~ Cost Saving Devices ~

Tom Robertson · Dec 16, 2004

Perhaps the easiest way for all drivers to have more money to spend on themselves and or their families is to pull less cash from their pockets for fuel, oil changes and routine repairs.
We have all seen or heard advertisements for various devices that are supposed to increase fuel economy, prolong oil changes, eliminate the need for tire balancing, and certainly other devices marketed to those who drive for a living. Hopefully some of these products actually work and will indeed save the owner/driver some real cash.

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT COULD HELP ALL WHO READ THIS:

• Who among us is using any of these devices?
• What is the name of the device, what does it do, and how
much did it cost?
• Does the device require professional installation, and if so
at what cost?
• How much does it really save you? And... How have you
reached that figure?

During the last open “chat room” Lawrence asked for suggestions regarding special guests for the chat room, and I suggested that we have a representative of some of these companies to field our questions and concerns about their devices. Perhaps if the participation shows some of these products to be beneficial we can all benefit.

raceman · Dec 16, 2004

This sounds like a great idea. I do not have anyone product in mind. If I could hear info about anyone thing I would want to hear about fuel mileage and engine protection. Sounds great though. Any money savings or equipment wear reduction would be helpful.

RaceMan

---Why Hug a tree when you can sit on a Diesle---

davekc · Dec 16, 2004

One that I mentioned in the chat rooms is the centramatic wheel balancers. They work great and provide alot of additional milage off your tires. Very easy install. I believe they are at www.centramatics.com
A second one is the Lucas oil products. The main one I use is the oil treatment. They sell it at Speedco and most truck stops. I believe a gallon is anywhere from $14.00 to $21.00
Davekc

redytrk · Dec 17, 2004

>One that I mentioned in the chat rooms is the centramatic
>wheel balancers.
When installing Centramatics,be sure it is done properly.A driver said Petro used the wrong holes or something,and their steer tires were "chewed up in 14K.Last I heard Petro was blameing Centromatics.and visa/versa.

finney · Dec 17, 2004

First off, let me congratulate you on an extremely good question. I'm looking forward to reading the responses.

Not having any answers at the moment other than the usual "A quart of transmission fluid per tank per week (E units)", I'd like to know if they're still using the calcium bags anywhere anymore for tire balancing. It's an old school method for balancing tires, but it seemed to be quite effective.

Weave · Dec 17, 2004

No calcium bags I know of.
-Weave-

Doggie Daddy · Dec 17, 2004

i never heard of the calcium bags before,sounds like something along the lines of golf balls in a tire.and i wouldn't go that route either. DD.

Preacher · Dec 17, 2004

I think the recent issue of OOIDA's Land Line has an article about calciun bags and it said they work great.

davekc · Dec 18, 2004

Are you talking about equal?
Davekc

davekc · Dec 18, 2004

Forgot to mention on the balancers; you must have the exact size and bolt configuration. If not, you will have the problems you described.
Davekc

Preacher · Dec 18, 2004

Yes, that was it, Equal. They said it works really good.

louixo · Dec 19, 2004

I´m old school, and view all those gadgets and oil products as hocus pocus. To have more money in your pocket there is no device like good money management. I´ll give you a couple examples. In my tractor trailer days I was loading at least 100 gallons of fuel each day. I used to use com checks. The charge was around $1.50, (give or take) cashing each check. I thought there had to be a better way. I also always watched where I bought fuel. The average float was between .05 and .20 per gallon, with the small independents having the lowest prices. If I was averaging .10 per gallon savings that turned into $10 per fuel stop. Then I started using my ATM card and dealing strictly with cash, which gave me cash discounts in most places, and eliminated the check charges. I always shot for $600 draws on the ATM, but couldn´t always get it so I´d drop to $500, and if that didn´t work I´d find another ATM. Over a year, I was keeping approximately $450 of check charges I would have spent using com checks. The average $10 per stop I was saving turned into over $3000 per year, using 300 days a year(working) out of 365.(of course, these are not exact figures) Also, a solid routine maintenance program, which includes engine oil changes, and the gear boxes, plus lube. A check of belts, cables and air lines, alignment, and always being in the market for a good buy on the bigger items like tires, even if I didn´t need them at the time of purchase. If I saw a good sale I knew I´d use them down the road. I always carried a spare in my trailer, so I wouldn´t be forced to buy a tire when I had a flat (my most common breakdown problem over the years.) I used the same methods when I got into expediting, but the fuel savings weren´t as great, as I used less fuel in my "d" unit, but they were still substantial. For motels, I have all the cards for the bigger chains. It took me awhile to collect them because you had to apply, and then get home to pick them up. Also, I use grocery store discount cards, like Kroger and some of the other outfits that give you a nice discount if you have the card that fits on your keychain. Restaurants the same, if they had a card or coupon. The usual savings would normally pay the tip, and a nice one. The wheel balancers and the other gadgets I never messed with, and during my entire career, I had few downtimes for repairs. When i did it was a clutch, brakes etc. Though I don´t really know exactly how much I save per year, I do know it´s in the thousands of dollars, just by taking advantage of what´s out there. I never go on the cheap, and I never work winters, and never have. So, that´s my money saving device.

