Keeping That Frontloader on the Road

Though front loaders have nowhere near the number of stops and starts of rear-loading equipment, maintenance managers and the manufacturers who make the equipment they use will say that when all is running smoothly and going well, that’s when operators need to stay on top, so things stay that way.

USA Hauling & Recycling, based in Enfield, CT, is part of a team of subsidiaries and affiliates providing services to over 15,000 residential customers and over 5,000 commercial, industrial, and municipal customers across New England. The firm has grown into one of the largest independently owned and operated waste management companies in the area.

USA Hauling uses two different Labrie trucks for its frontloader operations. This Labrie equipment has very good bodies, according to James Klotzer, maintenance manager at the company’s Enfield location. The older vehicles consist of Optimizers and the newer ones are Starlights.

The company’s preventive maintenance on its front-end-loader equipment is done by greasing the trucks, changing out hydraulic hoses, and trying to identify a problem before it turns into a disaster, according to Klotzer. Front-end-loader bodies receive PM about every 40 hours of operation at USA Hauling. This works out to a minimum of approximately once per week.

Because USA Hauling & Recycling is very concerned with customers’ individual needs, the company works with them to tailor recycling programs to fit those needs, according to Klotzer. Trucks are equipped with GPS in order to do live dispatching for rearranging schedules to meet clients’ needs on the spur of the moment. If a truck is in the area, it can be dispatched live through the radio communications system.

“Much good data may also be retrieved, data helpful both in keeping an eye on servicing front-loader equipment and in controlling our bottom line,” says Klotzer. Other uses for the GPS include data gathering on locations needing to be serviced by the trucks. Speeds the drivers have traveled at and information on when the power takeoff or hydraulics of the driver is turned on or off can also be obtained. The company can even determine when the front-loading arms are up or down per each customer.

One damper on the otherwise smooth sailing with front-loader pickups and output might come during cold weather due to problems involving waste materials freezing in the dumpster, according to Klotzer. Regular cleaning of dumpers and equipment should keep this from happening more frequently.

Cleaning, Greasing, and Extra-Hard Steel
“Each company has its own maintenance schedule and procedure, but mainly all is set up around cleaning and greasing,” says Pierre Lafond, engineering product manager for Labrie Environmental Group.

“The frontloader equipment (on a commercial route) stops less than the rearloading (on a residential route), some 150 to 200 pickups per day on average versus up to 1,000 for residential loading equipment. With such components as the packer panel, material will sometimes go on the backside, taking more time to clean. If that is not cleaned out, there can be problems. If it is not done, after many pickups the unit could become jammed and become not operational for an entire day, simply to clean out that area of the equipment. Cleaning sometimes is a big issue for customers because it’s not fun to clean this out. But the best bet is to keep up with it so it doesn’t become a major problem.”

Greasing is important, according to Lafond. Few frontloaders come equipped with any automatic greasing systems. Such equipment tends to have a centralized greasing system to avoid workers climbing on top of the unit. A number of companies have hydraulic combinations that warrant specific procedures, so, after a number of hours, samples of the hydraulic fluid are taken to ensure the fluid is clean. Contaminated fluid may mean the pump has a problem and particles will damage other hydraulic components.

“In addition to the manual-approved hours of service for greasing, we suggest visual verification to be certain there is no damage,” says Lafond. “Keeping operators from falling when doing inspections is our goal; this is a safety issue, too. Though we do have some customers who don’t mind checking 150 grease points, more and more customers prefer a centralized greasing.”

During the course of its work on different projects, Labrie attempts to reduce and minimize maintenance costs to its units. Labrie front-end loaders are constructed from abrasion-resistant Hardox steel that takes a lot of impact without deformation, according to LaFond. With such steel Labrie has attempted to reduce the cost of ownership on its equipment.

For example, less money must be spent to repair cracks or rust. Sometimes on front-end loaders, repairs must be done and the body floor may have to be rebuilt after just five years if the body is made of conventional steel. A body made of the Hardox steel can last the entire life of the vehicle, according to Lafond. “We suggest a good preventive maintenance program. At Labrie, we try to build better products and bring innovation to our way of thinking and be a leader instead of a “˜me-too’ manufacturer.”

Down to a System
Waste Management, based in Houston, TX, provides comprehensive waste management services. Its subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. The company is also a developer, operator, and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill-gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The clientele includes residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America.

Waste Management’s work runs at about 50% residential, 30% commercial operations and 20% industrial and site services hauling operations. All of the company’s preventive maintenance is scheduled using truck-operating hours as a basis since the vehicles operate many hours while accumulating fewer than average miles.

Duty cycle plays an important part, because some types of trucks are utilized more intensely than others. An example would be an automated sideloader, which services up to 1,500 homes per day using an automated arm and container grabber, while a rearloader may service 800 homes per day on average, and a commercial frontloader dumps approximately 100 containers
per day.

