TSI Western Star Youngstown OH 330 538 3850

Broompilot · Feb 15, 2006

Upon a recomendation from an earlier Poster probably back in September. Thanks for the refrence to whom ever.

TSI installed a new Pro-Heat on my second truck and did a great job, time installing was done on promised schedule... Talked into great detail regarding ALL of the problems I have encountered on the one on the truck I drive (326) to many problems to list. They promised me that in February update kit would be available and to bring it in after than.

Last Monday I took it over there (in the area) to just see if maybee they could get it in. They were busy but somehow if I would be patient they could start on it that afternoon. Well that evening they finished at about 6:00pm. I was delighted not to be tied up another day and a great run offer came available that evening so it worked out GREAT.

They did at least seven updates New air intake shroud, newe breaker and capacitor, new ground wires to starter, new alternator jumper, new overheat switch and connector new starter connector new tensioner new louvers. This unit is now working as I had always wanted it to.

My hat off to the person who posted this company as a great place to do business with. Even with all of the bad comments made by me and others who own Pro-Heat they really stepped up to the plate to make me a satisfied customer. Very happy to have a company stand behind its suppliers mistakes and make good. Also TSI for taking care of me and carring that I am satisfied and an open invitation to come back should I encounter any further problems....

If you are in the market for an APU unit others are available for less and more but no one is going to stand behind there product like these folks have. Thanks again Pro Heat and also TSI.

Kraig Allen aka Broompilot

ATeam · Feb 15, 2006

Bill Moore and his crew at TSI Western Star have made a lot of friends and even some new truck customers by being generator-service heros, and fixing problems that others seemed unable to fix. If you are having a string of frustrating generator problems and are about to give your generator the old heave-ho, don't give up hope before checking with these folks.

Now driving a fleet owner's Western Star truck purchased at TSI, Diane and I have been there a couple times for service. The difference between TSI and most Freightliner dealers we have been to is night and day.

TSI began as a truck and trailer shop and became a Western Star dealer later in its history. They do a fair amount of work on a variety of truck makes and models. They are located near the junction of I-80 and I-76 in Ohio, a bit west from from Youngstown. Pilot and TA truck stops are nearby. A local guy runs a one-van taxi service. He can shuttle you to nearby hotels at a reasonable rate. His cards are on the service desk at TSI.

TSI WESTERN STAR
800-388-3850
330-538-3850
385 South Bailey Road, North Jackson, Ohio 44451

Doggie Daddy · Feb 19, 2006

BP, i beleive that was me that made the latest recommendation of TSI.
But i can't take all the credit, because as i said in my post it was Geo that put me on to these guys. They really do do great work, and seem to understand the fact that you need your truck back in a hurry.

BTW, when i went to pick up my truck your other truck was in the service bay to get the pro heat installed. NICE RIDE!!!

Broompilot · Feb 20, 2006

Thanks Doggie Daddy, I appriciate the tip, sent both TSI and Pro-Heat a copy of the post just to let them know how satisfied with the work performed on the unit, and to show them that I found the service VIA E/O.

ATeam · Feb 21, 2006

I have a reason to troublesoot a ProHeat unit today. The unit on our truck um... broke. We're running at the moment and deliver later today. At that point, I'll go after it to see what I can find.

The manual for the unit is not in our truck and our fleet owner suspects it disappeared with one of his drivers once upon a time. I was delighted to discover online ProHeat downloadable manuals. They are very well organized, written, and diagramed. For someone who is mechanically inclined and owns a Volt/Amp/Ohm meter, such manuals may save you a service call if the problem turns out to be something as simple as a breaker switch or defective capacitor. The avilability of such documentation is a big plus in ProHeat's favor.

See: http://www.proheat.com/PDF/Gen4_Manual.PDF

and: http://www.proheat.com/INFO/info.htm

This circumstance also illustrates the value of having internet access in your truck. A manual obtainable online while you are out on the road might save you the cost of a service call.

ATeam · Feb 22, 2006

Well, the ProHeat fix turned out to be straightforward. Removing the covers revealed the problem. There are two belts on the unit. One of them had given up the ghost. Being in Orlando, I called the local ProHeat dealer to see if they had the belt in stock and time to fix the unit. The call was transfered to their "ProHeat guy" who answered yes to both questions.

With 2 B-units, 0 C-units, 8 D-units (not counting us) and 1 E-unit on the board at Orlando, I figured I'd have time to change the belt myself but before I even got the covers back on the ProHeat, a load offer came in; $2,000 and change to pick up the next morning in St. Pete and drive straight through to Ohio. That's the difference a reefer can make. It gets you moving when other trucks sit.

Even the most straightforward parking ot truck fixes can turn into something more than anticipated. The load made the decision for us; we'd get the unit fixed at the dealer. We went there, were in and out in an hour, and were on our way. The "PrhHeat guy" came off another job to do ours. That was no problem for him, he said, as he had 100 units to install on 100 brand new trucks. If he wasn't the ProHeat guy before he began that project, he surely will be when he is done.

The ProHeat on our truck is a ProHeat I.C.E. model, built in 2002. It's worked pretty well in this truck, which has an 84" factory sleeper. The newer units are called ProHeat Gen4 (generation 4, I presume). The newer units are greatly improved from the old. The case is larger to provide more room to inspect and service the unit. All common maintenance items are "right there" as the ProHeat guy said. He was running in a newly-installed unit. It ran quieter than the older model and as quiet as any generator I've ever heard on a truck, excpet Onan.

In my opinion, ProHeat is worthy of consideration by anyone considering a generator purchase and wishes to heat, cool, and provide AC power to a factory sleeper. I'd think twice and pay close attention to output capacities of competing products before using it on a larger custom sleeper.

Broompilot · Feb 24, 2006

After 100 hours check the tension on the belts they have a tendancy to slip and thus make the unit loud. After that they should be OK for 100s of hours, I do change my belts twice a year no matter what. Napa also sells the belts, but do not use the NAPA filters only use Kabota or otherwise they leak, (some will) not worth the trouble of $2 savings to find out. I found out the hard way.

Speedco does a great oil change special for under $20.