BUSRide March / April 2017

MARCH / APRIL.2017

BUSRIDE.COM

THE EXCLUSIVE MAINTENANCE RESOURCE FOR THE TRANSIT AND MOTORCOACH INDUSTRY

Bus tires & wheels p7

New products & services p3 | Industry update p4

FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

Bendix: Don’t cut corners with rebuilt parts

busride.com VOL. 07 • NO. 3

Richard Tackett Editor in Chief rtackett@busride.com David Hubbard Associate Publisher dhubbard@busride.com

As part of the Bendix Tech Tips series originally published in 2014, Henry Foxx, director of remanufactured parts for Bendix, Elyria, OH, offered some tips to the public on getting the most value from remanufactured components. There’s never a bad time to revisit these tips, and we’ll recap them here: “Selecting quality remanufactured parts begins with the right sourcing – knowing what to look for, and knowing what questions to ask the part supplier,” Foxx writes. “And among the first and most crucial things to learn is whether you’re dealing with a true parts remanufacturer or a rebuilder.”

Parts remanufacturers replace or repair the part’s components so that it once again meets OEM standards. Parts rebuilders don’t hold themselves to the same stringent standards, often only cleaning or repainting the components to subOEM specs.

Stephen Gamble Art Director sgamble@busride.com Joyce Guzowski Assistant Editor jguzowski@busride.com Judi Victor CEO & Publisher Director of Sales jvfly@busride.com

Bendix and Foxx offer the following questions to ask of potential remanufacturing partners: • Do they replace non-salvageable or irreparable components with new?

• Do they replace wear components 100 percent of the time?

• What type of tests do they conduct to validate the performance of their parts?

• How do they support the product through warranties and/or service needs?

Mitch Larson Business Manager mlarson@busride.com Blair McCarty Sr. Sales and Marketing Coordinator bmccarty@busride.com

Maintenance and fleet managers will do well to stay cognizant of these kinds of tips coming from OEMs. Whether they manufacture parts or vehicles, these companies have a keen business interest in educating their customers about smart buying decisions. Advice like this from Bendix and other OEMs can ensure that your garage stays stocked with performance-tested parts backed by reliable OEM post-sale support.

Richard Tackett Editor in Chief BUSRide Maintenance Magazine

A publication of:

CONTENTS

MARCH / APRIL 2017

ON THE COVER:

By Christopher W. Ferrone

DEPARTMENTS From the Editor in Chief Products and Services Maintenance Update

2 3 4

Hollie Broadbent Marketing & Sales Associate hbroadbent@busride.com BUS INDUSTRY SAFETY COUNCIL

Find out more and read the entirety of the Bendix Tech Tips series at Bendix.com.

Where does the rubber from tire wear go?

Scott Bracken Senior Account Executive sbracken@busride.com

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BUSRide Maintenance Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, STE 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 busridemaintenance.com BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine is published eight times annually by Power Trade Media, a division of The Producers, Inc., 4742 N. 24th Street, Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Subscription rates for non-qualified subscribers, single issue prices and pricing for reprints of 100 or more are available from: info@busride. com. All articles in BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. Copyright 2016 by Power Trade Media. No advertisement, sponsorship or description or reference to a product or service will be deemed an endorsement by Power Trade Media, and no warranty is made or implied. Information is obtained from sources the editors believe reliable, accurate and timely, but is not guaranteed, and Power Trade Media is not responsible for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed in BUSRide Maintenance™ Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or sponsors or advertisers. Content addressing legal, tax and other technical issues is not intended as professional advice and cannot be relied on as such; readers should consult with their own professional advisors.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Luminator advances onboard displays Luminator announced that it now offers three sizes of INFOtransit Onboard Displays for mass transit vehicle infotainment. These high-resolution display screens are incredibly vivid and are available in 18.5, 21.5, and 29-inch sizes. They are the key visual component of Luminator’s INFOtransit® passenger information system, which provides mass transit operator passengers with route and next stop information as well as customized local advertising of businesses, promotions, and events.

The operator can easily configure passenger route information with customizable fonts, colors, texts, and pictures for stop sequence, transfer information, and line sequence at selectable positions on the screen.

