A little grease can save a lot of grief and money.

If the parts are not lubricated, safety will be affected. In some cases, components start to lose functionality or may fail catastrophically. The cost of parts, labor, and equipment downtime will increase rapidly.

"I know of several teams that have problems due to lack of lubrication, such as brake failure and fines," said Frake Eisses, service manager at Lubecore International in Campbellville, Ontario.

Eisses says the automatic lubrication system applies grease equipment in the best way, thereby reducing wasted components and lowering operating costs.

The biggest advantage of any type of lubrication system is the ability to lubricate the surface as it moves.

"You know you will get a measurable quantity, and you know you will get it at the right place at the right time. You can lubricate the bearing at any time while it is moving. The lubrication is more efficient," Mississauga, Ontario Said Mike Deckert, vice president of Flo Components.

"You have two metal-to-metal surfaces, and the lubricant is a layer in between. If there is no lubricant there, the wear is severe. You can check the cost of replacing the kingpin. It may be that, or you On the side of the road, it has broken."

He added that some companies with automatic lubrication systems said that since all bearings and surfaces are lubricated, they can also reduce tire wear.

Kamaljit Johal of the Diesel Truck Center in Mississauga, Ontario, said some people drive the car continuously and don’t bother to oil it. "They are trying to save money," he said.

"If you don't use gas, you will spend money, you may have a component failure, or you may have a failure on the road, and you have to pay for towing."

Machinist Johar said that lubrication must be carried out between regular services. For those who do, their devices will last longer, but some will not bother.

"If you don't add grease, you will spend money, you may have component failures or breakdowns on the road, and you have to pay for towing," Johal warned.

Eisses said that if too much grease is used, it will adversely affect the environment and equipment. "We have been working hard to ensure that the environment is protected. We never want to put too much there because the grease is soap and oil. It also helps to reduce component wear and make it last longer, which has a positive impact on the environment," He said.

Deckert said that when manually lubricating, you can add a certain amount of grease or pump it in until you see the grease flow out. In the first hour, when grease is applied in this way, 40%-70% of the lubricant is lost.

Gabriel Lopez, a marketing expert at Flo Components, said that some people mistakenly believe that if they have an automated system, they don't need to look at it anymore.

"You still need to conduct daily inspections and make sure the tank is full of grease and there is no disconnection," Lopez said.

Deckert said that an automatic lubrication system removes the grease gun from the mechanic's hand, then puts a wrench and flashlight into it.

Johal said these systems can only work if the user maintains it. In addition, if the wrong type of grease is used, the system will not operate normally or stop running.

Eisses said that the lubricant distribution is determined internally by Lubecore. "We add a precise amount of grease at time intervals (usually every two hours). This will produce a consistent lubrication effect and you will get a more effective work surface."

He added that when you have water to wash, rain or salt water on the road, by frequently applying a small amount of lubricant, you will get a perfect film.

Deckert said that if you mix incompatible greases, they may become concrete-like or become soft and sticky, and lose their protection. "Or you can shut down the system," Lopez added.

The jury is still providing grease for the fifth round equipped with Teflon plates.

Decker said that if lubrication will damage the fifth round, then don't do it. "But if you have a little grease left, what harm will it do?" he asked.

Johar has a different view. He suggested not to use Teflon coating to lubricate the fifth wheel.

Choose the grease that suits your system, Eisses says. In some cases, you will get a grease with a very high base oil viscosity, up to 600 centistokes in Europe. He said the grease will harden and it is difficult to pump through the system in Canadian winters. "This is something that needs attention."

Dekert said that some companies in northern Canada use liquid grease all year round, but their trucks are filled with lubricant during the summer and their yards are a mess.

He said that many companies use heavy fats during the summer and around October to November. They started adding lighter or liquid fats to the tanks so that when the cold weather hits in January, all the heavy fats disappear.

In the spring, they will return to their original state, so that in the summer, the heavy grease will return to the system.

Looking to the future, yes, even lubrication systems are becoming "connected". Flo Components introduced FLOlink, a remote monitoring system that can notify fleet managers of low lubricating oil levels or malfunctions in the automatic lubrication system. It provides cloud-based information and can generate reports for analysis and planning.

Deckert said that the device has a SIM card and a satellite version is being planned.

Leo Barros is the associate editor of Today's Trucking. He has been a reporter for more than two decades, holds a CDL and has worked as a long-distance truck driver. Contact him at leo@newcom.ca

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Based on my experience in the fleet world, this is not always the case.

The automotive grease system (regardless of the brand) must be checked correctly. Don't just look at the level and fill the reservoir.

You just can't install it, and do not bring the device to check for any defects within one year, and hope that the Auto Grease system works normally.

You need to make sure that all points accept grease and the amount is right. Not just a small spot, there is no other evidence (staining) to show it.

I have seen that the loader pin gets stuck in solids and must be "Arc Air ed" when the automatic grease system fails at that time and no one bothers to check the device regularly.

I have encountered a series of (large) flatbed trailers that meet the SPIF standard, and the automatic grease device is malfunctioning, and due to only one inspection per year, the kingpin is stuck and the brake S-cam is stuck.

The point is.. Just because you have installed an automatic lubrication device, don't give up routine/regular maintenance inspections.

Yes, I agree with the lubrication system because I still hear (truck parking area) trucks and trailers screaming due to lack of lubrication. I worked for a company in the past. They had a system and they worked very well because most trucks were running for a few months without seeing them, because 99% of drivers would not oil them. I have retired for ten years, from driving, safety and management positions, but I still do dealer transfers and participate in trucks...I hope that all trucks will be equipped with this system...

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