Marty · Dec 19, 2004

Davekc don't be silly. Preacher said "calcium bags". There is no calcium in Equal. Equal is designed from a chemical compound of phenylalanine and aspartic acid. How could Equal be of help in your tires? If anything it would eat away at your tires as it does to the human nervous system, though I doubt that your tires would suffer from depression,headaches,or memory loss as a result of using Equal in them, as would be the contraindications of human usage.
According to FDA research Aspartame breaksdown to methanal upon digestion. Therefore equal injected into your tires, mixed with stomach acid would breakdown into methanal and help prevent any water that might have entered into your tire from freezing. Unfotunately,you would have to regurgitate in order to have a supply of stomach acid so this alternative usage would not be a pleasent one.
I believe the substence to which Preacher was refering to was Caltrate, which contains a readily digestable form of calcium and could be purchased at any drug store, supermarket, or Wal-mart.

terryandrene · Dec 19, 2004

that clears it up for me

Fr8 Shaker · Dec 19, 2004

Equal is just the brand name of this stuff, It's not the sugar substitute... their nothing more then bags of sand poured into the tires that when the wheel is rotated it goes to the low spots so to speak or whatever to balance the tire. could be a problem if there is moisture in the tire.

Fr8 Shaker

finney · Dec 20, 2004

OK. This is only to address the calcium question, not something along the lines of louixo's (although I would have liked some specific figures) excellent post on money management; the single most effective means for wise spending on the road and a profitable return on your investment (he's got the answer, BTW).

I don't remember anybody actually using golf balls (well, I've heard of it, but that was an old trainee gag, along with marbles, BB's, and ball bearings) and as far as sand goes... sand, if I remember correctly, is one of the three primary ingredients in sandpaper. What do you think it'd do to the inside of your tires as it worked it's way to the OUTSIDE of your tires?
Calcium powder was used because it was so extremely fine that it DIDN'T eat out your tires but it did (in a toroidal centrifuge, powdered calcium (as any other loose stuff will) will gravitate to the outermost point) balance your tires without wheel weights, which can and do come off.

louixo · Dec 20, 2004

Finney..to give you exact figures is next to impossible. Each year was different for many variable reasons. Surcharges,miles run,fuel spread and price, number of motels, days off, tires used, etc. I CAN give you a philosophy. When I first started being analytical about it, I would try to save enough money on my fuel pucrchase to pay for my days meals. When your 100 gallons bought at and indy place saves you $10-$20 over being bought at a big chain, it´s easy to see that you got a dinner thrown in most days. That´s a substantial savings over a year. My philosophy on gadgets was, if it got me one load, it paid for itself for a year, so I´d buy it. I´m talking in the early days, when pagers came out, and then of course cell phones. Gadgets that "produced", so to speak. I thought it was fun to see how much more efficient I could run without giving up the comforts. And, of course I´m like everyone else, there are some things I won´t give up on the road, productive or not. I look at those things (satellite, sound system etc.) as mental health aids. If it makes me relax and feel better, I´ll be a better driver. I´ll have a better time on the road. As far as which loads I would take or turndown, I never considered deadhead in my acceptance. Instead I knew what it would take me to run my unit for a mile, and if I could make 30% over that(my personal cutoff point) I would take it, unless I was pretty sure I had a shot at a more profitable load, because I was in a hot area. I think too many people wait on the high payer consistently, and in doing so can´t see the forest for the trees. You can make a good living and have a nice life in trucking. It´s all out there.

Irishjim · Dec 21, 2004

Check out a book at www.CostPerMile.com It covers fuel,tire,maintenance,licensing and permits,insurance,labor,PM,management and depreciation costs. Plus illustrated and layout worksheets for each catagory. Most informative trucking business book I've read, and only $4.95&S/H. I only wish I had it a year ago.

Tom Robertson · Dec 23, 2004

This thread is a lot like the game for children where a sentence is whispered from one child to another ... by the time it passes to the last child it has very little to do with the original sentence.

So lets try to get back to the original question...

Someone has to be using an oil bypass filtration system, someone else maybe one of the devices that is supposed to produce more mpg's...

Come on guy's... share those cost savings devices!!!

davekc · Dec 24, 2004

I hear this advertised but haven't run into anyone using it. It is an in line fuel saving item called turbo 3000. Anyone have experience with this?
This is promoted from time to time on Dave Nemo's radio show on XM
Davekc