ExpeditersOnline.com The Expedited Freight Information Center

The whole idea behind this column is to help you save money by doing maintenance or repairs yourself. Any ideas or suggestions for future articles would be appreciated; just leave a note at the bottom of the article.

Tires are a very large expense that, when maintained properly, can last a very long time. When tires are installed out of necessity instead of as preventive maintenance (buying the cheapest tires to get you by) this can cost you more in fuel mileage then you saved on initial cost.

Some trucks visors are designed to not disrupt the airflow coming up the windshield and over the cab, like the Freightliner Century and some Volvo’s. In their most aerodynamic configuration, the new Cascadia and International Pro Star are both coming out without a visor installed.

When is the best time to align a truck? Many would say when you put new tires on. Actually, alignment should be checked before the new tires are installed.

There is nothing like driving a properly aligned truck after having become accustomed to driving a misaligned truck. It takes so much less energy when you don’t have to fight the steering wheel or worry about, “where’s that vibration coming from? The tires were just balanced!”

Does your alternator charge properly? Does it run quietly? If the answer is no to either of these questions it may be time for a new one. How do you know what alternator you need?

Every truck is different, but every truck I have been under in the last 25 years is about the same as far as chassis parts. Some trucks have clutches and linkage some have automatic transmissions with no linkage. Some have three axles, some two, some have a fifth wheel, others a lift gate, whatever equipment you have, most likely, if it moves it needs to be lubed.

V-Belts – These still do not hold your pants up, but are just as, if not more, important.

The introduction to The Tool Box was on EO’s front page under the truck topics heading on February 23rd. In the first installment we learned how to change our own fuel filters. This time we will change our shocks (shock absorbers).

In these tough economic times we need to start doing some of our own maintenance ourselves that we would normally pay someone to do for us. So with the idea of saving on expenses we will start with the basic toolbox. I believe that every truck should have a basic set of tools...

Researching trucking statistics can be as exciting as watching paint dry. However over the course of months or years of doing such research an interesting assortment of trucking trivia can be accumulated.

Here, in no particular order, are some interesting, offbeat, and lesser-known, statistics and facts about truckers and the trucking industry.

While some of this article will be old news to veteran drivers, many of our younger drivers do not realize that up until about a dozen years there were many more brands of trucks on the road then there are today.