The main reason to perform preventive maintenance (PM) on your customers’ medium-duty vehicles is to ensure they operate safely. In addition, these inspections will allow you to find and repair any minor problems before they cause a major breakdown.
But how do you determine what a proper maintenance schedule is for a medium-duty truck?
According to Dick Von Lehman, PACCAR Parts national sales and marketing manager-Peterbilt TruckCare Services, there are five factors to consider when determining the appropriate maintenance interval for your customer.
“The first is the vehicle application, which includes things like annual mileage and seasonal blips.”
Von Lehman explained that a vehicle that operates in a construction application in the northeast may be idle for as many as three to four months out of a year.
“In that case you should set the maintenance schedule to start before the construction season begins to make sure the vehicle is ready for service. Then pick a mid-point in the season for another inspection and perhaps another at the end of the season.”
A second factor is the recommendations of the component and vehicle manufacturers. “For example, if the engine manufacturer says to inspect the engine every 8000 miles, that is a driving factor in setting up a PM interval.”
According to Steve Ellison, director of field service, Freightliner, LLC, “These maintenance procedures and intervals have information such as lubrication procedures and tables, fluid replacement procedures, fluid capacities, specifications, procedures for making adjustments and checking the tightness of fasteners.”
Recommended maintenance practices are developed based on input from service engineering, reliability engineering and design engineering, he explained.
Legal requirements also must be factored in. There is the required annual Department of Transportation inspection for medium-duty trucks, although some states require an additional inspection.
The distance the vehicle travels from its homebase as well as whether it returns home every night also need to be considered. “Longer duty cycles may mean more rigorous service and that may call for an additional inspection,” Von Lehman said.
“The last thing to look at is the related equipment on the vehicle-booms, lifts, etc. Those items need to be scheduled for maintenance as well.”
Larry Schultz, vice president of service operations, Nissan Diesel, believes it is important to understand the customer’s mileage on a monthly and annual basis when setting up a PM program. In addition, you need to look at the climate and terrain he operates in.
Considering climate is important because if the vehicle is operating in a high altitude, more carbon may get in the crankcase oil because of unburned fuel, Schultz explained. If the vehicle is operating in mountainous terrain, the engine, brakes, suspensions and clutches will be working harder and therefore will need to be inspected more frequently.
You also need to look at what is being hauled, whether the vehicle is loaded both ways, if it is in a declining load situation and if the vehicle is maxing out on gross vehicle weight (GVW).
“If you have a customer whose vehicle is loaded both ways to GVW, that means that the spring system, tires and brakes are working to their full potentials. If it is a declining load where he starts at 25,900 lbs. but by the time he gets to 50% of his delivery route he is down to 20,000 lbs., then the foundation equipment-the brakes, tires, clutch and engine-all are working less than they would be in a fully-loaded condition,” Schultz said.
Another factor is whether he is in a short-haul or long-haul operation. Schultz explained that today it is not that unusual to see a medium-duty vehicle running 70,000 miles a year. “And that will call for different maintenance requirements than a vehicle operating 30,000 to 35,000 miles a year.”
In addition, the driver plays a role in determining maintenance intervals. “You need to determine if the customer has a good driver check system so that instead of beating on the tires in the morning, he actually checks the fluids and does a walkaround inspection.”
Once you have determined the proper maintenance interval, you need to establish a checklist of items that must be inspected at each scheduled interval.
Von Lehman believes a proper PM inspection for a medium-duty truck is not too different from that of a heavy-duty vehicle. “You need to check the lube and oil levels as well as the filters per the manufacturers’ recommendations. At least twice a year, do a complete inspection of the vehicle, which includes checking brake lining thickness and the condition of the brake drum.”
Schultz added, “Basically you have to check all the fluids, change the engine oil and oil filter, and depending on the miles that the vehicle typically runs, change the transmission fluid.”
He continued, “Then there are items like coolant, power steering, brakes and air reservoirs that need to be checked and drained.” Even if the customer is using an extended-life coolant, it should be checked to make sure that it has the proper rust inhibitors and that it is offering adequate cold weather protection, he added.
In a vehicle equipped with an air compressor, make sure that it is not putting out an excessive amount of moisture and check for signs of oil. Also inspect and adjust the clutch as needed and check brake linings and belts and hoses.
