{"id":2496,"date":"2020-09-08T20:48:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T20:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quicktransportsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=2496"},"modified":"2020-09-08T20:48:19","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T20:48:19","slug":"the-technicians-log-rapid-diagnosis-and-assessing-drive-lines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quicktransportsolutions.com\/blog\/the-technicians-log-rapid-diagnosis-and-assessing-drive-lines\/","title":{"rendered":"The Technician\u2019s Log: Rapid Diagnosis and Assessing Drive-lines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to our latest installment of The Technician\u2019s Log, the QuickTSI blog deep dive into topics that fleet technicians will benefit from. In today\u2019s blog, we are going to look at a couple different factors both related to big rig maintenance. First up, we are going to examine how to conduct rapid maintenance diagnosis. Because the last thing you need or want is a broken-down rig because you did not catch something fast enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No matter what you order, a truck ships it or hauls it,\nincluding people. From food to public transportation and medical supplies \u2013\ncommercial vehicles carry the lifeblood of the nation from city to city. With\nso many miles on the road, how do you quickly diagnose a problem before it\nturns into something major? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Closer Look at Rapid Diagnosis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to maintenance, just about any fleet technician\u2019s\ngoal is to ensure quick, efficient, and effective service. For a fleet that\nruns its own shops, the question of maintaining an efficient maintenance\nprogram is critical. Even those who outsource must hold their vendors\naccountable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the trucking sector, the phrase \u201ctime is\nmoney\u201d is never more appropriate. The fact is this: For every second that your\nrigs are not hauling freight is revenue lost. A lot of your maintenance-related\nneeds are causally related to downtime, and unplanned maintenance specifically.\nAnd when unplanned maintenance occurs, and your truck must be taken into the\nshop, the best result is a proper diagnosis, a complete repair, and an\nefficient process from beginning to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem usually starts from the diagnosis. Imagine all\nthe hours wasted in your shop on an incorrect diagnosis. And this is wasted\ntime even before the repair has begun. So, you are already incurring costs even\nbefore a wrench has been picked up. Now, the ultimate question is, how do you\nensure a quick and correct diagnosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key is to keep a complete accounting of truck repair\ninformation. The last thing you want to do is just throw parts at a problem. If\nthere is any definition of wasted money, that is it. The good news is modern\ntrucks have advanced diagnostic systems that remove human error from the\nequation. Still, they must have the right tools to do the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take electrical issues as one example. Trucks are more\ncomplex than ever before, especially in the electrical systems. This makes\nwiring diagrams even more difficult to assess and diagnose. If you must trace a\ncircuit out in the diagram, it may take you a while. Fortunately, vendors exist\nthat provide interactive wiring diagrams. This allows technicians to click on\nspecific components within the wiring structure. From pop-up menus to\ninteractive selections, you no longer must rely on a paper and pencil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow a Set Process<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efficient shops go through a series or proper steps once a\nproblem is identified. The problem is, in heavy duty shops, repairs may take\nquite a long time, from a couple hours to a few days. Efficient shops utilize\ntriage lanes to prioritize repairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most important repairs are the first to leave the shop.\nJobs that take less than a couple hours to complete should have their own\nstall. This ensures those jobs are moving through the shop quickly and not\ngetting stuck behind trucks that may have gotten there sooner but will take\ndays to fix. The last thing you want is a bottleneck in your shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also consider the repair software you are using. With so many technological solutions available to modern trucking companies<\/a>, your shop should be taking full advantage of them. You can use advanced repair software to take the guesswork out of a job. Consider that guesswork adds up over the course of a day, week, or month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repair software make repairs easier to line up. Once a root cause is identified, a shop technician can immediately begin the correct repair procedure based on what is input into the system. Repair software can also be used to ensure a repair is done directly. You can pull up diagrams, switch out parts, and assess what needs to be done first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shop technicians can access images and photos of components\nand their locations. Augmented\nreality<\/a> provides a 3D image technicians can use to investigate the problem\nand find a solution. Technicians can assess testing procedures and potential\nrepair timelines. User-friendly interfaces provide intuitive ways for\ntechnicians to diagnose tough problems. This way they can better plan their\nday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being able to look up repair procedures in advance is\ncritical to getting the job done right the first time. This allows shop technicians\nto assess what tools, skill level, or equipment is needed to get a job done. Do\nyou need a wheel or a brake disc? Knowing ahead of time prevents bottlenecks.