes become hot, causing drums to expand, linings to fade and brake-chamber stroke to increase, a 75 percent or more increase in stopping distance easily can be expected.

Automatic slack adjusters don’t always solve this problem, because worn parts and lack of maintenance may cause them to stop working properly.

To muddy the water even more, brakes with properly-functioning automatic slacks are constantly working, promoting faster friction material wear than with manual slacks, which only are adjusted periodically. Therefore, a mix of automatic and manual slacks can unbalance the braking performance of a tractor-trailer combination that originally had no problem with over-braking or premature friction material wear.

Torque imbalance, or lack of uniform friction-material to friction-surface contact, means that some of the brakes can have more or less stopping power, because of maladies such as oil or grease on the friction material; polished drums or rotors; glazed friction material; linings or pads with mixed friction capabilities at one or more wheels; out-of-spec drums or rotors; incorrect adjustment; different size brake chambers; improperly installed automatic slacks; inoperative or maladjusted antilock (ABS) wheel speed sensors; or improperly speced axle GVWR.

Pneumatic or air pressure imbalance occurs when the tractor-trailer’s system delivers improper air pressures to brake chambers on a combination vehicle.

The most common causes are incorrect or malfunctioning relay valves. Quick-release valves also can have characteristics that upset pressure balance. Other causes include air leaks, air system contamination, a front-axle-limiting valve and excessive use of the trolley valve.

Timing imbalance occurs when some brakes receive air faster than others. Common causes include: oversized control lines on pre-1991 trailers, which slow brake application; poor plumbing design or improper installation; and failure to use booster valves, where appropriate.

“Maintaining good service system response, without adversely impacting the pneumatic balance across all the axles of a combination vehicle, is important,” says Chuck Eberling, engineer for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. “Maintaining good pneumatic balance is crucial in improving brake response.” Bendix engineers say that ideal pneumatic balance is achieved when the air delivered to each axle doesn’t vary by more than 2 psi during a 10 psi to 40 psi application.

An exception to this rule would be the ill-advised mating of an S-cam-equipped tractor with a wedge-braked trailer. Because wedge brakes have smaller chambers and require more psi than S-cams to make linings contact the drum, the wedge-braked trailer would require higher air pressure than the tractor for balanced braking during low-pressure applications.

Low-pressure Imbalance
Brake system engineers say about 95 percent of braking involves application pressures below 25 psi. And approximately 84 percent of braking is done at application pressures of 15 psi or less.

When Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 121 took effect in 1975, it required trailers to be compatible with a tractor simulator delivering a massive slug of air. To achieve compatibility, trailers needed 1⁄2-inch OD (3⁄8-inch ID) control lines instead of the 3⁄8-inch OD (1⁄4-inch ID) lines previously used.

During normal braking, a real-world tractor doesn’t deliver enough air to fill the trailer’s oversized control line. Consequently, trailer braking is delayed, especially with multiple-trailer combinations.

In some cases, the delay treats drivers to a disconcerting bump as the trailer pushes the power unit. If bump comes to shove when braking through a slippery curve, for example, a jackknife is possible.

Seeking to eliminate the delay, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) modified the tractor simulator and changed maximum application/release times for trailers built on/after May 3, 1991; and also specified air-delivery times for control-line gladhands at the rear of tractors, trailers and dollies built on/after May 3, 1991.

Trailer bumping can be eliminated by retrofitting a smaller control line to the trailer and by making changes to the tractor that would speed gladhand timing. This would cause trailer brakes to apply faster during normal brake applications. And there shouldn’t be any degradation of stopping distance during panic stops.

Alternatively, tractor brake application can be slowed by a plumbing change. But slowing tractor brakes has the potential to adversely affect stopping distance, NHTSA warns. So, making a change in the power unit’s brake system is an ill-advised, but conceivable move.

For example, trailer brake release time can be cut drastically by adding a quick-release valve at the tractor protection valve. It must be strongly emphasized, however, that any brake modification should have engineering approval by the vehicle OEM as any deviation from OEM plumbing has the potential to cause more problems than it cures.

High-pressure Imbalance
If a tractor’s brakes do most of the work, a combination vehicle can’t slow down very quickly without the driver pushing harder on the brake pedal.

Should the tractor continue to brake more aggressively than the trailer, the risk of locking the drive axle (on non-ABS-equipped units) and jackknifing is substantial, especially on a slippery road with an empty or lightly-laden trailer in tow. While ABS prevents over-braked wheels from locking, it’s not a substitute for balanced braking.

Sustained high-pressure braking of an ABS-equipped tractor is discouraged because a non-ABS-equipped trailer (or one with non-functional ABS) may receive enough air to lock its brakes, perhaps causing it to swing rapidly out of its traffic lane.

Further, a tractor with non-functional ABS would be inclined to jackknife as a consequence of full and sustained braking. For those reasons, NHTSA admonishes drivers not to change their normal braking habits when piloting ABS-equipped combination vehicles.

The addition of air disc brakes to the equation complicates things even more. Because of the increased capability of air disc brakes to control braking on the tractor, the drum brakes on a trailer tend to develop heat fade faster, transferring most of the work to the discs. This has prompted some manufacturers to suggest that there is an inherent value to specifying air disc brakes on trailers, avoiding many of the problems associated with mixing and matching.

“Imbalance will also exist between a disc-brake-equipped tractor and a drum-brake-equipped trailer unless the crack pressure on the trailer is adjusted,” says Prakash Jain, director, JV Business Development for ArvinMeritor. “If not, the air disc brakes on the tractor will apply first, and they’ll be doing most of the work.”

