JULY . 2014
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CTC eases component purchasing p3
Advances in air disc brake technology p6
From The EDITOR
Garage safety: deep in the cracks
Vol. 04 • No. 7 Publisher / Editor in Chief Steve Kane steve@busride.com
Welcome back to BUSRide and BUSRide Maintenance’s Summer Safety Series (SSS). While BUSRide is featuring the latest advancements in vehicular safety technology this month, we’re focusing on essential garage and maintenance equipment safety within the pages of our maintenance supplement. Safety constantly rates as the number one priority among our readers. based on surveys BUSRide conducts annually. To that end, we’re getting deep in the cracks with these summer articles, enlisting top maintenance experts to share their insight and analysis. Take a look at what’s inside:
Group Publisher Sali T. Williams swilliams@busride.com Executive Editor David Hubbard david@busride.com Editor Richard Tackett rtackett@busride.com Art Director Stephen Gamble sgamble@theproducersinc.com
• On the cover: ABC Companies shares essential tips for garage safety • Tom Wallace of MGM Brakes details advancements in air disc brake technology
Production Director Kevin Dixon kdixon@busride.com
Enjoy this issue and check back with us next month as we wrap up the SSS in BUSRide Maintenance!
Accountant Fred Valdez fvaldez@powertrademedia.com
Richard Tackett Editor BUSRide Magazine
JULY 2014
CONTENTS
BUS industry SAFETY council
On the cover: 14 top tips for a safe garage
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By ABC Companies
CTC keeps rolling
Coach-Transit Components eases the purchasing process for parts and components
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By Richard Tackett
Advances in vehicle safety technologies
First in a two-part series: MGM Brakes breaks down electronic brake monitoring for commercial air-disc equipped vehicles
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By Tom Wallace
Departments From the Editor 2
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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: BUSRide Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, Suite 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 busridemaintenance.com busridemaintenance.com
CTC keeps rolling Coach-Transit Components eases the purchasing process for parts and components By Richard Tackett
High visibility in the aftermarket bus components business isn’t easy to achieve. Mike Hemby founded Coach-Transit Components (CTC), Orlando, FL, in 2008 with the intent to carve out a space in the competitive parts and components supply market. With a small but dedicated team at his disposal, he’s realizing that goal. “We’re like a small football team that can react with more speed than an OEM,” Hemby says. “The guys that we have working for us are great. We just out-hustle everybody else. We’re not real big, but we’re quick. A big wheel turns slowly.” Hemby left his position at a major bus OEM in 2006 and worked for a time at a small parts manufacturer in Florida. When that didn’t materialize, he went into business for himself. “I decided that if I was going to manage somebody’s business, it should be my own,” Hemby says. “I approached Charlie McCarron, a former service manager with one of the major OEMs. Charlie knew buses and grew up around the industry.” CTC, which started as a distributor of Autex wiper blades and wiper motors, has expanded its product line to now include Goodyear, Dayco, Horton and Linnig clutches, among other manufacturer offerings. “The product line grew rapidly into the current product sheet offered today, serving MCI, Prevost, Van Hool, Gillig, and Volvo coach needs,” Hemby says. Initially, CTC partnered with a Jacksonville, FL, fiberglass manufacturer to build parts. In October 2012, they purchased a facility in Orlando and brought in machinery to manufacture in-house fiberglass. That move has helped the business grow exponentially. “Other than the OEMs, who are in a class of their own, we’re probably one of the most visible aftermarket parts suppliers in the country,” Hemby says.
Growth and goals Hemby says that CTC grew by about 25 percent from inception through 2010. In 2011, business doubled in size and the company experienced its biggest surge. Growth continued steadily through 2013, and Hemby says that CTC’s business has increased by nearly 20 percent year-to-date. CTC remains competitive with the OEMs and recently won, for the third straight year, a portion of the belt supply contract for one of the largest northeast motorcoach carriers. CTC has also begun making custom parts for conversion companies located in Sanford and Umberton, FL. Given his company’s size, Hemby considers purchase agreements like these a massive achievement. “Our goal is to increase our body parts offering and give the operators an alternative to the OEMs,” Hemby says. “Each time an OEM makes a model change, our product offering must be updated to insure we also offer a comparative product.” A good product, a good price “The greatest things that made Coach-Transit Components what it’s been for nearly six years, are the people and the service,” Hemby says. “My greatest pride is that our employees have hustled to get us recognition for our service level.” Hemby originated the CTC slogan, “A good product, a good price.” His personal warranty is simple: “If you don’t like it, you don’t own it.” “We have the best warranty and guarantee in the world,” he says. “If we ship it to you and you dislike it, just let us know and we’ll get it picked up and out of your way. No questions asked.” To find out more about Coach-Transit Components, or to view their catalog, visit www.coachtransitcomponents.com.
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1 Follow safe chemical handling procedures. Know the location of Material Safety Data Sheets.
Know and follow proper lifting procedures. Use
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Keep emergency exits and aisles clear. Do not block doors or lock exit doors.
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Wear proper personal protective equipment required for the work area or task you are performing. Maintain a clean and orderly workplace. Good
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Observe and obey all warning signs. They exist for your protection.
By ABC Companies
14 for a
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Never operate any machine or other piece of moving equipment unless you have been trained and authorized to use this equipment.
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Never use makeshift scaffolding or use chairs to reach high objects.
Do not perform any task or operate any equipment that you are unfamiliar with or have not been trained in its purpose.
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Use tools only for their intended purposes. Do not use defective tools.
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mechanical lifting aids whenever possible.