\nFleet owners should seriously ponder investing in rapid diagnostic software to\nsave both time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Importance of Your Drivetrain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next up in our latest entry in our Technician\u2019s Log series,\nwe are going to discuss whether you should consider a preassembled driveline\nassembly in your heavy-duty trucks. The drive train is the workhorse of the\nvehicle, providing the foundation for the torque that spins the wheels. Shop\ntechnicians needs to be sure they service and rebuild drivetrains in as\nefficiently and effectively as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider that there are many different components that make\nup a drivetrain. From the driveshaft to the universal joints and other related\ncomponents \u2013 the drivetrain is not a simple piece of machinery. To keep your\ncommercial motor vehicles on the road and your business humming, you need to\nprevent the failure of any one of the parts that comprise the drivetrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most tractors and buses run in a rear-wheel drive\nconfiguration. This is the most common type of drivetrain used in the trucking\nand transportation sectors. Rear-wheel drivetrains are composed of a long drive\nshaft that connects via universal joints to the transmission on one end and extends\nalong the full length of the vehicle to a rear differential on the other end. As\nthis driveshaft turns, the rear wheels turn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may all seem like common knowledge to a technician\nreading the Technician\u2019s Log, the drivetrain should be looked at from a nuanced\nperspective. The driveshaft and rear differential are important, but how about\nthe universal joint? Have you taken a moment to consider how important the\nuniversal joint is in avoiding unnecessary downtime and keeping your truck\ndrivers safe? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaking and vibrations that come from underneath the truck\ncould be a sign of worn out universal joints. Of course, tires can also be a\nsource of unwanted vibrations, but tire vibrations can generally be associated\nwith the speed of the vehicle. When a universal joint is worn out, the\nvibrations will be constant no matter the speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep a Keen Eye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technicians needs to keep a keen eye and ear on signs of\ndrivetrain damage. In many cases, truck drivers will be the first to report\nthese problems. Listen for the dreaded clunking noise. That could represent\ndriveshaft or universal joint damage. If a tractor gives a good shudder when\nunder hard acceleration, a loose universal joint could be the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also need to pay attention squeaking noises at low\nspeed. This could mean you have insufficient grease levels in your universal\njoint. Low grease levels generate more problems down the driveline. Not only\ncould a broken drivetrain put a vehicle out of service, it represents an\nunnecessary safety risk to your truck drivers, other drivers on the road and your\nequipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contamination is also a big risk. Since it is not practical to take apart a universal joint and lubricate it, you want to keep contamination at bay as much as possible. The problem is that it is quite common for water and mud to get past the seal in the universal joint an degrease fitting. When contamination occurs, the joint is likely to fail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you want to ensure you aren\u2019t spending a ton of time and\nmoney on failing universal joints and other drivetrain components, you need to\nensure proper preventative maintenance. Also keep in mind the conditions the\nvehicle is operated in. Teach your truck drives how to be alert for potential\ndrivetrain problems. If they know the warning signs, technicians can keep the\ntrucks on the road! Whether it be through rapid response maintenance software\nor proper drivetrain repair and analysis, shop technicians have many tools at\ntheir disposal!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to our latest installment of The Technician\u2019s Log, the QuickTSI blog deep dive into topics that fleet technicians will benefit from. In today\u2019s blog, we are going to look at a couple different factors both related to big rig maintenance. First up, we are going to examine how to conduct rapid maintenance diagnosis. Because … Read moreThe Technician\u2019s Log: Rapid Diagnosis and Assessing Drive-lines<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trucking"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Technician\u2019s Log: Rapid Diagnosis and Assessing Drive-lines - Quick Transport Solutions Trucking Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/quicktransportsolutions.com\/blog\/the-technicians-log-rapid-diagnosis-and-assessing-drive-lines\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Technician\u2019s Log: Rapid Diagnosis and Assessing Drive-lines - Quick Transport Solutions Trucking Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Welcome to our latest installment of The Technician\u2019s Log, the QuickTSI blog deep dive into topics that fleet technicians will benefit from. 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