Winter wear and tear

[pearlpro]

After a Brutal long 3 week span of which I went from Nebraska to Pennsylvania and back three times, then Ohio, and Wisconsin, Chicago and I 80 Runs back and forth in the worst nasty slush, Calcium Chloride Overload, Rock Salt and Bumpy Unplowed roads my truck cried uncle. Went to Neely Coble down in Nashville and had to have the Front Brakes completely rebuilt, steering parts greased, and cleaned....The Service manager asks HAS YOUR TRUCK BEEN UNDERWATER....Duh its been run through the Below zero cold, water, snow, Ice , Chemicals and lots and lots of miles.....all on roads that were unplowed, mostly just tracks down the highway....

Super Bowl Sunday in Three Rivers MI and it snowed about 15 Inches we motored down the road and got back to the Big Road.....

Trucks fixed and had roller pins,springs, pins and brake shoes that were SIEZED and frozen, slack adjusters that were siezed, Grease flushed out...and we do regular maintenance intervals, Grease and Lube, and inspections....but that weather was Brutal and how much SALT is too much salt... and my Poor Freightliner was worked pretty hard, I was thankful on 34 degree below zero days it purred all night and kept me warm....I kept the Power Service on hand in the tanks and only got one BAD tank of fuel, replaced fuel filters and down the road we went.....Safe and WARM, now with some Lucas Red and some new parts well hope they dont suffer the same fate....GO AWAY WINTER.

 

[BobWolf]

I run the northeast based in Holley N.Y., about midpont betwene Rochester and Buffalo and Home of the infamous Anual Hazard County Squirrel Slam. Actualy the Holley F.D. fundraiser went well and Holley is based in Orleans County.

Anyway I run Castrol Pyroplex Blue verry tacky and dosent wash outt even holds up to truck washes. Lube the truck go a couple weeks and lube again to make sure the older grease is flushed. local/regional my complete lubes are apx 6,000miles appart as compared to 3000 miles. I can run it out longer but grease is cheaper than parts. This past summer I ran 10,000 miles withous any issue I just hit the U joints, the kingipns, and thrust bearings
Running O.T.R. Im sure you can easily run 15000 to 20000 miles when all the older lube is gone and its all pyroplex. Make sure you hafe on gloves and have a few plastic bags and shop rags as this stuff will cling to everything. You might need to hit the kingpin thrust bearing and U joints mid way when just to be safe till you know they are holding the lube.

 

[Moot]

After a Brutal long 3 week span of which I went from Nebraska to Pennsylvania and back three times, then Ohio, and Wisconsin, Chicago and I 80 Runs back and forth in the worst nasty slush, Calcium Chloride Overload, Rock Salt and Bumpy Unplowed roads my truck cried uncle. Went to Neely Coble down in Nashville and had to have the Front Brakes completely rebuilt, steering parts greased, and cleaned....The Service manager asks HAS YOUR TRUCK BEEN UNDERWATER....Duh its been run through the Below zero cold, water, snow, Ice , Chemicals and lots and lots of miles.....all on roads that were unplowed, mostly just tracks down the highway....

...and we do regular maintenance intervals, Grease and Lube, and inspections....but that weather was Brutal and how much SALT is too much salt...

Maybe you should increase the frequency of your maintenance intervals. Three weeks of poor road conditions and bad weather should not have taken that severe of a toll on your truck's components. Also, when having your truck washed, make sure they wash more than just the shiny side or do it yourself. A low pressure wash and rinse will keep the underside clean and remove nasty road chemical residue.

Road chemicals will eventually damage components and corrode the frame if left unchecked, but it takes many winters and inadequate maintenance and washing schedules.