“We perform preventive maintenance on all trucks at 150-hour intervals,” explains John Lemmons, director of equipment and performance for Waste Management. “The first 150-hour PM (A) is a complete inspection, adjustment, and lubrication including checking and topping off all fill levels. The second 150 (A) and third 150 (A) repeat the first cycle, and the next at 600-hour interval (B) is an in-depth series of inspections and lubrication, along with oil change and new filters for engine and hydraulics. Then the cycle starts over again.

“Waste Management uses synthetic lubricants in differentials and transmissions to extend the drain intervals beyond the normal factory recommendations. These PM lube changes (C, D, and E) are all condition-based, dictated by oil sample results taken at each PM interval. The more moving parts and the more operating cycles required, the more frequently maintenance is required.”

On average, an (A) PM at 150-hour interval takes one technician from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the complexity of the truck. The (B) PM at 600 hours takes one technician from 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the complexity of the truck.

Among all refuse haulers in the US, Waste Management is recognized as the leader in preventive maintenance across all categories, according to Lemmons. “Our choice of lubricants, use of computer programming for planning and scheduling, laptops for diagnostics, oil analysis, and comprehensive processes and procedures sets us apart. More importantly, our excellent employees are a key asset.”

Large Fleet and Large Maintenance Demands
Republic Services Inc. follows a structured, comprehensive, and proactive maintenance program. Its program is rooted in safety, and radiates outwards. “Touch it once; fix it right the first time is our mantra,” says Roy Svehla, senior manager, fleet maintenance. “We understand the value that safe, reliable equipment brings to our customers, both internal and external, and our maintenance folks strive to deliver that value, every day.”

Republic Services, formed from a combination of several companies, now has the nation’s fifth-largest vocational fleet, with some 16,000 Class 8 trucks and 6,000 Class 7 and below, for a total of nearly 22,000 trucks. This fleet varies greatly, with equipment ranging from tractors and trailers to collection vehicles and pickup trucks. The company handles 65% commercial work and 35% residential.

The challenge comes in making sure each vehicle is getting its due, according to Svehla. Republic strives to maximize its payloads while staying within legal weight requirements. The company adheres to a very rigorous preventive maintenance schedule tracked electronically, based on engine hours of operation.

Overall, the process is relatively the same for the commercial and residential sides, consisting of inspection, lubrication, and adjustments to chassis and body. Though the equipment’s specific requirements vary, the preventive maintenance process is pretty standardized.

Republic’s PM schedule revolves around 150-hour intervals. A Service (basically inspection and lubrication) is completed every 150 hours. B Service, which includes an A service, adds an engine oil and filter change and is performed every 450 hours. Republic is currently working with oil and filter manufacturers to identify optimum, safe, extended oil drain intervals. The company also schedules annual, semiannual, and biannual services to cover every other system on the vehicle. The highest priority areas are safety-related systems: brakes and steering.

“If we do 1,000 homes per day with an automated truck, we may in turn be doing only 100 stops per day with a commercial truck,” adds Svehla. “The number of loads and weights they’ll haul will be similar, but a residential truck has a tougher duty cycle than a commercial truck. The duty cycle must be factored into the maintenance program. The tougher duty cycle of residential trucks manifests itself in shorter life cycles of certain truck components: tires and brakes, for example.

Republic Services uses two chassis manufacturers-Mack and Autocar-and three body manufacturers: McNeilus, Heil, and Labrie.

“With lubrication, synthetic lubricants are used exclusively in our geared components, such as transmissions, gearboxes, and differentials. Synthetics extend equipment life,” says Svehla. “They simply lubricate better. We’ve also seen oil-filtration systems improve that enable us to extend oil-change intervals as well as improvements in brake technology that lengthen the distance between brake jobs.”

Changes in the equipment on the horizon will mean updating maintenance skills as managers look at and purchase new equipment technologies. “The reintroduction of disc brakes on trucks is something we’re taking a real close look at, too,” says Svehla. “They disappeared quickly and now they’re coming back again. The new technology appears to be an improved version and clearly an improvement over drum brakes. I’ve high hopes for them this time around. It’s early, but we’re seeing more acceptance of them this time, and with developing government legislation requiring tighter braking standards, the new disc brakes are a way to help meet those requirements.”

Ergonomics for drivers has been enhanced in an effort to keep operators happy and safe. Improvements in HVAC, visibility, and driver-friendly placements of controls have improved the drivers’ workplace. LNG and CNG vehicles now run in Republic’s fleets, with CNG being especially popular. The company will be experimenting with an electric hybrid, too. CNG and LNG technology is now no longer experimental. Republic Services recently dedicated a new CNG fueling station in Boise, ID. Some 20 additional CNG-powered trucks are being added to the 12 CNG trucks already there. More than 70 CNG trucks are already on the road.