Multimedia advertising (videos, pictures and text) can be combined and shown with selected lines, destinations, routes, and stops. The passenger route information and advertising can be displayed on completely separate screens if so desired.

Luminator Technology Group Plano, TX

L&L Products elastomeric adhesive improves worker safety L&L Products recently announced its development an elastomeric adhesive, A-J215, that a leading bus OEM, which L&L did not name, is using to help bond and seal FRP, stainless steel and aluminium applications. Prior to A-J215, this manufacturer employed a conventional polyurethane elastic adhesive to bond and seal the side, roof, and front and rear panels of its bus and coach models; which required cleaning and priming each substrate with a specialist pretreatment systems.

According L&L Products, these older adhesives, cleaners, and primers all contained hazardous materials, including solvents and isocyanates. The company says its newly formulated material allows this customer to modernize and accelerate its production process for future models. A-J215 primerless and is free from solvents and isocyanates.

Panels can be over painted when wet; making it very easy to apply. L&L has secured all technical approvals for its a-J215, and will start serial supply later this year.

L&L Products Altorf, France

New oil drain valve simplifies Tracerline reduces costs and downtime Tracerline’s EZ-Ject™ A/C and Fluid Kit (TP-8657HD) finds all system leaks fast. Other bulky, expensive leak detection systems require a time consuming, drawn-out process. And after their smoke has cleared, they end up relying on UV lights and inferior fluorescent dyes to do what the EZ-Ject Kit does the first time—pinpoint the exact source of even tiny leaks quickly, and at one-eighth the cost. That means those little leaks won’t have the chance to become big, expensive problems. Just add the dye and shine the UV light.

Tracerline Westbury, NY

EZ Oil Drain Valve with optional Hose Connectors replaces your existing drain plug, for fast, clean, and easy oil changes.

No more hassle, and no need for special tools, just turn the lever of this nickel-plated brass ball valve, and drain engine oil. When it’s time for an oil change, just lift the lever and give it a quarter turn to open. To close, return the lever back to its original locked position. Screw in the optional Hose End (sold separately) and connect a hose to drain the oil to a remote receptacle. For routine oil analysis, a small sample of oil can be drained from the valve without shutting off the engine. The EZ Oil Drain Valve is available for all engines with 30 different sizes to fit Cars, Pickups, Vans, Motor homes, HD trucks, Buses, Construction Equipment, and even lawn mowers.

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MAINTENANCE UPDATE

CH Bus Sales and TEMSA open new fullservice location in Pinebrook, NJ CH Bus Sales, LLC is proud to announce the opening of a new full service motorcoach sales, maintenance and repair facility in Pinebrook, New Jersey. The facility is located at 57 Route 46 East in Pinebrook, just 30 miles northwest of Manhattan, New York and about 25 miles northwest of Newark’s Liberty International Airport. This new facility will offer sales of new and pre-owned coaches with a fully stocked retail parts center that will be staffed

with expertise to support and service all makes and models of motorcoaches.

“We are proud to be expanding into our fourth fullservice facility as TEMSA’s exclusive distributor,” says Duane Geiger, executive vice president of sales and service.

“This full-service location is our first in the Northeast region and we are happy to offer our TEMSA customers as well as other operators the superb maintenance and repair support that they have come to except in our industry.”

“Myself and our staff are all veterans of the industry and understand the urgency associated with a coach being out

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BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | MARCH / APRIL . 2017

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MAINTENANCE UPDATE

of service,” says Tony Mongiovi, vice president of sales and service in the northeast. “If you own one coach or a fleet of hundreds this new, strategically located facility, will assist in keeping your vehicles up and running.”

The CH Bus team has expanded their after-sales support in recent years as a response to the growing number of TEMSA operators throughout the United States.

AAA-rated VIA sells bonds to advance CNG fleet conversion VIA Metropolitan Transit announced the sale of $82 million in MTA Contractual Obligation Bonds to help finance the purchase of 270 Compressed Natural Gas-fueled (CNG) buses as part of the agency’s SmartMove five-year capital plan.IA Metroolitan Transit Authority earned a “AAA” rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Service. This rating allows VIA to take advantage of the lowest interest rates available, which means VIA will spend less on the repayment of the bonds and can invest more on providing services and amenities throughout the region.

