July_2021 - 15

Best practices for heavyduty
alignments
Sometimes calibration isn't the problem.
Sometimes a technician isn't following proper
alignment procedures.
" That is operator error, and we typically find that
it is due to inadequate training, " Beckett pointed
out, adding that a technician
who can perform brake jobs
needs about a day's worth of
good alignment training.
Another possible cause of
improper alignment is the
fact that the technician is
using factory specifications.
The problem with that, Beckett
explained, is those factory
specs are based on getting
a truck through the assembly
line in a certain amount
of time. In a real-life setting,
however, a fleet needs a much
tighter tolerance when it puts
the truck out on the road.
" Over the years, we have
created a 'performance' spec, "
Beckett said. " Our numbers
are always within the factory
build spec but are nowhere
near as broad. "
Fleets should also think about how much an
alignment might change during a vehicle's initial
delivery from the factory to the fleet.
" We've found that up to 50% of vehicles see a
significant change in alignment, " Beckett said.
That's why an initial alignment check is important
once the fleet takes delivery of a new vehicle. Then,
another check is often necessary within the first 30
days of operation because the vehicle's parts are
settling in. This is where drivers and technicians
can monitor for feathered wear on the steer tires.
" We like to check trucks again at 60 days, only
now there is a considerably lower probability
that a truck needs adjusting, " Beckett said. " By
the time we do a 90-day check, almost all have
quit changing. "
All-axle
alignment
checklist
TMC RP 642 includes an
all-axle alignment checklist
for technicians to follow:
* Check tire inflation pressure
* Road test vehicle to
determine vehicle-handling
dynamics
* Check steering, suspension,
and frame components,
as well as axles
* Check brake drum centering
* Check wheel bearing endplay
* Check wheel/tire runout
* Check tire mounting
* Inspect tires for irregular
or unusually fast wear
* Check vehicle ride height
* Check steer axle
spindle height
* Position vehicle in the shop's
alignment area by driving
straight ahead with minimal
use of brake and throttle
* Make sure the alignment
area is flat and level, or at
least where a known value
can be compensated for
* Measure and record
alignment parameters
* Road test vehicle
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July 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com
15
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July_2021

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