Properly inspecting wheel end caps

Preventing wheel off situations is critical to passenger safety and should be a top priority of shop technicians. Darry Stuart, President/CEO of DWS Fleet Management Services provides suggestions in how to properly inspect the wheel end caps and avoid meeting attorneys.

Key Takeaways:

• There is no question that in the past few years, there has been tremendous energy placed on wheel off situations and maintenance to prevent devastating situations.
• Most maintenance shop personnel overlook hubcaps for intended usage. When the lenses are stained from age or the using gear oil, there is a tendency to overlook it and ignore the replacement of the cap or lenses.
• So when we lose a wheel end, the general answer is the bearing failed, hiding that there was failure for lack of lubricate.

“I would suggest a review of your company procedures in this area. Determine what is really going on, and do not rely on the drivers to alert you that the caps are dirty or the plugs are too hard to remove”

http://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/properly-inspecting-wheel-end-caps/