december2023 - 10

Acevedo has designated a second parts
category as well. These are regularly replaced,
PM-driven items that provide some opportunity
to shop around.
However, whether you're talking about oil and
filters, batteries, bumpers, tires, or other high-wear
items, the only way to know if you're purchasing
the perfect part is if you measure and analyze
how it performs.
Test, measure, & move forward
Pilot programs are a popular way to begin trying
out an alternative, less expensive part.
" A pilot program allows you to put a new part
through the normal paces of the truck to see how
it holds up, " said Willie Reeves, director of maintenance
at PacLease, Paccar's leasing company that
provides full-service lease, rental, and maintenance
programs for Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks.
When piloting a new part, Acevedo said it's
important to maintain the same PM schedule as
the original. Extending the trial through two or
three PM intervals to guard against any one-off
flukes also helps. " It's important to have some
processes in place to help determine if the alternate
part is holding up to the same standard as
the original, " Acevedo said. " It's more about durability
and dependability than money, regardless
of whether it's an OE or aftermarket part. "
A good software system that can measure usage
and failure rates can further assist maintenance
managers in accurately evaluating the performance
and true cost of an alternative part.
" Without a good system, you might assume
a part is working properly because you haven't
heard any complaints, " said Michael Dominguez,
VP of business operations, procurement and fleet
management at Transervice, a provider of freight
management, fleet leasing, and contract maintenance
services. " With our system, we can see if
there is an increase in spend for a certain component.
Then we can dig into the data to get to the
root cause of the problem. If the reason for the
failure is that the part isn't good enough, we will
pull the plug right away. "
Finding the value in filters
Filters represent one area where a fleet will often
shop around. Finding the best value requires a
product that meets a minimum performance standard
and also aligns with the fleet's own maintenance
objectives.
For example, if the fleet is looking to extend a
vehicle's oil-drain interval, paying more for highend
filters makes sense. " Maybe you're averaging
three oil changes over the course of a year, "
Reeves said. " But maybe the oil viscosity is still at
40-50% and might be able to make it to the next
PM. Using high-quality, extended-life filters could
help extend that PM and drive uptime. "
Sometimes extended-life filters may not be the
best value. Acevedo uses the example of a reefer
with a premium filter that's advertised to last up to
3,000 hours. If the fleet has made a decision to be
more proactive and replace that filter every 1,500
hours, paying more for double the life doesn't
make sense. Buying a less expensive filter that's
10 Fleet Maintenance | December 2023
» FinditParts provides crossover options when fleets search for parts so the buyer can
make an educated decision based on the fleet's needs, and includes part cost, warranty,
and lead time. " We aren't about the price play, " said Kevin Lydic of FinditParts. " We're
selling uptime because that's what 95% of fleets are most concerned about. "
FinditParts
rated up to 2,000 hours would provide more value
in this instance, he offered.
" Whatever you decide with any type of filter,
just make sure you have a quality product that
will perform to OEM standards, " added Paul Pettit,
VP of maintenance for Riverside Transport, who
has held various fleet maintenance leadership
positions since 2005. " You also want to balance
quality with cost. The most expensive filter out
there is not always necessary. But you don't want
to go with the cheapest, either, if you're trying to
protect your engine warranty coverage and meet
the minimum standards. A catastrophic failure
and voided warranty could end up costing a lot
more than a high-end filter. "
Engine oil ROI
Fleets also have a lot of options when it comes
to engine oil. Making the right choice starts with
assessing the performance necessary to satisfy
the vehicle's needs. An API-certified oil is a clear
indication of that; however, not all API-certified
oils are created equal.
" Other benefits like corrosion protection and
liner wear protection could be included in certain
oils, delivering another level of performance
that gives fleets something else to evaluate, " said
Greg Matheson, product manager for commercial
engine lubricants at Lubrizol, a specialty chemicals
company whose additives are used by a variety
of OEMs and aftermarket marketers.
» Maintenance teams can indirectly make fleets money by helping limit unscheduled
repairs and downtime. That is why the cheapest part isn't necessarily the best value.
Transervice

december2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of december2023