Archive

Archive for September, 2009

Trailer Code Reader

September 24th, 2009 No comments

aide automotive have introduced the Trailer ABS Code Reader for testing commercial trailers for ABS faults.

TrailerCheck II & Code Reader has had a great interest from commercial operators, Pip Baileys a Scania Dealer was the first to purchase a TrailerCheck & Code Reader to improve trailer service proceedures. We have seen many other operators showing an interest in this product with sales increasing.”  States Sales Director Matther Burke.

 

ABS Code Reader

ABS Code Reader

Diesel Fuel Theft

September 22nd, 2009 No comments

Diesel Fuel Theft is a common occurence and one company have protected there trucks from siphoning.

Fred Sherwoods of Shepshed have purchased a number of anti syphon devices to stop fuel theft.

Easy to fit and robust the TP Anti Syph is an ideal purchase for any truck operator.

aide automotive supply Digraph Transport Supplies this and many other products.

Trailer Brake Testing

September 21st, 2009 No comments

aide automotive has frequent requests from customers to use the BrakeCheck on commercial trailers to test the brakes, although BrakeCheck is not an idea tester for trailers it does have some use in the maintenance and inspection procedures.

Research demonstrates that using a product like BrakeCheck to test trailers brakes is beneficial but will not indicate a below par efficiency on a particular wheel or brake, although using an Infra Red Thermometer as well will increase your awareness of a faulty brake or a low efficiency brake.

 

VOSA’s Mark Pattison has stated “A decelerometer is not the ideal method to test the braking of a vehicle and trailer combination. However it is of some use. You are correct that the checking of individual wheels would not show up in a test result. The way to use a decelerometer is to first test the drawing vehicle on its own. Then connect the trailer and the deceleration rate should be similar i.e. the trailer is doing its fair share of work. This is not an exact science but would be enough to give you confidence the trailer brakes were working.”

 

This system is ideal for commercial operations to improve maintenance records for trailers and increase awareness of a trailers brake performance between the annual roller brake tests. Offering a print out of the combination tractor and trailer performance with brake temperatures will improve quality procedures and health & safety paper work. It is often said in todays age paper work to protect directors and managers from the corporate manslaughter or health and safety law is essential.

 

aide automotive have designed an inspection sheet for trailers using the BrakeCheck and thermometer, if you require a copy email info@aideautomotive.com with subject heading Trailer Inspection Sheet.

 

aide automotive also recommend to test the pressure on brake chambers, this will increase your past rate for trailer parking brakes. For a quick explanation on how to do this email info@aideautomotive.com with subject heading Brake Chambers.

 With this aide automotive offer a special kit price of BrakeCheck, Printer, case and Infra Red Thermometer for £539.00 + vat, a saving of £74.00 from list price.

 To discuss trailer brake testing further call aide automotive on 0115 8456471. 

Visit aideautomotive for a full range of our automotive products

Lincolnshire Police Warn of Increasing Fuel Thefts

September 15th, 2009 No comments

Lincolnshire Police have urged businesses and individuals with large diesel stores to tighten security as the trend for fuel thefts gathers pace.

With the tax in fuel increasing in the recent months a spate of fuel thefts have been reported.

Spokesman for Lincolnshire Police James Newall said: “With oil and diesel prices rising, we are seeing a re-emergence of the trend for fuel thefts. “We do suffer from it quite badly. A lot of it involves criminals travelling in from neighbouring counties. “Commercial yards with a lot of vehicles are quite vulnerable. “It was a huge problem last year, but when prices dropped, so did the crime. “But it seems to have taken off again.”

Criminals crept on to the remote Rutland Oil Services site in Kings Cliffe Road, Wansford, near Peterborough, after workers had locked up for the weekend on Saturday, at 12.30pm. And on August 12, crooks broke into a vehicle compound in Frognall, near Market Deeping, to siphon diesel from fuel tanks.

aide automotive say STOP FUEL THEFT NOW!

TP Anti Syph is an excellent anti siphon device for all trucks.

Truck Braking Systems and Stopping Distances

September 11th, 2009 No comments

This article is helpfull for braking information, taken from the ROSPA Safety Area.

1. The scale of the truck accident problem
Every year 14,500 – 16,000 large goods vehicles are involved in crashes in the UK

2. Safety Advice
The advice provided in the Highway Code recommends that drivers give large goods vehicles (LGV) more room in which to stop. The issue is how much room do they need?

3. Experimental Demonstration
The braking distance of a range of vehicle types was compared both at 30 and 45 mph. This illustrated that LGVs can need up to three times the distance in which to stop when compared to a car.

The general principle of heavier vehicles needing more room to stop was supported in subsequent test conducted at the Army’s driver training facility at Leconfield.

4. Braking theory & practice
Since the combined tyre footprint of a multi-axle LGV is proportionate to its weight the overall braking performance between vehicles should also be proportionate. But this is not so. If both the car and the laden articulated combination had both braked from 30mph, the lorry would still have been travelling at more than 20mph when the car had stopped. The question was why truck braking systems were so relatively ineffective.

5. Vehicle Design and Construction

a) Type approval
All vehicle types have to at least satisfy European Standards. They tend to be determined through compromise and trade-off between vested interests and result in an adequate rather than optimum standard.

b) Braking performance
Type approval sets minimum standards of retardation rather than required stopping distances. This enables manufacturers to design braking systems that meet a common standard of adequacy rather than a higher standard.

