june2022 - 12

Body operation can
take a beating
The number of daily stops on a last-mile
route, according to Ram Commercial's
Sowers, is generally in the 150 to
200 range. " That doesn't include the
stop-and-go traffic the vehicle also
needs to contend with, " he pointed
out. " Those are physical stops at a
home or business. That's where a lot
of the wear comes into play. "
Drivers going in and out of a vehicle that
operating cost and elimination of emissions are
important benefits. Furthermore, vehicles tend
to begin and end their day in the same location,
making charging easier.
" Ram's first BEV offering will be in its ProMaster
many times can impact several things the typical
heavy-duty technician isn't used to, at least not
those who normally service OTR vehicles. Fleet
technicians should also recognize that delivery
drivers are under a lot of pressure to improve cycle
times and often work in a hurried fashion. For
instance, it's not uncommon for a driver to shift a
vehicle into park while it's still rolling. Similarly,
it's not unusual to leave the sliding door open
while completing several adjacent stops.
" Doors, hinges, and latches get cycle times that
are unbelievable in this type of application, so the
technician really has to pay attention to them, "
Sowers emphasized. " It may simply be a matter
of lubing them, which is something technicians
did all the time back in the 1960s. Then things
like plastics came along which alleviated some
of those needs. But now that we're seeing these
high-use cases again with final-mile, technicians
need to start paying attention again. A door that
won't latch properly on a delivery vehicle is a vehicle-down
situation just like a blown transmission. "
Malfunctioning lighting is also important.
With the growth in last-mile delivery, drivers
often find themselves operating in the dark. As
» The Roush CleanTech propane autogas fuel
system, as shown here on a Ford E-450 cutaway,
uses a dual manifold tank made of steel. The
system also features stainless steel fuel lines,
rails, and injectors dedicated to the higher
pressures of a liquid propane system. A unique
fuel rail pressure control module is also included.
Photo: Roush CleanTech
Sowers pointed out, technicians won't necessarily
see more wear and tear on these systems, but
ensuring proper function is more important than
ever-and that includes interior lighting.
" On our Ram ProMaster van, for instance, we
run LED lighting with motion detectors, " Sowers
said. " This benefits the time-conscious driver who
doesn't have to worry about flipping switches on
and off. But it also creates a lot of demand for
electrical energy which drives the maintenance.
Technicians need to really make sure that batteries
are in good condition. Most city delivery vehicles
remain running all day, which is helpful for the
battery, but there is a lot of demand on it as well. "
Another automated body operation feature
on the ProMaster relates to parking. When the
driver unbuckles the seat belt and gets out, the
vehicle is automatically placed into park and
the parking brake is applied. " These systems
are reliant on knowing that the door is open, "
Sowers explained. " Technicians need to make
sure things like door switches are working. In
the past, a dome light wasn't a big deal. Now
it's an integral part of essential safety features.
Technicians need to take the time to make sure
these things are working properly. "
When it comes to safety features, advanced
driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have become
rather common on light- and medium-duty vehicles
used on urban routes. Congested traffic, intersections,
parking lots, and loading docks create
ample opportunity for abuse.
" ADAS features such as parking sensors and
» Freightliner customers have been making
deliveries in two all-electric vehicles, the
eM2 box truck and eCascadia Class 8 truck
(pictured), in conjunction with two pilot
programs, Innovation Fleet and Customer
Experience Fleet. Fleet maintenance facilities
looking to service BEVs do need to think
about on-site charging infrastructure.
Photo: Daimler Truck North America
forward collision mitigation don't do any good
if the sensors are damaged or covered up with
something, " Sowers said. " The technician can do a
simple visual inspection followed up by an electrical
inspection with a diagnostic tool on the ADAS
sensors. We see that fleets are willing to invest
in these systems, and technicians can help make
sure they continue to work properly. "
Alternative fuels
Some fleets are finding that alternatively fueled
vehicles, particularly battery-electric vehicles
(BEVs), are ideal for urban routes. The lower
12 Fleet Maintenance | June 2022
line, and final-mile delivery is a big reason why, "
Sowers explained. " Fleet maintenance facilities
should start preparing for this trend by thinking
about charging facilities. If a vehicle comes in for
maintenance, the technician needs to charge it
up to perform diagnostics. The technician will
also need to charge the vehicle up before giving
it back to the customer. Other than that, many
other preventive maintenance items will persist.
Positioning itself to service BEVs is a great opportunity
for a fleet maintenance facility. "
See Pg. 14 sidebar for more on urban-route BEVs.
While much attention has been focused on the
gravitation toward BEVs, fleets running urban
routes have another alternative energy option
for their delivery vehicles: liquid propane.
" A couple of our most popular delivery vehicles
for city applications are the Ford E-350/450 and
F-650/750, " said Mario Genovese, field service
manager at Roush CleanTech, a developer of
propane autogas systems for medium-duty Ford
commercial vehicles and school buses. While the
truck features themselves make those vehicles
ideal for delivering goods in an urban environment,
the fact that they run on propane autogas
is an equally important benefit.
" Liquid propane is cleaner than gasoline due to
the carbon content in the propane molecule itself, "
Genovese explained. " The molecular structure of
propane is C3H8. That means it is composed of
three parts carbon and eight parts hydrogen. The
molecular structure of octane (gasoline) is C8H18. "
The big benefit for fleets is a reduction in emissions.
Additionally, operating costs can be reduced
because of the lower price of propane versus gas
or diesel. An argument could also be made that
the lower carbon and oil contamination characteristics
of propane could result in longer engine
life, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's
Alternative Fuels Data Center. From a maintenance
standpoint, technicians don't have to worry
about learning new, complicated procedures.
" One of the many benefits of liquid propane
autogas is that the maintenance is very similar
to gasoline, " Genovese said. " We recommend that
all of the OEM maintenance intervals and specifications
be followed, with the addition of changing
out the propane fuel filters which are rated for
50,000 miles. "
A Roush CleanTech propane system does have
some unique components. However, Genovese
said the basic concepts of engine operation, diagnosis,
and repair remain the same.
" Essentially, the entire gasoline fuel system,
from the fuel tank to the chassis fuel lines and
the fuel rails/injectors on the engine, have been
removed and replaced with the liquid propane
system, " Genovese said. " There is also an additional
control module that controls the operation
of the propane system as well as unique software
in the manufacturer's ECM to control engine and
fuel system operation. "
Customers can access free online training by
visiting service.roushcleantech.com.
http://service.roushcleantech.com
june2022

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