corrosion

Opinion: Rust never sleeps, but what’s your biggest truck maintenance headache?

What’s your biggest maintenance headache? I actually do want to know because, believe it or not, planning for next spring’s Canadian Fleet Maintenance Summit on April 15 is already underway. It’s at a preliminary stage, for sure, but we’re already at it. We haven’t yet held a meeting of the dozen or so members of the advisory council that helps us devise the program, but individually we’re creating short lists of subjects to cover.

IN PRINT — Rust Never Sleeps: There are ways to combat corrosion

It's too bad that corrosion isn't a line item on a budget. Maybe it's best that it isn't. The figure would shock you. It's one thing to track replacement costs for brake parts and wheels that are prematurely removed from service, but many of your electronics-related problems likely relate to corrosion, too. Emissions systems faults, Antilock Brake System faults, lighting and more probably stem from corrosion. Your budget line item should probably include downtime as well as the cost of the failed part.