Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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How important is it to regularly grease my truck? By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants clutch release system, universal joints, and the fifth wheel. Very important. One of the best ways to maintain your truck is to make sure it has been greased properly. Components that require greasing can include: wheel bearings, kingpins, tie rods, slack adjusters, brake cams, suspension bushings, Many different types of greases are suitable and can vary by application, however, some of the important properties that grease should include: Excellent resistance to water washout Protection against rust and corrosion Protection against wear under heavy loads The grease must also be usable at the operating and ambient temperatures at which the truck will operate. While we recommend following the guidelines of your truck's manufacturer for applying grease, there are some general tips you should follow: When applying grease through a grease fitting (zerk), be sure it's clean. Also clean the end of the grease gun or dispensing hose nozzle before starting. Apply the new grease until the old grease is forced out. But be careful not to use too much or apply under excessive pressure. Both of these can cause ruptures. If the new grease fails to flush out the old grease, check the part for damage. If a fitting does not accept lubrication due to some kind of stoppage, replace it with a new fitting. Excess grease should always be removed from fittings and other surfaces. There is a Shell Gadus® centralized chassis lubrication systems, wheel bearings, and fifth wheels, as well as multi-purpose chassis greases. The greases provide excellent heavy load carrying ability, oxidation stability, and rust protection. They perform well under the hard working conditions and stress of high temperatures, water wash-out, dirt, and contamination. grease for Be sure to grease your truck regularly, and you'll help keep it on the road for a long time. This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question? Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1-800-231-6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston, TX 77002. The term "Shell Lubricants" refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business. 108 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JUNE 2012 Excellent resistance to oil separation and softening due to mechanical action PREVENTABLE OR NOT? Pizza-panicked A Rotweiller Sr. Smurdley's Pizza Palace polluter pounces on Doe t high noon, comforted by a family-size bag of tasty celery sticks in the passenger seat, John Doe was driv- ing his straight truck eastbound on a sunny stretch of three-lane one-way Porkpie Parkway near Ferndock, Ala. Rolling along in the center lane, Doe noticed that the left lane was polluted by a haze of blue smoke. A forest fire, perhaps? Nope. The smoke was billowing from the rusty tailpipe of Mr. Joe Bob John Doe was unable to keep his truck from being struck by a car that cut into his lane without warning. Was this a prevent- able accident? 's slow-moving 1955 Buick Roadmaster sedan – a two-tone sorta-blue vehicle celebrating 182,763.9 miles of faithful service with an unquenchable thirst for SAE 10W-40. Doe closed his cab in self-defense and remained in the center lane, preparing to pass Rotweiller's antique convey- ance. At the same time, Rotweiller spied a sign that announced that Smurdley's Pizza Palace was two blocks ahead on the right. Temporarily demented by an all-consuming craving for one of Smurdley's pepperoni and double-cheese creations, Rotweiller zoomed into the center lane without using his turn signal, and WHUMMPPO! The center lane was occupied by Doe's truck, which incurred some minor dam- age to its left rear wheel well. Rotweiller's ride escaped unscathed. Since Doe contested the preventable-accident ruling from his safety di- rector, the National Safety Council's Accident Review Committee was asked to render a fi nal decision. NSC quickly ruled in Doe's favor, noting that he could not have anticipated a wild lane-changeover by the pizza-crazed Rotweiller. Write 257 on Reader Service Card or visit ccjdigital.com/info