Cracking The Pressure Problem
By design, some tractors display a lightning-fast draw when shooting air to their own brakes before passing it along to the trailer. Further, some trailers resist accepting air from a tractor because they have a relay valve with a relatively high crack pressure. Depending on the setup, tractor brakes can be applied without the trailer relay valve ever approaching its crack pressure.

Crack pressure, expressed in psi, is the air required to force a valve open. All valves presumed to have identical crack pressures are not necessarily created equal. Even a new, high-quality valve rated at 4 psi crack pressure may open at anywhere from 3.5 psi to 4.5 psi. In contrast, a new and high-quality valve rated at 7.5 psi crack pressure may require anywhere from 4.5 psi to 10.5 psi before opening.

A valve’s crack pressure largely is determined by the stiffness of its piston-return spring. If a valve is replaced with a remanufactured unit, or with other than an original-equipment valve, crack pressures can vary because of differences among springs.

The moral of this story is that pneumatic balance is most easily achieved by using low-crack-pressure valves, maintained with OE replacement valves. It doesn’t take much of a disparity in crack pressures to cause a problem.

Good Intentions, Bad Balance
Some tractors are over-braked because tractor axles have been over-speced for the loads typically carried, and brakes are sized according to the gross axle weight rating. Benefits of greater-than-needed weight capacity include higher resale value, plus the fact that axle durability is enhanced by larger gearsets and bearings. But the tractor always will over-brake if axle loading is substantially less than rated capacity. This caveat applies equally to trailers with over-speced axles.

The solution to over-speced brakes may be to switch to less-aggressive linings or (if possible) to attach chamber push rods to a different slack adjuster hole to reduce braking force. Keep in mind though, that spacing between slack adjuster holes varies by make. So it’s wise to ask the vehicle OEM or brake component supplier for technical advice before making changes.

An onsite, brake-torque-balance test is also advised before modifications are made. A suitable procedure is offered by Recommended Practice (RP) 613 Brake System Torque Balance Test Procedure, available from the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations.

Electronics Can Help
Although relay valves ultimately govern when the air is delivered to the foundation brakes, there is a way to speed the signal to the relay valves by using an electronic braking system, or EBS. This system sends an electronic signal to the relay valves, telling them to open immediately. Brake response is enhanced, and air pressure is sent on its way to the foundation brakes more quickly.

“EBS can have a positive influence in the reduction of possible tractor/trailer brake pressure imbalance,” says Alan Korn, chief engineer for Meritor WABCO. “The technology is capable of estimating the deceleration contribution of each axle of the tractor/trailer combination, and crack pressures can be electronically adjusted to ensure brakes apply in a balanced fashion.”

Korn adds, “While the optimum solution is to equip both tractor and trailer with EBS, pressure balance will improve if just the tractor is fitted with EBS.”

Torque Imbalance
The fact that a combination vehicle provides equal air pressure to all brakes at the same time isn’t the only concern with respect to balanced braking.

As mentioned earlier, torque imbalance results from some brakes having better adjustment, bigger chambers, longer slacks and more aggressive friction material than others. Most of these disparities are immediately evident.

Differences between linings are most likely to sneak up and present you with a nasty surprise. That’s because lining friction, fade and recovery characteristics at various temperatures can vary widely.

In the early days of non-asbestos linings, certain formulations were prone to swell excessively with heat. Because of this, the swelled linings often caused tightly-adjusted brakes to drag after the treadle was released.

After the lining cooled down, the linings might not shrink to previous dimensions. In some instances, significant and permanent lining growth required slacks to be backed-off before the brakes could be released. While that type of scenario has virtually disappeared, other problems are painfully persistent. Consider edge codes, as a prime example.

Designed to indicate a lining’s aggressiveness, edge-code markings often wear off. That’s no great loss, however, because even within the same edge code, friction can vary by as much as 40 percent.

To maintain some degree of consistency, spec the same brand and type of lining on tractors and trailers and use the same material for relining.

Torque Degradation
Even if tractors and trailers initially are well matched, torque balance can degrade over time. For example:

• Friction material may be contaminated by leaky, improperly installed wheel oil seals or ill-advised and generous greasing of the cam assembly on drum brakes. A leaky oil seal on new equipment could be due to assembly line errors. In turn, a leaky seal on older equipment may indicate a need for better oil seals or technician retraining.