 

[BobWolf]

What moot said too.
There are allot of cheap low quality greases out there and alot of decent shops trying to stay open are unfortunately looking at the price tag before the the quality. When I know I will be out for a while I carry a few tubes of Pyroplex and a grease gun and hit the fittings myself and in the rare instance somone services the ball joints I ask them to ues my lube. STAY AWAY FROM WALMART BRAND LUBE ITS JUNK. washes out almost instantly.
Try this site
Castrol USA - Castrol Pyroplex Blue

 

[aquitted]

Is that pyroplex an E.P. grease? (Extreme Pressure)

 

[BobWolf]

Yes, its a high pressure lube, My brother says he uses it as fifth wheel grease.
I think the propriotary active ingredient must be superglue the way this stuff clings to the components and wont wash out.
It is used alot with mining equipment as it holds up and it flows good even when cold as well so slacks, cams, U joints, and steering nuckles operate smoothly. The company my brother drives for uses this product and also distribute oils and lubes. and operates as a regional and OTR truckload carrier so I think they have some street creddit if they say a product works.

Click the web link to the Castrol site.

Bob Wolf.

 

[aquitted]

sounds like good stuff i'l have to pick up A case thanks for sharing. I also was taught to grease the chassis every 5,000 miles.

 

[pearlpro]

Ill definetely be buying some of this product, Ive used Lucas Red and Tacky for years but I am a Castrol user on Oil....It was some extreme weather to be sure and Our Maintenance is done at 12,500 for OIL, LUBE and FUEL filters....its a 2007 Truck but in excellent shape and well maintained, I will add a Grease Gun to my tool box this weekend, I had intended to buy one but the weather came and then it was too sloppy to get under there....Ill be Lubing these Items now at 5000 Mile Intervals for grease....and Yes I usually have the Undercarrigae washed at the Blue Beacons I use.

I like a clean truck so as soon as the Muck is gone Im washing it, Ill start greasing as well as polishing too, I see this Greae at Rural King near me, added ASAP...

 

[Slo-Ride]

One of the best things in my tool box for the truck..At the very least my front axle and steering components gets a shot once a week. Takes about 10 minutes to climb under and do the whole truck start to finish,front to back. (Not counting clean-up) Well worth every penny I paid for it.

Workforce® 12 Volt Battery Powered Grease Gun - 3951195 | Tractor Supply Company

 

[pearlpro]

Hmmm one of my buddys wife is a GM at TS Ill bet I can get a discount, I carry a small Dewalt Lithium drill for use to Polish and wax it works wonders, what took hours now takes MINUTES...

 

[Slo-Ride]

Hmmm one of my buddys wife is a GM at TS Ill bet I can get a discount, I carry a small Dewalt Lithium drill for use to Polish and wax it works wonders, what took hours now takes MINUTES...

When I bought mine I believe it was 80 or 90 dollars? No Idea what it is priced out at now. My nephew runs/works at one and got me a very good discount on a generator for the van. She will save ya some money for sure. They seem to be good to their employees with that discount.

 

[EasyDoesIt]

When I bought mine I believe it was 80 or 90 dollars? No Idea what it is priced out at now. My nephew runs/works at one and got me a very good discount on a generator for the van. She will save ya some money for sure. They seem to be good to their employees with that discount.

Listed at $99.00 on their website using my WI zip code.

 

[Moot]

Another option to a 12volt electric or a manual grease gun is a pneumatic grease gun. Bob Caffee plumbed their old truck (not sure about the new one) with a standard air fitting to use air tools and for inflating tires.

 

[aquitted]

If I was greasing alot of trucks i would have me A 12v one but with 1 truck and every 5,000 miles i can't justify the extra expense so I will stick withthe hand pump usually i have plenty of time to kill when doing this and not trying to get done quickly. Mrs Aquitted agrees with this.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Don't think I didn't grease a xtra truck or two while sitting from time to time..@ $15-20 for just the tractor I have had plenty of free buffays all compliments of other O/O. And @ that price I don't touch the greasy nasty fifth wheel.
I don't know bout the hand gun,,always a pain in the butt trying to hold hose and pumping the handle while laying on your back..But yes it does work.
With the time saved you will have plenty of time to give Mrs.Aquitted a well deserved rest while you clean the house in between loads.

Then for when ya really want to get lazy and have money to burn here is another system that works and is just another option for some parts of the truck. These systems do require you to keep close eye on them to make sure everything is taking grease. 1 of many styles below but plenty of different models to choose from.
Automatic Greasing Systems: FLO Components – Questions to ask when buying an Auto Lube System: automatic lubrication system, central lubrication system, automatic greasing systems, autogreaser