Areas of expansion will be in alternate fuels and automation. Fleet monitoring will continue in order to get the most out of company assets-not only from a daily productivity standpoint, but from a life cycle one as well. Republic continues to take advantage of emerging technologies to continue to build integrity and efficiency into its fleet.

Hydraulics Preventive Maintenance is Key
“There is no magic bullet out there for maintenance. It has to be done,” says Jeffry Swertfeger, director of marketing communications with McNeilus. “Those trucks go through one of the most challenging and difficult duty cycles out there. They are doing things from the standpoint of physics that is on that fine line of how much pressure do you pack before you blow things up. When you have dirty hydraulics that cut into the seal packs of the cylinders and leaking takes place, you have other things to battle. It really is a balancing act between optimum performance and running inefficiently.

“The bottom line is we urge all of our frontloader customers to follow the recommended preventive maintenance schedules that we put in place,” says Swertfeger. “Without that, you’re not protecting your investment and you’re just asking for trouble.”

Swertfeger explains that perhaps the number-one crucial factor in PM is maintaining hydraulic oil cleanliness. “Whether you’re completely changing the hydraulic oil twice a year at the minimum or using a filter buggy to periodically clean the hydraulic system, it’s critical that the oil remains clean. Based on hours of operation, this usually works out to around twice a year.”

Swertfeger sees customers with damaged hydraulic cylinders. The first thing McNeilus does in such cases is to sample their oil. If it is old and full of contaminants, this will negate the warranty immediately. Flushes of hydraulic fluid are critical. These should be done according to a specified number of hours as well.

It’s also very important that drivers and maintenance personnel communicate regularly regarding the operation of their vehicles, according to Swertfeger. Drivers are often the first line of defense regarding problems arising with their vehicles. Through regular communication with the mechanics, small problems can be addressed before they become big problems.

“There are scores of things that can be monitored now,” says Swertfeger. “It just depends on how much detail the customer wants using all this technology. But for that truck to pay for itself, it needs to be out there working in order to provide an adequate return on investment. Manufacturers’ recommended maintenance schedules need to be followed to be sure the vehicle is working properly.”

Long Stretches in the Cab
Trevor Bridges, VP of service and warranty, Autocar, points out that from a chassis standpoint, the routine maintenance a truck needs today is not that much different from what it was four or five years ago. “However, as the emphasis on reducing emissions has evolved, additional maintenance items such as crankcase ventilation filters and other emissions-related components need maintenance,” says Bridges. “There are also issues with exhaust regeneration in order to keep the emission systems in compliance, something that never had to be done on pre-2007 engines.”

Because of federal mandates, exhaust systems are tighter in that they mustn’t leak. In past years the regulations were not so stringent.

“Today you have to worry about them. The manufacturer has a guaranteed maximum leak rate built into its exhaust system based on the mandate from the EPA,” adds Bridges. “It will be the customer responsibility to ensure that the system is maintained in such a way as to keep the system emissions compliant. Some fleets are moving to alternate fuels (CNG/LNG) this brings additional maintenance opportunities, spark plug replacements, coils, plug wires, et cetera.

“These are the sort of maintenance-related items that have changed. The truck, the suspension, the kingpins, and all of the basic running gear of the truck hasn’t changed all that much.”

With the newer engines, the heat rejection is basically higher, so cooling system maintenance is important, including clean radiator cores and fan drives, among other components. With these higher rejection agents it is imperative that the cooling system works as designed.

“We can no longer afford radiators and charge air coolers that are plugged with debris,” says Bridges.

The diesel particulate filter (DPF) has to be cleaned, and there are intervals when the ash must be removed, according to Tom Vatter, vice president of sales and marketing with Autocar.

“But that’s across all OEMs, and there is another level coming in 2010 that will probably add another set of challenges, such as the urea tank and other items,” says Bridges. “That will doubtless bring maintenance opportunities.”

Around 85% of Autocar’s class-A cab-over trucks are sold in the refuse markets. Drastic changes have been made to Autocar’s Xpeditor in the last five years. The cab was made larger; and the electrical system was updated along with some other features. These updates have changed it completely and the market is responding, according to Vatter. “Though we are a smaller company,” says Vatter. “Autocar is one of the few companies in the country turning a profit this year.

“An operator of an automated front- or sideloader is in that cab eight to 10 hours per day; if you’re cramped that’s uncomfortable,” says Vatter. “We’ve expanded the cab, making it more comfortable, making it more ergonomically friendly, giving it a whole new automotive dash.”

This brings better visibility from more windows. In its new cab, the ACX (Autocar Expeditor) visibility has been increased through the placement of corner windows and removing the post out of the back window.

To inhibit deterioration from salt in the air, especially in port areas that use these systems, cabs have also been electronically coated. These changes mean safety is better in the work environment, the vehicle has less damage done to it through better visibility and less required body maintenance, and the cab space is more comfortable overall.