• Drums can become deeply scored or bell-mouthed, and disc brake rotors can become dished, preventing even contact with the friction material at one or more wheels. Even new replacement drums can be bell-mouthed or eccentric, requiring that they be trued in a lathe. In some cases, radius grinding of linings may be required for a good fit. While mild heat checking is acceptable, any drum or rotor with deep cracks should be scrapped.
• Brake shoe return springs can stretch or even break. Even if they look OK, replace the springs at every reline or braking can become a drag. The same admonition applies to rollers that have become flat spotted.
• S-cams can become so worn that brake torque is thrown out of whack. Worn camshafts and their splines and bushings also degrade performance. Pay special attention to the condition of the bushing, because it’s responsible for centering the cam and shoe assembly in the drum. Ideally, the bushings should be replaced at every reline.
• Bent spiders degrade lining-to-drum contact. A heat-and-hammer approach to removing anchor pins may warp the spider.
• Sliding disc brake calipers can become seized, causing accelerated wear of the inner disc brake pad. Make sure caliper pins and sliding surfaces are properly lubricated to assure proper function of the disc caliper.
• Valves can slow down or fail to operate because of gum and carbon build-up from air contaminated with water and oil vapor – especially if tanks aren’t drained routinely and an air dryer isn’t used.
• Retrofitting brake chambers or slack adjusters of the wrong size is dangerous. Problems can also result from mixing two brands of automatic slacks on the same unit, due to differences in performance, even if they’re the same size. Automatic slack adjusters can malfunction or wear out, especially if nobody bothers to lubricate them. First, measure for excessive push rod stroke as brakes are applied. Inspect the assembly for excessively worn holes in the yolk and slack adjuster, worn clevis pins and general looseness. Slacks must be mounted at the proper angle, as determined by use of installation templates that vary by application and brand of slack. In practice, however, the mounting angle may be compromised by clearance problems experienced by the OEM. For that reason, clearance should be checked before making a change in mounting position.
• Retrofit of remanufactured or aftermarket air valves can affect pneumatic balance. For one thing, the crack pressure of relay or quick-release valves fitted with aftermarket springs can vary considerably. Just because a valve looks right hardly indicates it’s a suitable replacement for original equipment. Even where valves of the same make and model are used as replacements, crack pressures and pressure differentials may vary because of differences in bore size and manufacturing tolerances.
• Retrofit of low-profile tires having a radius 18 percent smaller than original-equipment tires can cause a vehicle to be over-braked. In fact, an 18 percent reduction in rolling radius can result in an 18 percent increase in braking force. The change may, for example, result in the lockup of lightly-laden, non-ABS-equipped trailers in the course of normal braking. Further, smaller tires rotate faster at a given road speed. Consequently, linings will engage the drums at higher rpm and run hotter especially when braking on downgrades. Going to the next smallest chamber will reduce torque about 20 percent. And changing to a less aggressive lining – or, with engineering approval, placing some sort of pressure modifier in the system – often will do the trick.
• Drums and rotors can be damaged by consistent overheating, localized wear from lack of uniform friction material contact or exposure to abrasive material. Surfaces with a mirror-like finish should be roughed up with 80-grit emery cloth and, if accompanied by a glazing on the shoes or pads, should trigger a quest for a more suitable friction material.
• If it appears that foreign abrasive material is causing excessive wear along the edges of the trailer lining contact area, or in areas coinciding with lining rivet holes, remove the lower dust shield (if equipped) to provide an exit. When checking a drum for excessive wear, its inner diameter shouldn’t be more than .12 inch more than the original spec.
• When resurfacing drums, the finished inner diameter shouldn’t be over .08 inch beyond original spec. And runout shouldn’t exceed .01 inch. The same goes for disc brake rotors. When checking rotor thickness, they shouldn’t be more than .12 inch less than the original spec, and don’t resurface more than .08 inch less than the original spec. Lateral runout shouldn’t exceed .01 inch, and radial runout shouldn’t exceed .035 inch.

Achieving brake balance is not difficult, as long as you’re aware of what to look for that may cause the imbalance to occur. Once the cause is known, inform your customer and let them know what needs to be done to help prevent jackknifing and ensure a safe ride.

The feeling of dread hit just about when the seatbelt-on light went off during my flight from Chicago to Atlanta. I was on the first leg of a three-part business trip that would keep me out of the office for the week. I had several articles yet to complete and planned on getting some writing done on the plane and, later, at the hotel.

Then I realized I forgot to pack an essential component to my plan: My laptop power cord. Ironically, I was on my way to the HDX Technology Conference.

I never had to buy a power cord before and wasn’t even sure if you could buy just a cord, apart from ordering a replacement through the manufacturer. I didn’t remember ever seeing a power cord section at any of the big-box electronic retailers, but figured that was my best option.

As I panic-walked through the airport I spotted a kiosk selling portable electronics and stopped to ask if they could help. The salesperson plucked a large bundle from the shelf, took my laptop and proceeded to check mating compatibility between it and the numerous adapter tips in the bundle. About halfway through testing them all she found a match. Grateful, I paid the $140 for the bundle of wires and adapter tips.

I had no idea there were so many different computer power-supply options. The type of cord and plug never factors into the computer selection decision. It’s a necessary commodity I never gave any thought to until I left it hundreds of miles behind.

Fittingly, compatibility was a key topic during the HDX Technology Conference, hosted by HDeXchange, the non-profit group that develops electronic commerce standards for the aftermarket. Among HDX’s initiatives is the Price File Library, which standardizes product information communication between manufacturers and distributors.

Just as every laptop seemingly has its own unique AC input, every manufacturer has its own way of communicating product information and pricing to its customers. For distributors, managing the various formats can be a time-consuming process. Getting the files, then opening, cleaning and cross-checking them can just about be a full-time job, and the opportunity for error is there every step of the way.

According to HDX Executive Director Edward Kuo, there are about 40 distributors and 30 manufacturers using the Price File Library, and HDX is aggressively driving its proliferation. In addition to saving users time and money through greater automation and improved accuracy, the potential is there to grow revenue. The system allows manufacturers to distribute product support materials – such as brochure copy and studio photography – that can help distributors build a professional-looking online storefront, with engaging visuals and accurate, in-depth product information.

As more companies subscribe to the Price File Library and as more information gets added to it, its usefulness will grow and new, revenue-generating applications for the information will emerge. However, as with the adoption of most new technologies, the biggest reluctance, Kuo says, is a willingness to change the status quo. “Even though it’s blatantly obvious everybody hates the way they’re doing it,” he adds.