The braking systems on cars and motorcycles have improved in step with the other performance factors. The braking performance of LGV’s is subject to the following factors that can eat away at their effectiveness.

c) Hydraulic vs air brake systems
Cars use hydraulic braking systems but the pneumatic systems on LGV’s creates an unavoidable time delay between brake pedal application and the transfer of air pressure to the brake units.

d) Drum vs disc brake systems
The favoured drums on LGV’s, while suitable at lower speeds tend to fade and become less effective under sustained heavy braking.

e) Brake balancing
Truck braking force is also balanced between axle groups and between the tractor and trailer unit by a series of valves, the settings can be manually adjusted and may not create optimum performance .

f) Electronic braking systems
Electronic braking systems, currently being fitted to some Volvo and Mercedes Benz trucks, ensures optimum braking force in all situations and conditions.

g) Tyres
Different tyre compounds are chosen for different purposes. A soft compound tyre reduces skid risk but increases wear. The heat levels generated in compounds may increase pollution due to rubber deposits and carbon black and, because of increased drag, causes reduced fuel economy. A hard compound tyre will last longer, enhance fuel economy, but provide less grip and causes more damage to the road surface. The general-purpose tyre will optimise durability and adhesion. There is also a cost penalty and issues of environmental and operational effectiveness.

h) Driver behaviour
Lorry drivers are often blamed for travelling too close to other vehicles. Video footage of both motorway driving behaviour and crashes makes it clear that drivers may:

  • not be aware of the facts
  • not believe them
  • be convinced it won’t ever happen to them
  • simply not care

These issues remain a challenge for road safety experts to deal with.

Conclusion
There is a difference in braking efficiency between vehicle types. Technology has enabled braking efficiencies in excess of 100%. The stopping distance of poorly maintained trucks will undoubtedly be far greater than the values found during the experimental demonstrations. However, a higher level of retardation may not be welcomed by drivers hauling 25 tonnes of steel rods positioned one metre away from their back. They will always obey Newton’s Laws and will want to keep going at the pre braking speed. That in itself causes health and safety problems.

There is though an issue of

a) Public awareness raising for all drivers of motor vehicles
To ensure that adequate and appropriate information is made available to all. This may be through the media and better information in The Highway Code.

b) Research, development and fitment of station sensing and warning devices
The present state of development of vehicle telematic, proximity sensors and similar devices is such that vehicle, speed and situation-specific data could be used to inform and warn drivers of the fact that they were travelling too close to the vehicle ahead.

c) Targeted enforcement activity
In tailgating collisions the offending driver could be prosecuted for dangerous or careless driving. Why not adopt an accident prevention enforcement strategy and prosecute before the inevitable collision?

d) Improved vehicle brake system design and performance standards
Since there appears to be prima-facie evidence to support the case for improved truck braking efficiency, UK Government should press Europe for such improvement.

aide automotive market the BrakeCheck portbale brake tester, ideal for frequent testing on inspections. VOSA also recommend to test brakes every inspection.

Another company purchases TrailerCheck!

September 10th, 2009 No comments

A popular product TrailerCheck was recently acquired by D J S Commercial from aide automotive , this automotive product  is  a cost effective  tool to  determine if an EBS/ABS braking system  is working correctly and  with it’s individual  trailer  lighting  circuit test, TrailerCheck is ideal for fault finding and repairing.

TrailerCheck  eliminates all uncertainty by confirming a trailers fault, saving hours of time. Also  the fact TrailerCheck is portable, we can now test  trailer quickly, confidently especially when a trailer is in tightly parked yards.   Says Dave Seaman owner of DJS Commercial

TrailerCheck can be used by mobile commercial repairers or by multi service lane workshops. It comes in a carrying case,  and has re chargeable batteries by mains power or via a cigarette lighter.

We’ve also added the updated version, TrailerCheck II to our portfolio of products.    Tcheck II will read the ECU and be able clear ABS fault codes, also has a a hand held remote control. 

Click TrailerCheck for full product details and TrailerCheck II for the updated version

ISOCheck In Transport New Brief

September 8th, 2009 No comments

Transport News Brief have recently released two features on the ISOCheck from aide automotive ltd.

Matthew Burke Said “Following each release we have seen a flood of quality enquires for the ISOCheck, companies such as DHL, TDG, Owens Logistics and TNT have shown an interest. ISOCheck is an ideal product for any truck and trailer operator.”

ISOCheck costs just £99.00 + VAT.

Heavy vans have the worst MoT pass rate

September 2nd, 2009 No comments

Heavy vans have the worst MoT pass rate of any vehicle type seen on UK roads, so commercial vehicle workshops could get new business if they aim their direct marketing at van users, according to the Retail Motor Industry Federation. 

 

Data from the UK’s Vehicle and Operator Services Agency show vans between 3.0 and 3.5 tonnes had failure rate 44.7%, the worst of any vehicle in the year 2007-2008. 

 

Stephen Coles, head of the RMIF’s MoT technical operations says that high failure rate clearly shows a lack of maintenance.  “Owners may not realise that prevention could be cheaper than cure in the long run.  This means that with correctly targeted marketing, commercial vehicle repairers could generate new business.”

aide automotive offer workshop test tools for commercial garages, BrakeCheck, ABS Sesnsor Tester, Midtronics Battery Testers and diagnostics tools are mention a few.

 

To improve commercial vehilce maintenance any of the above products would be of value to a commercial workshop stated Matthew Burke Sales Director of aide automotive ltd.