Only 5 percent of municipal entities achieve a AAA rating, according to bond analysts. VIA’s AAA rating reflects the agency’s sound stewardship of public resources, and is also reflective of the agency’s strong management and financial practices.

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VIA’s multi-year plan to purchase these clean-energy vehicles is designed to replace aging buses in its current fleet. The vehicles scheduled for replacement are at least 15 years old. The agency’s fleet expansion will reduce operating costs and allow the agency to carry out planned service enhancements.

“VIA’s plan to finance the CNG vehicle purchase through bonding allows us to continue to advance projects and meet the needs of our growing region within our limited resources, while being prudent fiscal stewards and maintaining our AAA rating,” VIA President and CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “Replacing the oldest vehicles in our fleet with CNG buses will result in a significant emissions reduction for the region and furthers VIA’s commitment to environmental sustainability.”

MCI to open San Francisco Bay Area service center

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) announced that it plans to open a new MCI Service Center in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

The new location will expand MCI’s service network to seven North American locations that support both MCI and Setra brand coaches with OEM parts, maintenance, repair and warranty.

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Where does the rubber from tire wear go?

By Christopher W. Ferrone

A number of factors affect the condition of a tire.

A

great episode from Seinfeld has Jerry musing about where the rubber on his BMW tires goes when it rubs off.

This is truly an enigma. Like Jerry, it’s good to stop and remind ourselves of all that goes on with a set of tires. As tires wear, the material does in fact deposit onto the roadway and goes undetected because it happens so gradually.

The mechanical function of the tire casing is to contain the air pressure that supports the vehicle load, assure the function of the suspension by absorbing road irregularities, resist lateral drifting and centrifugal force, and transmit the torque necessary to move and stop the vehicle.

A number of factors affect the condition of a tire: the nature of its application for line haul, stop and go traffic (or a mix of both), the number of axles on the vehicle, overall maintenance of the tire during its life cycle and inflation pressure.

The major suspension and alignment adjustments control tire wear and condition. Technicians must monitor toe-in and toe-out, caster angle and camber angle. However, not all vehicles have a front axle that allows the control of these adjustments. Therefore, it is of vital importance to know the type of front axle on all vehicles and the allowable adjustments.

The most controlling factor in tire wear may be its inflation pressure. For every 10 psi a tire is under inflated, the life cycle of the tire is reduced by 10 percent. The amount of air in the tires affects the weight distribution between the wheels. An under-inflated tire does not carry its share of the load. This condition affects torque, traction, steering, alignment, braking and cornering, and may cause pulling from side to side.

A tread separation usually means the tread has separated from the casing, disconnecting from the outermost steel belt. The outermost steel belt has become detached from the lower steel belt and the rest of the casing. Tread separation can be the entire tread or simply a section of the tread. This usually occurs later in the life of the tire casings unless a traumatic event has occurred.

A hole or some sort of damage that starts in the sidewall is normally the cause of a sidewall failure. Curbing the tire, striking a sharp object, age cracking and other structural issues all contribute to sidewall failures.

It is my belief that operators should never use retread or recapped tires on a motorcoach for any reason. When they experience failure they can damage the vehicle with the delaminated tread that is rotating with the tire casing, just as a circular saw would cut air hoses and suspension bellows during this type of failure.

Typically, the life cycle for a tire is four to six years, which corresponds to the average useful life of a tire casing. Despite the condition of the tread, tires should be taken out of service when they reach the four to six year mark. The DOT number embossed on the side of the casing notes the age of the tire. The last three numbers indicate the week and year of manufacture.

Technical staff must understand what affects tire condition and respond proactively. They must routinely monitor wheel alignment, inflation pressure and suspension adjustments in order to maintain proper tire performance. Additionally, if the vehicle has a steerable tag axle, technicians must also monitor those components to ensure the expected life cycle for the tag axle tires. busride.com | BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE

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