But they are making progress and events like the technology conference help build consensus and inspire new ideas. After all, it wasn’t too long ago when electronic purchase orders and invoices were eyed with skepticism. Just as the industry adopted technology standards in those areas, it’s just a matter of time before everyone agrees upon a technology standard to communicate pricing and product info. Universal use of the Price File Library won’t create a technological Utopia, but, Kuo says, it will lay the foundation for the aftermarket to move forward and do a lot more. Greater productivity, improved accuracy and new ways to serve the customer should make most any distributor happy.

The kind of happy one gets with a fully powered laptop tethered to an outlet by a compatible cord and plug.

Business cycles are funny things… some just appear (usually recognizable only after the fact) and patterns emerge. An interesting pattern in the heavy-duty parts business seems to revolve around a ten-year cycle of milestones beginning in 1967:

• 1967 – Channel Organization: CFS is formed by leading independents; Marvin Rush makes his first big fleet sale (100 units); Paccar forms Dynacraft to capture more parts sales.

• 1977 – Regulation & Computers: The ICC begins deregulating trucking; Transnet is formed to electronically send orders.
• 1987 – OEM Distress: Roger Penske buys a struggling Detroit Diesel from GM; International Harvester restructures into Navistar International.
• 1997 – New Financing Sources: FleetPride and Transcom introduce consolidation; Rush is the first ever vehicle franchise dealer IPO.
• 2007 – Creative Disruption: EPA II market disruption; private label and Chinese imports; NAPA’s formal entry into heavy-duty truck parts.

During this time, the industry has emerged as a $15 billion higher-tech tangle of constantly morphing end users and regulations. Product life cycles are the briefest in history, while the shortage of trained personnel has hit extremely troubling levels. Technology has gone on a tear, forming the basis for the fastest evolutionary phase since trucking got started in the ’20s. So how about some predictions for products and distribution over the next 10 years… are you ready for what’s to come in 2017?

• Beltless, diesel-electric hybrid integrated power plant/drive systems, with all electric PTO and collateral accessories feeding off a 500+ volt system;

• 360-degree driver vision with auto reactive safety/collision avoidance systems monitored in a heads-up display glass cockpit, which also features a complete HR black box for driver management, insurance and law enforcement;
• Wireless lighting and braking monitored down to the fastener level by RFID-
  derivative chips reporting directly to on-board vehicle management systems;

• Computer-controlled, self-aligning springless suspensions that control stability of the vehicle by pulsing a current through ferro-magnetic fluid filled “shock absorber” modules whose stiffness varies with electrical charge;
• Speed-sensitive, aerodynamically adaptable “NAFTA Liners” specifically designed for long-haul, highway-only operation, covered in power generating trailer coatings.
  How about the supply industries that make these things work?

• All three remaining Class 8 truck builders will employ factory owned/operated retail chains to distribute vehicles and to provide major warranty service;
• Independent parts and service organizations will migrate into two distinct channels – eSystem/Service Specialists and Legacy Parts (and service) Centers;
• Federal licensing/certification becomes mandatory for technicians servicing emission or safety related systems, training for which will come from for-profit tech schools and community colleges;
• Training on legacy and low tech maintenance will be provided through a guild-like service industry, supplier-supported distance learning model;
• Combinations of parts and component suppliers will operate complex common supply chains that allow “virtual logistics consolidation” for smaller (and foreign) suppliers and force traditional distributors to look downstream for margin improvement.

Agree? Disagree? Neither the product nor the distribution models outlined above are necessarily good nor bad for anyone reading this.

These may not happen exactly as described

People In The News
Following are personnel changes that recently occurred in the trucking industry:

• The Boler Company announced Matthew Boler succeeds John Boler as president, CEO and chairman of the company, effective immediately. The company also announced Gary Gerstenslager has been promoted to president and CEO of Hendrickson, a division of Boler.

• Steve Schwab joined Unicoil International as its U.S.-based vice president of sales.
• Hendrickson named David Templeton its vice president of human resources; David Decker joins Hendrickson to head up human resources for its trailer division.
• Yokohama Tire Corp. announced Takao Oishi is executve vice president of operations; Kenichi Shirai is chief advisor, strategic marketing; Iwao Shimomura is senior director, corporate quality assurance; Satoshi Miyata is CFO and treasurer; Takaharu Fushimi is general manager, tire overseas sales and marketing department No. 1; Tadayoshi Hiraga is general manager, tire overseas technical service department; and Takeshi Masatomo is manager, passenger car and light truck tires product planning dept.
• Ron Baucom was promoted to Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.’s manager of sales and service at its Nashville service center.
• Bob McHugh was promoted to director of North American sales for Heil Environmental.
• Doug Dorn was named director – OEM sales in Europe for SAF-Holland, Inc.’s Powered Vehicle Systems unit.

New Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week Panel
“Why Fleets Buy,” a panel exploring the factors that drive fleet parts-purchase decisions, has been added to the 2008 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week lineup. The panel will be moderated by Bruce Plaxton of BGP Marketing and includes four fleet maintenance directors: Sid Gooch of FedEx, Steve Duley of Schneider National, Carl Lyth of Pepsi Cola and Kevin Tomlinson of South Shore Transport.

“This group of highly regarded fleet executives will provide an excellent perspective on the HD parts replacement process and will take any and all questions from the audience on their business,” says HDAW 2008 Program Chairman Jerry Weis of Ott’s Friction.

Other scheduled programs and speakers include:

• The HD Aftermarket Forum, Stu MacKay of MacKay and Co.

