October 2018 | VehicleServicePros.com 21
Additional considerations
In addition to items such as coolant heaters,
there are other considerations when specifying
a vehicle that can improve safety and driver
comfort. One such example is an air heater,
which warms the air inside the cab without
idling the vehicle’s engine.
“Air heaters can be installed to warm the truck’s
bunk or cab to provide heat to those open areas
without running the main
power unit,” says Webasto’s
Denny. “By using available
duct work, the heaters are
capable of directing heat to
specifi c areas or cargo spaces,
much like your typical
in-home furnace system.”
Using an air heater instead of
idling the vehicle’s engine can
save fl eets on fuel costs and
reduce engine wear and tear.
An additional item to
consider is the vehicle’s tires.
Tires should be visually
inspected for tread depth and
wear to ensure that they are
ready for winter’s slick roads.
TA’s Hogg suggests using a
tread depth gauge to check
each tire, and replacing tires
that are on the borderline or
beyond. Th e U.S. DOT specifi
es minimum legal tread
depths of 4/32” for steer tires
and 2/32” for all others, so it
would be advisable to replace
tires before reaching these
levels of wear.
Aside from tread depth, tire
pressure is also very important
to keep an eye on. According
to Meritor’s Hale, “the variance
in air temperatures with the
changing seasons can lower
tire pressure to damaging and
unsafe levels.”
Fleets should regularly
check tire pressure manually,
or specify or retrofi t an automatic
tire monitoring and
infl ation system. When using
a tire monitoring and infl ation
system, it is important to monitor
the functions and settings
for proper tire pressure.
In some applications, such
as snowy mountain passes,
proper tire tread depth may
not be enough to keep the
vehicle on the road. In these
cases, it is necessary to use
snow chains, which wrap
around the drive tires to
provide additional traction.
In some places, snow chains
are legally required during
inclement weather, making it
imperative to have them ready
and serviceable.
Conclusion
Overcoming Mother Nature has been an ongoing
human battle for ages. Technology has made
extreme weather conditions more and more
survivable, but there are still struggles, and nature
can still be deadly.
Jake Schell, associate product manager at
Mitchell 1 suggests providing an emergency kit
in case the vehicle becomes stranded because of
severe weather or breakdown. Hopefully, with a
properly equipped and maintained vehicle, this
will not be necessary, but it is always better to
be prepared.
Implementing proper and regular preventative
maintenance, establishing a winterization regimen
and specifying vehicles with appropriate
equipment can help keep drivers safe and vehicles
on the road.
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