One area of the vehicle that often gets overlooked is the suspension. According to Schultz, in certain parts of the country the roads are filled with pot holes which take their toll on springs and bushings. If your customer drives in an area with poor road conditions, make sure to check spring leaves for cracks and the bushings for any possible signs of wear.
The radiator is another area that may be forgotten in a PM inspection. “You can get oil buildup from the road and debris can get into the fins which can cause the front of the radiator and the back of the intercooler to become blocked. This will affect the vehicle’s performance,” Schultz said.
Also, do not forget to check something as simple as the effectiveness of the windshield wiper blades. “Every truck that comes in for service probably can use a new set of rubber blades,” he said.
Ellison said that Freightliner has seen instances of cabin air filters being neglected. He advised service writers to make sure they communicate clearly with drivers about what work needs to be done.
While heavy-duty trucks and medium-duty trucks are different, the expectations of their owners are not. According to Von Lehman, owners of medium-duty trucks expect service to be hassle free. “They want after-hour service, on-site service and mobile service.”
He added, “Medium-duty customers want a dependable vehicle, one that will be available every day. They do not want to take time out of their work day to get the vehicle serviced.”
According to Von Lehman, medium-duty truck owners do not expect to have to do much maintenance on their vehicles. “Like with their cars, they think all they have to do is get their oil changed.”
In many instances the management of the medium-duty truck is a small part of the job for someone whose job may include other responsibilities. “Many medium-duty operations are places with satellite operations and the branch manager is responsible for keeping the lights on and the shelves stocked in addition to taking care of a few trucks.
“Therefore, they need some expert support. They have to rely on someone to see that their vehicles are maintained properly,” Von Lehman said.
Schultz agreed that after-hour service is important to the medium-duty customer. “They often deliver to retail customers so they want to get their vehicles serviced at times when retail customers do not accept deliveries.”
Another important factor for medium-duty truck owners is to have any maintenance completed properly the first time. “In addition, the availability of vehicles for daily rental is attractive to these customers, so if the maintenance work runs longer than an evening, they can have access to a vehicle for the next day’s deliveries,” Schultz said.
Medium-duty customers expect the service provider to have the expertise to correctly and quickly service the vehicles, according to Ellison. “This means having parts in stock, having adequate service capacity, keeping parts stocked locally and having properly trained technicians and the right tools.”
Ultimately, being successful in providing PM services for medium-duty truck customers is to focus on medium-duty trucks. “Make sure you have the right parts on the shelf and the right people who can fix these types of vehicles,” Von Lehman said.
“Your success depends on having a dedicated focus on the medium-duty customer. These customers do not expect anything to go wrong with their vehicles and they don’t expect to have to replace any parts until something breaks.”
Part of your job will be educating them about the value of proper preventive maintenance.
Tech Tip
At every preventive maintenance inspection, make sure that you completely check over the entire vehicle. Start with a visual inspection to look for any obvious leaks and worn or damaged components.
Develop a checklist of items that will be inspected every time a vehicle is in for a preventive maintenance inspection.
Here is a list of items to consider putting on your preventive maintenance check list. This is not an exhaustive list. Add to the list depending on your customers’ needs.
- Test all accessories
- Check the parking and service brakes
- Check the clutch
- Look at the wheels and tires for wear
- Check the batteries
- Look for fluid leaks including coolant, fuel, oil and brake fluid
- Check all fluid levels
- Inspect belts and hoses
- Check suspension components and shock absorbers
- Inspect lights and reflectors
- Road test the vehicle to check the engine, transmission and brakes
Service Secret
One way to help your medium-duty truck customers get comfortable with bringing their vehicles to you is to offer menu pricing. According Larry Schultz, vice president of service operations, Nissan Diesel, menu pricing allows a customer to see at a glace that maintenance on a certain size truck is going to cost a certain amount of money.
“The menu system will show what is included in the preventive maintenance package,” he said.
In addition, menu pricing affords you the opportunity to offer different levels of service to your customer. “You have a basic package and another package that offers more services and will be priced higher.”
He added, “A price menu is extremely important because you have to be able to gain the customer’s trust.” And knowing what something will cost beforehand will help ease your customer’s mind.