• “The Two-Minute Drill: Lessons for Rapid Organizational Improvement from America’s Greatest Game,” Dr. Clint Longenecker, University of Toledo
• “Access to Repair Information: an Industry Perspective,” Dave Scheer of Inland Truck Parts
• “Brand vs. Non-Brand: Who is Taking the Risk?,” Jerry Weis of Ott’s Friction
• Improving Sales Call Proficiency: The Recipe,” Tom Easton of Essential Action Group

Truck Giveaway Marks Klein Tools’ 150th Anniversary
To mark its 150th anniversary, Klein Tools is celebrating with a giveaway promotion for customers, the company announced. Participants can enter the contest at www.kleintools.com/truck and winners will be randomly selected for prizes that include a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi pickup truck, Klein tools and Klein promotional items.

Freightliner LLC Changes Name
Freightliner LLC – parent company of Detroit Diesel, Freightliner Trucks, Freightliner Custom Chassis, Mercedes-Benz engines and transmissions, Sterling Trucks, Thomas Built Buses and Western Star Trucks – announced it will now be called Daimler Trucks North America LLC beginning January 7, 2008

Affinia Adds Raybestos Brand Part Numbers
Affinia Under Vehicle Group says it has added 70 ABS control module part numbers for its Raybestos brand, providing technicians with one of the most comprehensive offerings in this product category available in the industry.

It is part of a rollout of 270 new part numbers, both in the hydraulic and electronic control module lines, expected to be complete by March 2008. The company says a full listing of these new part numbers can be found by calling a local distributor or by using its electronic catalog system, eSelect.

Aftermarket Survival Discussed at Truck Parts Seminar
The 32nd annual Truck Parts Seminar, hosted by Truck Parts & Service magazine, was held last month in Deerfield, Ill., and featured discussion on market globalization, channel distribution issues and employee attraction and retention.

The event, themed “Aftermarket Survival Guide,” was attended by nearly 70 representatives from manufacturers, distributors, fleets and aftermarket marketing groups. The two-day event featured nine speakers over three sessions, each accompanied by roundtable discussions.

During one session, the increasing globalization of parts manufacturing and procurement “is here to stay,” according to speaker Don Reimondo, senior vice president of customer relationship management for the Affinia Group Inc.

Reimondo says globalization is less about counterfeit parts than low-cost parts and that customers look to manufacturers and distributors to “put quality parts in the box.” It is the services and support that accompany parts that will continue to differentiate suppliers, and these need to continue to be leveraged to stay competitive, he says.

Adds speaker Kurt Danielson, vice president, truck and bus tire marketing, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, “There’s always going to be somebody cheaper, it’s what you wrap around the product.”

Defining the Channels
The makeup of aftermarket distribution, according to speaker Todd Kindem, director of sales and marketing for ArvinMeritor’s Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket, is more complex than it was 15 years ago when it was a simple two-channel system with OEM dealers and warehouse distributors. “Today it’s more complex with marketing groups and automotive edge-ups, and WDs and OESs all wanting or having private label products,” he says.

He says the value of the distributor to its customers is dictated by the brands they distribute. He adds that manufacturers need to be equally focused on building their brands among endusers and distributors by establishing their technical capabilities and expertise and supporting products through training and e-Commerce initiatives.

Michele Calbi, vice president of procurement and shop operation, Swift Transportation, says the key to getting a fleet’s parts business is “being able to rescue a fleet when they’re in trouble” by having the needed products on-hand.

The Next Generation
Bringing new talent into the aftermarket was the focus of one session, and speaker Tim Nash, provost and COO, Northwood University, says helping employees understand the global nature of the business and their role in it could help the industry’s labor challenges.

Nash says companies can attract and retain employees by:

• Helping them understand they are part of a global economy;

• Cultivating an environment in which they never stop learning; and
• Never underestimating what they are capable of.

Chuck Udell, senior partner, Essential Action Design Group, adds that the aftermarket needs to devote more resources to employee development. He says, in general, companies devote about two percent of payroll toward employee development, while the aftermarket is estimated to spend just one-half percent.

Udell says companies need every employee to understand their impact on the organization’s profitability and that rather than job descriptions, “position results descriptions” are necessary.

MEMA Holds Vehicle Safety, Environmental Technology Event
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association hosted its second annual ride-and-drive event last month at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. to showcase available and emerging vehicle safety and energy technologies for policymakers and regulatory agencies.

The event drew more than 150 people to view products and displays from 12 MEMA-member companies over two days. Attendees were able to experience firsthand technologies such as stability control, adaptive cruise control and collision warning systems from the cab of vehicles equipped with the systems.

“The regulators in particular – people from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) and FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) – come here for hands-on experience with technologies that they’re regulating,” says Ann McCulloch, MEMA director, external affairs. “The same with congressional staff. This gives them a chance to get behind the wheel and see these technologies in action. We bring the technologies to them, as opposed to them having to seek out all of this on their own.”

Among the attendees of the event were Reps. Robert Aderholt (Ala.) and Joe Knollenberg (Mich.), as well as congressional staff from other districts.

“We’ve seen a lot of congressional staff come through representing offices from across the country,” says McCulloch. “A lot of it is concentrated from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee where suppliers are located, and that is really the audience we went after.

“We want them to have a better understanding of the companies in their districts and the wonderful technologies that they’re manufacturing.”

The energy systems on display included hybrid powertrains and idle-reduction technologies for both automotive and commercial vehicles.

Safety systems were demonstrated on dry van, mixer and tanker trucks to provide a variety of application scenarios. Ride-and-drives were done with both the safety systems off and activated to show their effectiveness.

Companies that participated in the event included Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, BorgWarner Inc., Delphi Corp., Gates Corp., Gentex Corp., Magna International of America Inc., Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems, PPG Industries, Robert Bosch LLC, SABIC Innovative Plastics, Valeo Inc. and Webasto Product North America Inc.

