Best Of The Blogs – 2021 Truck Repair Information “Did You Knows”

The CVG team — our commercial vehicle group, also known as our truck repair experts at Mitchell 1 — were very busy last year. In addition to working hard on improving the medium- to heavy-duty truck repair software and getting repair information documented in a timely manner, they also shared their knowledge here in the ShopConnection blog.

Last year, they continued their passionate commitment to helping commercial truck repair shop owners and their teams by educating them on industry trends, new tips n’ tricks and other helpful information that makes life in the shop easier.

Below is a digest of just a few of the pearls of wisdom from our experts— all of which we hope you find help you get to your fix faster!

Published January 7, 2021

To be a Truck technician requires a lot of time and energy, and requires a major investment in your physical and mental being. Yet, as with every major investment everyone looks forward to a great return. To ensure the best chance at a great return, you must start with taking care of your best “tool”. You! Here are some great tips and tricks to help you get the best of you from our own Chris Wenberg.

Don’t Overlook Those Vital Incidentals

Published January 11, 2021

It’s no surprise that there are many variations when it comes to truck maintenance schedules. The operating conditions for the individual vehicles or the fleet vehicles in general, help to determine what systems need to be serviced and when. In addition, the truck service information source will point out specific components that need to be checked, lubricated, cleaned, or replaced during those services. See how Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries can help you stay on top of those vital maintenances.

Rubber on the Road

Published January 20, 2021

Driving down the road at some point all of us have noticed the large and small chunks of tire rubber on the country’s highway’s and byway’s. Most technicians know these road hazards can be attributed to Big-Rig trailer tires that have failed and separated; most like due to low tire pressure or improper re-treading. These faulty repairs can cause accidents due to swerving, and hundreds of thousands of dollars worldwide in property damage to vehicles and infrastructure.

Tips for Hydraulic Brake Maintenance

Published January 25, 2021

The winter months bring some challenging conditions for commercial trucks. Snow, rain and mud seem to get into everything, particularly the brakes. All that wet muck tends to find its way into the wheel brake assemblies, adding a nice layer of grinding material and creating less-than-ideal operating conditions. But honestly, brakes have challenges all year round. See how Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries can help you maintain your commercial fleet’s brakes and keep your trucks running all year!

Optimizing with Integrated Engine Components

Published February 3, 2021

The heavy truck engine compartment is a busy environment to say the least. Much like popular cities such as San Francisco and New York, space always comes at a premium. In order to optimize all the available space in the engine compartment, OEMs have turned to integrating ancillary items with the goal of more effective use of space. In doing so, they provide other benefits as well.

Maintenance Tips to Reduce Tire Wear

Published March 3, 2021

In our high-tech age, it is all too easy to overlook the purely mechanical aspects of a truck that have needed to be maintained ever since some ingenious person mounted a wheel to an axle in order to move a load that was too large to be carried or dragged. With the help of our own Jake Schell, here are a few maintenance tips to help you and your fleet to reduce tire wear.

GM Graphic Colors & Symbols

Published March 9, 2021

These days many OEMs use colors in their graphics to describe repair procedures. They provide a simple universal description for procedures to follow when making repairs. Arrows and symbols are also used and provide additional repair or procedural instructions. Let’s take a quick look at some of these graphics from General Motors available in TruckSeries.

Do You Have a Favorite Shop Task? If so, is it Really the Best Approach for the Repair?

Published March 29, 2021

We all have a favorite task we like to do, and we also have our least favorites. Sometimes we tackle those tasks the same way each and every time without changing it up, and that could be causing the ups and downs with our tasks. Hear from our own Jake Schell, about how to approach these every tasks from a new angle in this blog.

ALIGNMENT BASICS 101

Published April 6, 2021

A major cost of operating a fleet of trucks on the road daily is the cost of tires. Along with a good maintenance program that includes wheel balancing and tire rotation it is always a good idea to follow OEM recommendations for a Front End Alignment. Learn how Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries can help you master those alignment basics and get your trucks running smooth in this blog.

How to Avoid Unexpected ‘No Crank’ Events

Published April 27, 2021

You open the door, hop onto the seat, insert the key and turn it only to be welcomed with a “NO CRANK”. The fix may be easy and you could be back on the road quickly or it could mean your truck’s sidelined for quite some time. But with Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries, preventing such events from happening is best way to keep your trucks on the road running smoothly!

What’s that Funky Odor from my A/C Vents?

Published May 19, 2021

Ever turn on your car, crank the air conditioner up and then promptly be greeted with the melodious odor of something “funky”? Find out what it could be from our own Dan Kincaid, Senior technical Director for Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries.

Avoid the Pitfalls of Automatic Transmission Fluid Levels

Published May 24, 2021

Checking the fluid level in a manual transmission is typically a fairly straightforward process: remove the fill plug, stick your finger in and see how near the fluid level is to the bottom of the fill hole. But what about those times when its not so “straight forward”? Well fear not as Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries is there to help keep your fleet of trucks on the road! Learn how here.

Keep Your Cool This Summer: Tips for Maintaining the Complete Cooling System

Published June 30, 2021

As summer warms up, the increased temperatures place greater demands on truck cooling systems. Cooling systems, along with other powertrain systems, continue to grow more complex. While powertrain systems are amazingly robust, the increased complexity means it is more critical than ever to properly maintain these systems to avoid breakdowns and the accompanying downtime and expense. Here are some tips on how Mitchell 1 TruckSeries can help you keep cool this summer.

Selecting the Correct Fluid

Published July 11, 2021

It is absolutely imperative to use the correct fluid whenever servicing a truck. Adding the wrong type of anti-freeze, oil or transmission fluid can cause severe damage to a component or system. Luckily, TruckSeries truck repair information provides oil, fluid and lubricant charts for most vehicles to make sure your shop avoids the repercussions of using the wrong fluid(s).

What’s in a Word? The Importance of Context When Communicating in a Shop

Published July 12, 2021

Technicians sometimes form their own unique “languages” to communicate with each other and get the work done efficiently. Yet, the technical language that technicians and manufactures use to communicate often brings confusion through different words being used to describe the same thing. Learn how Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries can help you “translate” and simplify the language needed to quickly and efficiently repair your fleet of trucks here.

Don’t Ignore the Un-Glamorous Drive Axle

Published September 1, 2021

Drive axles may not be the most glamorous part of the truck but they are vital to keeping the truck moving down the road. Here are a few general guidelines from our own Jake Schell, Product Manager for Mitchell 1’s CVG, that work with most axles; and for everything else learn how Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries can help you out in this blog.

Diagnosing Vibrations Isn’t Always Fun & Games

Published November 1, 2021

When a vibration is felt coming from the truck, a component, or more likely multiple components, are experiencing a start-stop-start of varying amplitude. Diagnosing those vibrations isn’t always a pleasurable experience, but with Mitchell 1’s TruckSeries by your side you can help bring some fun back into it. Learn more about how TruckSeries can help you here.

When Wind and Road Noise is More Than Just a Distraction

Published December 6, 2021

In real life quite a lot of noise exists inside even the most insulated cabins. Inside a truck on the highway, the wind and road noise may seem loud at first, but we tend to quickly grow accustomed. As time and miles pass, the ear begins to tune out the noise and rumbles to the point they become familiar background ambiance. Imagine being a service technician tasked with finding and fixing those noises? Well with the help of TruckSeries, finding those “noise causes” is easier than ever…and here’s how.