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Never get under a bus without the bus body being properly supported with engineered blocks/ stands. Never get under a bus without first chocking the wheels to prevent them from moving forward and backward.
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Access to emergency devices, such as fire alarm pull stations or fire extinguishers, automatic sprinkler valves, eye wash stations, emergency showers, and electrical panels must remain clear and not be obstructed by any material.
Do not tamper with or remove safety guards or equipment.
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housekeeping throughout the facility is of the utmost importance.
Advances
in vehicle safety technologies First in a two-part series: MGM Brakes breaks down electronic brake monitoring for commercial air-disc equipped vehicles By Tom Wallace VP Electronic Brake Monitoring Systems & General Manager, Transit/Brake Monitoring Business Unit MGM Brakes
Commercial Vehicle Air Disc Brakes Overview Commercial air disc brakes are quite different from the more well-known s-cam (or drum brakes) that have been common in North America for many years. Air disc brakes, while offering many advantages to the fleet operator, also present unique difficulties and challenges when it comes to inspection and subsequent maintenance of these brake systems. Below are two illustrations showing a typical s-cam (drum), and a typical air disc application for modern commercial vehicles. On the left you see a typical drum (s-cam) application that includes a brake chamber with an exposed pushrod, an automatic brake adjuster (ABA), a s-cam tube and bushings, a brake s-cam and cam rollers, linings and a drum. In this application, all parts are basically “exposed” which allows the fleet operator or inspector to visually check and inspect s-cam equipped vehicles using standard industry inspection criteria as defined by CDL requirements. Major component malfunctions can be checked and inspected visually by placing the vehicle on a lift (or over a pit) and actuating the brakes. The same process can also be accomplished through the use of electronic brake monitoring. CVSA has standard procedures for checking brake function and brake stroke for these applications. On the right you see a typical air disc application that includes a brake chamber with a fully enclosed pushrod, a brake caliper with an internal adjuster mechanism, a rotor, and brake pads. This type of braking system poses unique challenges to the fleet in terms of visual brake inspections. There is no exposed pushrod in order to check brake chamber stroke, and the internal adjuster mechanism (designed to keep pad clearance constant like an ABA on s-cam systems), is fully enclosed, sealed, and not possible to visually inspect. In addition, the pads and outboard rotor face are nearly hidden from view, making it difficult to check pads or rotor conditions visually, without wheel removal for subsequent detailed inspections. The industry has long known that a visual inspection of air disc brakes for proper operation is impractical, and this has been acknowledged by CVSA as a serious concern. The most common visually inspection method employed is simply to “check the rotor for rust” which would indicate the brake is inoperative (can require wheel removal). Thus with air disc brakes the fleet operator does not truly know with a visual inspection any of the following: 6
BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | JULY.2014
• The brake actuator (or brake chamber) is operative • The caliper internal adjuster is operative and maintaining pad clearance under all conditions • The wheel end is providing full braking, partial braking, or no braking • The brake actuator (or brake chamber) stroke is within acceptable operating limits • T he brake is lightly dragging (warning of other serious problems)
Drum (s-cam) Air Brake
Air Disc Brake
Why is air disc brake adjustment and operation so important? Proper brake chamber stroke is essential in order to ensure full braking capability. If for example the brake chamber is a 2.5” stroke actuator, once the pushrod stroke exceeds 2.0” the output force of the brake chamber begins to drop resulting in reduced braking forces being available. Since most daily brake applications are typically between 10 – 30 PSI, the driver has no idea his brakes are out of adjustment until they are needed in panic situation. During a panic stop, suddenly 100 PSI or more is applied to the actuator and the brake actuator simply runs out of stroke. This could result in vehicle instability and excessive stopping distances leading to increased risks of collision. This busridemaintenance.com
is illustrated in the graph below. When vehicles brakes are in adjustment, and properly operating, a fairly linear relationship between the brake pressure applied by the driver and deceleration of the vehicle exists (shown by black line). If on the other hand, vehicles brakes are out of adjustment, the driver may not realize this until it is too late (shown by red line). Just as critical in air disc applications is the internal adjuster mechanism inside the caliper itself. This adjuster mechanism is
Finally, the foundation brake system is critical to the proper performance of advanced technologies such as ABS, Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control, and Collision Avoidance. These technologies all assume that the foundation brakes are fully operational when they attempt to intervene. If the foundation brakes are not properly operating, then these advanced technologies will not be fully effective when needed. This is illustrated in the “Safety Technology Pyramid” shown below. Vehicle braking and stability is first determined by the tires and suspension which determine the how much of the tire is proper contact with the road, followed by proper foundation brake operation and so on. The technologies further up the pyramid, are dependent on the technologies below them to be properly operating in order for the more advanced technologies to be fully effective.
Vehicle Stability Roll Stability Adaptive Cruise Control
Relationship between Brake Adjustment and Vehicle Deceleration
designed to maintain constant pad clearance as the pads (inner and outer) wear during vehicle use. If this adjuster fails, it can result in either under adjustment which leads to loss of braking force at the wheel end, or over adjustment which leads to a partially or fully dragging brake. In addition, internal adjuster mechanism failure can result in increased pad wear during normal vehicle operation. Without knowing the state of the caliper adjuster mechanism, the fleet operator (and enforcement inspector) does not know if the brake caliper is operating within specification.
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Foundation Brakes (Drums, Linings, Actuators, Slack Adjusters) Tires & Suspension (Contact with the Road)
Safety Technology Pyramid This article will continue next month in the August issue of BUSRide Maintenance, addressing advances in current air disc electronic brake monitoring technology, advantages of electronic brake monitoring technology and confusion about disc brake pad wear indication.
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