“We are very pleased with the turnout and express our thanks to the participating companies,” said Bob McKenna, MEMA president and CEO. “The event gave policymakers in Washington the opportunity to see the great strides suppliers are making in improving vehicle safety and fuel efficiency, and it gave the industry a chance to emphasize legislation that furthers these objectives.”

Price File Library Update Automation
HDX Services, Inc. (HDX) and Vertical Development, Inc. (VDI) partnered to launch HDX/VDI Data Express that the companies say will simplify and automate manufacturer updates to the Price File Library, a standardized repository of part information and pricing.

“Most manufacturers agree with the concept of the Price File Library – an industry-wide system that can automate the synchronization of product and pricing information between manufacturers and their customers,” says HDX Chairman Jay Johnston of Harman Heavy Vehicle Specialists. “However, their current processes are so convoluted that they are forced into some sort of manual file creation. The HDX/VDI Data Express product was designed to simplify this process for a very reasonable price.”

Data Express will allow information to be imported from different file formats and systems and automatically converts it to the Price File Library standard. According to Jay Wright, president of Vertical Development, the system can apply rule-based and unique pricing methodologies, and also can incorporate marketing and product information.

Caterpillar, Cummins Rank Highest in J.D. Power and Associates Study
J.D. Power and Associates reports that the results of their 2007 Heavy-duty Truck Engine/Transmission Study rank Caterpillar highest in customer satisfaction for the heavy engine pickup and delivery segment and Cummins as first in the heavy engine vocational segment.

The study also finds that respondents report fewer problems with their heavy-duty engines than they did in last year’s study, but that problem incidence is “much higher” versus 2003 model year vehicles. According to J.D. Power and Associates, “the average number of reported engine problems is 59 PP100 (engine problems per 100 vehicles) – down from an average of 70 PP100 in 2006, but still well above the average of 46 PP100 reported prior to the new emission standards.”

The study goes on to report quality improvements for fuel injector and turbocharger components over last year. The most common reported problem for the second year in a row was the exhaust gas recirculation valve.

Drums, Rotors and Trailer Hubs Catalog
A new product catalog, Drums, Rotors and Trailer Hubs, now is available from ArvinMeritor.
The new catalog covers the most popular drums, rotors and trailer hub assemblies offered by the company. The front section offers detailed information about identifying brake drums and diagnosing common problems that lead to the failure of brake drums. It also includes information to support Preset by ArvinMeritor trailer hubs and associated service kits. Preset by ArvinMeritor hubs are available for TN/TQ and TP trailer axles.
ArvinMeritor

Fleetline Parts Catalog
A parts catalog now is available from Fleetline, featuring tandem fenders and mounts and mud flap hanger brackets.

Each part is described in detail and is accompanied by pictures with dimensions of the products. Each product’s part number and weight also are highlighted in the brochure. Ordering policies and contact information are included in the full-color brochure as well.
Fleetline Products

Roller Bushings Brochure
New literature is available from Horton. The full-color brochure highlights the benefits of the company’s roller bushings, detailing features such as special ribbed casing, patented needle bearings and dual lip seals designed to keep out dirt.

A brochure explaining the VMaster viscous air-sensing fan drives, the VMaster viscous directly-controlled fan drives and the VMaster Ultra viscous fan drives also is available.

Each product’s details and specifications are provided in easy-to-read charts, and pictures also are included.
Horton

Alignment Brochure
BeeLine has introduced a catalog highlighting its heavy-duty wheel alignment equipment. This full-color brochure features the company’s LC7000 series laser guided computer alignment gauging system, the 21000 rear axle aligner and the Smart Balancer.

Also highlighted are the on-the-floor alignment configurations and the mobile alignment system as well as alignment accessories.

Action photos show how each product is used, and detailed information accompanies each.
BeeLine

Heavy-Duty Clutch Catalog
World American, the heavy-duty division of Midwest Truck & Auto Parts, now offers a catalog that presents wholesale distributors with a full selection of heavy-duty clutch kits, clutches, flywheels and accessories.

These OE-quality replacement parts are listed with reference numbers, rotation torque guide and more, the company says. Included is a guide that illustrates the correct installation processes from measuring to set-up and lubricating.

Access and free download of this catalog can be found at the company’s web site.
World American

Robotic Aluminum Rim Polisher Brochure
Available literature and brochures describe the Aluminum Rim Polishing Machine and Business Program that has been developed by Vehicle Inspection Systems, Inc.

Materials provided detail the VIS-Polish business system that is inclusive of equipment, consumables, installation, training, pricing guidelines and marketing support materials.

System owners benefit by becoming part of the national advertising program complete with a toll-free 24-hour phone number that drives new customers and new revenue, according to the company.
Vehicle Inspection Systems, Inc.

Starter Brochure
Delco Remy has released a new product brochure, 39MT Heavy Duty Starter All-Makes New Service Program, highlighting the features and benefits of the new service 39MT.

The full-color, 8-page brochure is organized into five sections: Features, Installation, Cutaway Diagram, Competitive Comparison and Applications, each of which describe the product in detail.

