Capable of self-adjustment, automatic slack adjusters are a good choice that require lower maintenance and less investment.
As consumer expectations are higher than ever before and are expected to continue rising, buyers have become accustomed to products being widely available and goods arriving at their doorstep in a matter of hours. This societal shift has placed immense pressure on trucking and transportation companies to carry and deliver products faster than ever before. Thus, fleet managers are constantly seeking new ways to enhance their operations to become more efficient, cut unnecessary costs, and enhance uptime to deliver goods faster.
Because trucking fleets cannot afford to have their trucks and trailers out of service, as it disrupts revenue, customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty, managers are often tasked with the large responsibility of quickly resolving problems in order to keep their operations running smoothly.
The Cost of Downtime
The shortage of parts in production has directly impacted commercial vehicle uptime. With current supply chain challenges, it can take several days to service and restore a single vehicle, especially if new or replacement parts are needed to complete the repair. For transport trucks delivering goods, reducing downtime is always critical and impacts bottom line. Fleets have estimated the cost of downtime to be a loss of about $100 per hour. So, ensuring vehicles are regularly maintained tends to make a strong difference in preventing breakdowns and repairs.
Picture this scenario: A driver transporting a refrigerated trailer full of meat across multiple states experiences an operating issue with his truck. He/she calls roadside assistance to diagnose the issue. Ultimately, the truck needs servicing and the replacement of a part.
In this scenario, the downtime incurred includes the time it takes to obtain a vehicle inspection, as well as a mobile service technician to arrive and repair the part. At a minimum, drivers may expect a truck to be out of service anywhere from several hours to multiple days. Plus, if there are perishable goods in transit — they could spoil and go to waste, which puts the driver at risk for receiving payment for the trip.
“The economics of having a truck be put out of service due to slack adjuster issues is outrageous, when you consider the little-to-no additional cost to install quality automatic slack adjusters that require low maintenance. What fleets would lose in downtime pays for itself, hundreds of times over.``
Brake Safety Day
On April 27, 2022, 46 jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada preformed an unannounced one-day inspection and enforcement initiative focusing on brake systems and components. In 2022, Brake Safety Day inspections reported 14% of commercial motor vehicles inspected were taken off of the road to be serviced for brake-related problems.
Brake safety is key for not only vehicles, but also drivers. Ensuring your heavy-duty vehicle is equipped with trusted braking systems and high-performing parts is essential. WABCO brings over 150 years of innovation and commercial vehicle transportation expertise — and is a global leader in braking and stability systems — including Electronic braking, Air Disc Brakes, iABS and automatic emergency braking.
Part of the brake products portfolio, WABCO automatic slack adjusters are are designed to reduce service time and keep vehicles on the road. Utilizing self-setting sensor functionality and a lifetime lubrication design, they help prevent the need for service, enabling easier maintenance for each vehicle.
Jaime Beisch, West Region Fleet Sales Leader at ZF CV Systems North America LLC, states, “Some fleets measure downtime in minutes, versus days, so the economics of having a truck be put out of service due to slack adjuster issues is outrageous, when you consider the little-to-no additional cost to install quality automatic slack adjusters that require low maintenance. What fleets would lose in downtime pays for itself, hundreds of times over.”
Automatic slack adjusters are designed to automatically adjust for the wear of the brake pad and brake lining. The part is configured to transmit force from the brake actuator to the brake camshaft, so the stroke of the brake cylinders remains unchanged. Because of the ability to self-adjust, automatic slack adjusters help commercial vehicles remain in service and on the road longer.
Three reasons WABCO EasyFit™ Automatic Slack Adjusters are cost effective:
1. They are designed to require little maintenance or service.
Automatic slack adjusters are designed to require little maintenance. An added benefit of WABCO EasyFit Automatic Slack Adjusters is its lifetime lubrication design, made for self-energized sealing, which means no greasing is required.
2. By preventing the need for quarterly oiling/greasing, they eliminate unnecessary service costs.
Again, pointing out one of the key differentiators of WABCO automatic slack adjusters – which is long-term lubrication – EasyFit Automatic Slack Adjusters are engineered with a self-energized sealing design.
3. They promote a longer product life, using powder-coated housing that helps maximize corrosion resistance.
WABCO automatic slack adjusters use powder-coated housing to help enhance corrosion resistance and extend the product’s lifespan, reducing the need to replace the part as often.
EasyFit Automatic Slack Adjusters
Is your fleet in need of a quality automatic slack adjuster? WABCO EasyFit automatic slack adjusters are durably designed to withstand harsh conditions and extreme temperatures.
True to the name, they are easy to fit and install on most commercial vehicles. Once your WABCO slack adjusters are fitted and installed on your vehicle, you do not have to worry about manually adjusting them. However, it is important to have them routinely checked to ensure they are properly adjusted and performing at their best. To view our automatic slack adjuster installation kits, visit the WABCO Customer Care Center.
Our slack adjusters offer a few unique features that make them the superior choice in the commercial vehicle industry, such as a lifetime lubrication design and enhanced powder coated housing.
Product Differentiation:
- Designed for lifetime greasing (eliminating the need for regreasing)
- Superior durability and corrosion protection against impact, abrasion, and harsh conditions
- Unique adjuster mechanism that aims to consistently prevent over-adjustment and reduces pulling
See the product brochure for more information, including part numbers.
Automatic slack adjusters are a basic, but important, component to promote optimum brake security and safety while helping vehicles stay in operation–and of course–pass brake inspections.
For more information, visit our literature store to access an extensive library of information aimed at helping you learn all you need to know to keep commercial vehicles performing their best.
About ZF CV Systems North America LLC
ZF Commercial Vehicle Systems North America – the largest and most comprehensive commercial vehicle technology supplier and integrator – unites trusted brands ZF, WABCO, TRW, Lemforder, and Sachs.
To understand how we can be your partner in commercial vehicle solutions, visit our website.
