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Light Vs Medium-Duty Truck Classifications

When you’ve got a class 8 heavy-duty truck, you know that you’ve got a heavy-duty truck. But light and medium-duty classifications for smaller trucks, RVs, and vocational vehicles can be trickier to distinguish – especially with slight discrepancies between numbers.

In the United States, trucks are classified on a scale of 1-8 depending on the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The higher the GVWR, the higher your vehicle classification is according to the current system.

Best Lighting For Heavy-Duty Trucks

Lighting equipment on vehicles is used by drivers daily; and as the days get shorter during the cooler months of the year, the need for highly visible lighting becomes increasingly more important. Truck drivers will find several different types of lighting when shopping for quality OEM headlights for their large trucks; but the most common types are halogen and LED. This leads to the debate that we are going to settle once and for all: Which is better for fleet vehicles: LED or halogen headlights? Keep reading to compare these common headlights.

Must-Haves for Truckers on the Road

When you put your rig on the road, there’s no telling how long you’ll be gone – a few days, a few weeks, or sometimes even a month at a time depending on the job. The life of a trucker has always meant extended time away from friends and family, and this year with the Coronavirus pandemic has been no exception as truckers from all over the country have stepped up to keep the medical, food, and paper supply chains moving.

Regardless of how long you’re going to be on the job, you have to be prepared with everything you’ll need to take care of yourself and your vehicle on the road. But what exactly should that entail? Some of these may be no-brainers, but there may also be some surprises or things you notoriously forget before you leave.

Starters VS. Alternators

Ask someone the difference between a starter and alternator, and he/she may look at you like you are crazy. After all, they are the same component, right? Wrong. While they are both integral parts of a vehicle’s electrical system, they perform different tasks. The job of the starter is to do just that: start the engine; while the alternator is the electrical force used to charge the battery – like your cell phone charger – and provide power when the engine is running.

Even though they are different parts, there remains confusion over these two electrical components. What is even more confusing is how you know when your starter is failing as opposed to your alternator. Keep reading to learn the signs of failing starters and alternators in heavy-duty trucks and how to test each one.

 Are You Taking Your U-Joints for Granted?

It’s time to talk about your u-joints for a few different reasons: 1. It’s going to be winter again before you know it, and if you’re located or driving in areas with heavy snow and ice, you’re going to want to make sure your drivetrain is ready. 2. U-joints are one of those smaller components that are easy to forget about but are by no means unimportant.

If you were told to list five parts on your truck that are responsible for it being able to move, chances are the u-joints wouldn’t be among the first parts that come to mind. But u-joints have been a necessary and essential component since the very first cars were invented, and your vehicle wouldn’t get very far without them.

Air Brakes On Commercial Vehicles

Most of today’s commercial fleet drivers choose to drive heavy-duty vehicles with air brake systems; and it is no wonder why: air brakes are cost-effective; environmentally friendly and more reliable than traditional braking systems. These drivers rely on clean air filters in their system to protect their vehicles avoid brake failure; and to ensure that the system works properly, drivers trust air dryers to rid harmful pollutants, such as oil and moisture, that can potentially reach the supply tank and damage air valves; air brakes and even the engine.

Keep reading to learn when it is time to replace the air dryer in vehicles with air brake systems plus the warning signs of a failing air dryer.

Am I Driving with Bad Shocks?

Shocks are an integral component of a truck’s suspension system and help to keep vehicles grounded. Without shocks, both drivers and vehicles are put at risk of injury due to bouncing and swaying of vehicles on uneven terrain. Like other truck parts, shocks get worn out and need to be replaced; but when is a good time to do it? Keep reading to learn how long shock absorbers last on heavy-duty trucks and the warning signs of worn-out shocks.

Why You Need to Know the Difference Between Brake Lights and Taillights

For a seasoned trucker or fleet owner, talking about what makes a brake light different from a taillight may seem like going back to kindergarten, but there’s a good reason to have awareness of both types of lighting — it’s easy to assume they’re always working and also easy to miss if they’re not.

Even though your brake and taillights may live together under the same globe or cover, and U.S. law dictates that they both must be red to be compliant with Department of Transportation standards, these are two different lights with two different jobs. And knowing what they are and what to keep in mind when you need a replacement can help save you some uptime and money.

Are Shocks the Same As Struts?

Struts and shocks are both integral components of a truck’s suspension system; and while the trucking terms may seem interchangeable, the two parts have completely different functions – even though they share the same end goal. It is important to note that not all commercial vehicles have both struts and shocks. Some vehicles only have shocks. Some may only have struts; but that does not mean that one component is better than the other. So, what is the real difference between struts and shocks? We’re going to put the confusion to rest once and for all. Keep reading to learn the functions of struts and shocks as well as when to replace them on your heavy-duty truck.

Meritor OE and Aftermarket Brands

Whether you’re out driving a truck or maintaining a fleet of them, chances are you’re familiar with Meritor. A powerhouse in both the OE and aftermarket, Meritor doesn’t just have one specialty — they are a global supplier of axle, brake, and suspension solutions for both the transportation and industrial sectors.

Meritor Genuine parts are well-known in the industry for being the same parts that are used on OEM equipment and installed on brand new trucks on the assembly line. This brand is renowned for its genuine performance on new vehicles and vehicles that are still under warranty, but what many fleet owners don’t realize is that Meritor has more brands in the aftermarket than you may realize.