The brochure also features a table that shows the similarities and differences between the Delco Remy 39MT and competitors, and also includes the product’s three-year/unlimited mileage warranty.
Remy International

Wheel Bearing Brochure
A new brochure from Timken, MileMate, describes wheel bearing sets. Information on the benefits of using matched cup and cone sets is offered, including lengthening maintenance intervals, optimizing the bearing’s performance, allowing bearings to carry evenly distributed loads and providing lower cost compared to the cost of unscheduled downtime. Also included is a specification chart highlighting sets for popular component manufacturers.
The Timken Company

VIPAR Distributor Guide
New from VIPAR Heavy Duty is its Guide To Parts And Service Locations. This brochure has more than 80 pages of information on VIPAR distributors, arranged by country, province/state, city and distributor name.

The companies span the United States and Canada, and contact information is provided for each location.

Icons indicate which facilities stock parts, provide shop services and offer drive-in repairs, for example.
VIPAR Heavy Duty

Turbocharger Catalog
The new 2008 Garrett Turbochargers performance catalog contains valuable information for those looking for power, according to the company. Alongside information on the state-of-the-art Garrett GT Series of turbochargers, you will find the methods to match a turbocharger to your customer’s engine quickly, easily and correctly.

Special details are given for matching diesel applications as well as bolt-on upgrades for today’s most popular diesel light-duty trucks.
Garrett

CJ-4 Brochure
Everything You Need To Know About 2007 Regulation Changes

For most shops, chassis lubrication is a footnote in the available suite of services. It has to be done, you won’t get rich doing it and your customers, likely, won’t remark on what a great job you’ve done.

But there is an opportunity to help set your business apart when it comes to keeping your customers’ vehicles well greased. You can help them save money through longer component life and you can make more money.

Mark Betner, heavy-duty lubricants manager for Citgo Petroleum Corp., cites one example of a fleet that has reduced maintenance costs by $3000 over the life cycle of a vehicle by using a premium grease product and applying it correctly.

“And they weren’t doing bad to begin with,” he says. “This wasn’t a maintenance situation where you would come back and say, ‘they were just uninformed or they didn’t know what they were doing.’ ”

While there is some cost savings in that a premium grease has greater staying power and won’t wear or wash out as readily, the main cost savings were realized, he says, through longer component life. “The better products do offer a secondary benefit of lasting longer and reducing consumption, but it’s the longer component life where the real savings occur,” Betner says.

It takes approximately three pounds of grease to properly lubricate a Class 8 chassis and fifth wheel. Betner says the upcharge for doing the service with a premium grease would be no more than about $25 per year. If the customer can save up to $3000 by specifying a premium grease over the course of four or five years, it should be an easy sell.

“A repair shop could just price the additional cost of the premium product into the service, but they would certainly want to make sure their customers understood the additional value they were getting,” Betner says. “Or, they could offer it as an option.”

But it is the exception rather than the rule for a shop to offer grease choices for different vehicle uses, let alone more than one choice for a single application purpose.

“If we did everything perfect, we’d probably see three or four different greases in each shop, but that’s not always practical,” says Stede Granger, OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants. “So you have to look at everything and take a balanced approach.”

Besides offering a choice of standard versus premium grease, different grease formulations should be available for chassis and suspension components, the fifth wheel and, if your shop services trailers, semi-fluid grease for trailer wheel bearings.

Stocking a single all-purpose grease for all applications may sell maintenance practices short as well as cut customers out of possible cost savings and your business out of possible profits.

“If it were me, I would definitely take a look at using different greases for the fifth wheel, the chassis and wheel bearings,” Granger says. “We encourage our customers to do very proactive maintenance using good products at the right intervals.”

Adds Betner, “It may not be convenient for you to stock two products in the shop. But at the end of the day, if you want that customer back, consider giving them an option that will make a difference for them.”

Grease Grades
Greases are classified by the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) by their stiffness. The most common type of grease used in servicing heavy-duty trucks is rated No. 2. “The NLGI has put out a set of specifications that define how thick a grease is,” Granger says. “The bigger the number, the more stiff the grease is.” The ratings range from No. 000 for the lightest grease to No. 6 for the thickest. A grease rated No. 00 would be a semi-fluid formulation used for trailer wheel bearings.

In addition to stiffness, greases are further differentiated by the unique formulations of their respective manufacturers, and most every lubricant maker offers a premium option.

“Premium grease products have improved base oil properties that help promote longer lubricant life in addition to higher degrees of rust and corrosion protections,” says John W. Geyer, CLS, industrial marketing specialist, Industrial Marketing Sector, Chevron Corp. “Premium products usually are offered in larger product families that have various NLGI grades available to meet many applications without having to switch products. Premium greases with the proper combination of oil viscosity and additives can provide you with serious advantages depending on your specific requirements.”

Automatic chassis lubrication systems create another consideration. While these systems are still relatively rare, if one comes into your shop it may require another grease formulation. While No. 2 grade grease is preferred for chassis lubrication, it may be too thick for automatic lubrication systems to handle. For these systems, No. 0 or No. 1 grades typically are required.

Shop Delivery
In addition to which grease to use and where to use it, shops need to consider how it gets there. Grease delivery systems range in sophistication from a centralized, shop-wide system to a technician with a pail and a plank of wood.

“When it comes to stocking grease products, it’s critical to consider the delivery of the product to the application,” Geyer says. “For example, if you are using a grease product that is a NLGI No. 2 grade with a very high base oil viscosity and you are using a centralized grease system that has long piping/hose runs, pumpability or mobility of the grease may be an issue.”

For an unheated shop in a cold climate, the problem worsens. For this scenario, Geyer recommends using a product with oil viscosity between 150 and 220 centistrokes (cSt), a measure of viscosity. Higher viscosity greases, typically 320 cSt and greater, can be used year-round in heated facilities or shops located in warmer climates.

