Meritor expands FastSet product catalog

On Tuesday Meritor introduced 45 new no-ream kits as an expansion of its FastSet King Pin Kit aftermarket product line. The announcement was made at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) 2017 in Las Vegas.

“Meritor FastSet is now available for all popular axle applications, including Meritor, Dana, Eaton, Spicer, Mack, Volvo, Chevrolet, GMC, Isuzu and Axle Alliance,” says Joe Ghering, product manager, Steering and Suspension, Aftermarket for Meritor. “With fleets looking for ways to increase vehicle uptime, FastSet eliminates the need for reamers, special tools and presses when replacing king pins.”

Meritor says using the new kits mean king pin bushings do not need to be reamed after they are installed into the steering knuckle, which saves labor, time and equipment costs. Additionally, instead of pressing in the bushings during installation, customers can use the kit to easily install spiral bushings by hand. And Meritor says the king pin’s special groove pattern design allows grease to permeate high-wear areas.

Built using only Meritor approved quality components to reduce repair time and maintenance costs, the Meritor FastSet King Pin Kit is covered by Meritor’s standard aftermarket warranty.

Meritor component nabs industry honor

Meritor also announced Tuesday that its Doctor Preload Tool used in the Meritor Wheel Bearing Adjustment System for the aftermarket was the No. 1 tool selected by shop owners and specialists responding to a survey from Professional Tool and Equipment News.

The honor was first announced during Service Opportunities Learning Days (SOLD) 2017 on Monday before HDAW.

Doctor Preload and Temper-Loc have proven to be a cost-effective time-saver when technicians set proper preload for wheel-end bearings, says Seth Barnes, senior manager, Brake & Wheel End Components for Meritor. Additional benefits include increased vehicle uptime by improving the life of tires, bearings, spindles and wheel seals, the company says.

“Doctor Preload and Temper-Loc also offer ergonomic advantages compared to the traditional torque-wrench method,” Barnes says.

When used together, the Doctor Preload bearing adjustment tool and the Temper-Loc single-locking nut system help customers meet the SAE J2535 optimal bearing setting of a light preload. Preload settings maintain a slight force on all rollers in tapered roller bearings to minimize vibration and angular movement in wheel-ends, the company says.

Doctor Preload tools are covered by a one-year warranty and Temper-Loc nuts are covered by a three-year warranty from the date of installation. Meritor says it is the exclusive North America distributor of Doctor Preload and Temper-Loc spindle nut.