Spring Brake Stroke System
The e-Stroke system from MGM Brakes electronically monitors spring brake stroke, making pre-trip inspections and brake preventive maintenance easier, the company says.
The system includes an electronic sensor – attached to the spring brake chamber internally – which sends a signal to a chassis communication module (CCM) mounted on the vehicle’s exterior.
Following a specified test procedure, the system will alert drivers to the condition of each brake on either the power unit or trailer with blink codes indicating whether a brake chamber is experiencing normal stroke, overstroke or dragging, or is not functioning. Currently, the system requires separate CCMs on both the tractor and trailer.
The company says key benefits include improved vehicle safety, reduced pre-trip inspection time, enhanced preventive maintenance, reduced out-of-service citations and decreased downtime.
MGM Brakes
www.mgmbrakes.com
Fuel Additive’s Unconditional Guarantee
Declaring “war on high fuel prices,” American Energy Group announced an unconditional guarantee on its Centron gasoline and diesel fuel savers.
According to Richard Keegan, AEG executive vice president, the U.S.-patented and Environmental Protection Agency-registered products will give truckers a minimum 10-percent increase in fuel mileage or they’ll get their money back, no questions asked.
Keegan says the product does not contain aromatics like other fuel additives, but will significantly improve compression and the burn rate of fuel. He adds the product also reduces smoke and other emissions due to the increased fuel efficiency. The diesel fuel product is available in 24-ounce bottles at $7.20 to $7.50 each. One bottle treats a standard side tank. The gasoline product costs slightly more, with a 14-ounce bottle retailing for about $8.99.
American Energy Group
(920) 467-7124
Heavy-duty Grease
OverDrive HD heavy-duty grease’s key benefits include better adhesion, water resistance, corrosion protection, and extreme pressure and wear protection, according to Citgo Petroleum officials. The grease is a distinctive green color that Citgo says makes it easy for maintenance personnel to identify and inventory.
Citgo also offers its Heavy-Duty Engine Oil LubeAlert oil analysis program over the Internet. The program will immediately indicate which units showed problems in the oil analysis. The company says the program means fleet maintenance managers no longer have to work through a stack of oil analysis reports to locate problem units.
The analysis program is available to Citgard 600, Citgard SynDurance, Mystik JT-8 and Mystik SX-8 product customers. The reports include a missed units report, OEM wear data and an equipment inventory report.
Citgo Petroleum
www.citgo.com
Exhaust Brake
Hersham USA’s Air-Set Smartbrake engine exhaust brake, which is an electronically controlled exhaust brake and fully adjustable over its braking range, delivers more braking power than fixed-orifice-type exhaust brakes, the company says.
The product is a guillotine-type brake that is fully out of the exhaust flow when in the off position. the company says the design of its product is much more efficient than butterfly-type exhaust brakes.
According to the company, its brake works by obstructing the outflow of exhaust gases from the engine. These gases back up into the cylinders and retard piston travel. The brake is attached to the engine’s exhaust manifold just after the turbocharger. One key consideration, according to the company, is that not all North American engines are compatible with the Air-Set. The Caterpillar C-10 and C-12 engines, for instance, use a manifold pressure too low for the Smartbrake to work to full efficiency.
Smartbrake by Hersham
www.smartbrake.com
Wheel Nut Locking System
Safety Link, a wheel nut management system marketed in the United Kingdom since January 2000, is now available in North and South America through Adams-James Associates of Dallas. The Safety Link is a rectangular-shaped piece of hard plastic material that fits over each lug nut.
According to Safety Link’s Trevor Wardle, the system not only shows if there has been any movement of a lug nut but also locks lug nuts in place after 6 to 7 degrees of movement. A yellow indicator on the product shows if there has been any lug nut movement, making it possible to check wheel nut torque visually, the company says. This allows immediate action to correctly torque the wheels. The locking mechanism meanwhile ensures the lug nuts remain tight enough to prevent damage or accidents, according to Wardle.
Wardle says the cost to end users of the system should be about $15 per wheel, or $1.50 per clip.
Safety Link
Adams-James Associates
(888) 687-3933
Eagle One’s New Lineup
Eagle One’s WET Polish & Wax cleans, glazes and waxes in one step. It removes surface contaminants and protects from daily elements. Fast Wax formulated with Brazilian carnauba wax cleans, protects and produces a high-gloss shine quickly.
A2Z All Wheel Cleaner cleans all factory and aftermarket wheel finishes. WET Tire Shine provides long-lasting, ultra-black glossy shine in an aerosol formula for quick application. WET Tire Gel is easy to apply and dries quickly, leaving a high-gloss black shine.
Protectant Lotion protects interior and exterior vinyl, plastic and rubber.
Leather Care Cleaner and Leather Care Conditioner keep leather in good condition and are available in trigger spray bottles. Leather Care Cleaner easily and safely removes common food stains, dirt, grease and oil. Leather Care Conditioner preserves and protects all smooth leather finishes and vinyls by restoring and maintaining the natural moisture balance.
The Xpress-It Polish & Wax Applicator has a large, soft foam pad that prevents polish or wax from getting on your hands. Tire Swipes spread tire dressing smoothly and evenly without the mess. They are available in two sizes and are washable and reusable.
Eagle One
(800) 432-4531
www.eagleone.com
Onboard Scale for Straight Trucks
Air-Weigh’s AW5700 onboard scale for straight truck applications, which uses the Freightliner-marketed Airtek air suspension manufactured by Hendrickson, can measure weight from any combination of steer, drive, lift and dual-leveling-valve air suspensions, the company says.
According to Peter Powell, Air-Weigh vice president of marketing, the company will initially target the expedited-freight market with the new product.
The company also introduced a printer option that allows a driver to print out data from his Air-Weigh display unit indicating axle weights at all positions.
Air-Weigh
www.air-weigh.com