Geyer says that when selecting grease products, it is important to note the distinction between its viscosity and NLGI grade.

“The key idea is that not all NLGI grades contain the same oil viscosity,” he says. “The NLGI grade refers to the thickness of a grease, not the oil viscosity.”

So while much of the aftermarket treats grease as all the same, the shop that recognizes that all-purpose does not serve every purpose has an opportunity to distinguish itself in the marketplace and provide customers with a little added value.

“The sacrifice with an all-purpose grease is that they’re just that,” Betner says. “I often make the analogy that if I were a tool salesperson and I walked into these shops and said, ‘I want you to throw away all of your specialty tools, because I’m going to sell you one tool. It’s called a crescent wrench’ they would laugh at me. Yet we treat grease like that.”

Northwood University has long served the aftermarket by preparing its future leaders and sharpening the skills of those already in the industry. Yet, with three main campuses – located in Midland, Mich., Cedar Hill, Texas, and West Palm Beach, Fla. – and 40 program centers throughout the U.S., busy professional still could find it time prohibitive to further their education.

That all changed earlier this year when the school announced it would offer a fully accredited undergraduate Aftermarket Management degree program online, catering specifically to working adults who would be otherwise challenged to attend traditional classes.

“I’ll be honest. I’m 52. I have a daughter in college. I play in a band. I work a million hours,” says Russ Nardi, who is currently enrolled in the program. “The online courses are great because if you can’t sleep at two in the morning, you log in and do your work. The real advantage is if you’re a busy person, you can do the coursework at any hour.”

Nardi is global product manager for FP Diesel Engine Parts, a division of Federal-Mogul Corporation. He began at Northwood in 1998 when working for Clevite. At that time, he was taking weekend classes on campus. When he changed jobs and companies and left the aftermarket for the manufacturing side, he put the degree on hold. “When I got back to the aftermarket, that’s when I got into the online program,” he says. “It’s certainly worthwhile to anybody in this business, if they’re interested in finishing their degree or continuing their studies, it’s certainly worth their time to visit Northwood.”

While the Aftermarket Management program is new to the online curriculum, Northwood has been offering distance learning programs since 2000. It started with 12 students and now has 451 enrolled. Last year it had an 85 percent graduation rate.

The degrees offered online are for management and dual majors of management with degree specializations in aftermarket management, automotive marketing and automotive supply management.

“It’s one of the fastest growing departments that we have,” says Kim Leach, Northwood’s program center manager for the Online Program. “You go into class at three in the morning, or nine o’clock at night. Wherever you take your laptop, your classroom goes with you. It’s great for people who are business travelers, it’s perfect for their schedule, or if they have kids at home.”

Distance learning is currently offered only to working adults and the typical student is about 35 years old and is juggling both career and family. However, the true ages of students run from as young as 25 “to one who just enrolled at 70,” Leach says.

“A lot of our students have been in a management role and they can’t advance unless they get their degree,” says Marla King, Northwood’s Michigan outreach director. “A lot of our students are already professional working adults who for whatever reasons never finalized their bachelor’s degree.”

How It Works
Applying for the online program is free and can be done through the college’s website, www.northwood.edu. The cost for a four-credit course is $860, or $215 per credit hour. It takes 90 credits to complete an associate’s degree and 180 for a bachelor’s degree.

“Once they apply, we contact them immediately and explain the program, what they can expect, what they can transfer in and so forth,” says King. “One thing we do offer is work-life experience where they can receive credit for their past work life, military service and all of that.”

Up to 46 credits toward their degree can be earned through work-life experience. She adds that after students register for their first course, they are qualified to receive work-life scholarships, provided through a grant from Northwood’s University of the Aftermarket.

After a student is enrolled, King says he or she needs to dedicate approximately six to eight hours per week per course. Some weeks will entail research and reading, and other weeks hold, of course, tests. To simulate the interactive classroom experience, courses have threaded discussions which are bulletin-board style online forums.

“One of the things with our courses,” says Leach, “is that our instructors are out in the field right now. They do have the current information, they know what’s going on in the aftermarket.”

Adds King, “We don’t teach past information. We want our graduates to lead and have at least a five to 10 year focus for forecasting.”

The real-life credentials of the instructors is something that appeals to Nardi, as it directly translates into real-world application.

“It’s wonderful,” he says. “The teachers are actually real-life professionals. In fact, I’m taking a class now being taught by Bill Wade [of Wade & Associates and contributing columnist to Truck Parts & Service magazine]. It’s wonderful real-world experience that’s coming across, and the textbooks usually are written by the instructor, so you’re getting the exposure of the industry in the textbooks as well.” n

What to Expect
Getting dual degrees in Northwood’s management and aftermarket management requires 180 credit hours. The program provides general core business courses in accounting, microeconomics and macroeconomics, business law, marketing and business writing. Other required courses currently in the curriculum include:

• Introduction to Automotive Aftermarket & Technology

• Introduction to Heavy Duty Aftermarket & Technology
• Aftermarket Manufacturing Management
• Aftermarket Retail & Wholesale Management
• Heavy Duty Parts & Service Marketing
• Aftermarket Policies & Procedures
• Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Organization Behavior & Leadership
• Current Topics in Management
• Strategic Planning
• International Trade
• Communication & Interpersonal Relations
• Report Writing
• Contemporary World Issues
• World Cultures & Customs
• Statistics
• Environmental Science
• Ethics
• Philosophy of American Enterprise
• Lean Distribution
• Logistics & Supply Chain Management
• Aftermarket Field Sales Management
• Current Issues in the Global Aftermarket
• Aftermarket Management Research