Hargreaves Logistics makes alignment pay within one week 31 March 2014

Hargreaves Logistics has signed a deal with Steertrak to complete a programme of axle, wheel and steering alignment across its fleet of tractor units, rigids and trailers.

Jay Laverick, the bulk haulage operator's fuel champion, says that, following discussion with Steertrak early last year, Hargreaves ran a trial with 12 vehicles to assess the potential fuel and carbon improvements available from alignment.

"We knew that alignment was a good thing, but concerns existed that the nature of our work would quickly undo whatever Steertrak achieved," explains Laverick. .

"But the truth is that axle alignment can make such a difference: in one instance, the cost of alignment had been returned in under a week," he reports.

Laverick says the team quickly realised that it's not just damage that leads to misalignment: that can also result from wear and tear of bushes and springs, as well as chassis and axle component replacements.

Interestingly, second steer axles were identified as the main problem.

"Steertrak are a great team to work with; they were flexible enough to keep up with our very changeable fleet, and I always had confidence in the quality of their workmanship," says Laverick.

Steertrak says that Hargreaves Logistics' success has been a result of taking a whole vehicle approach, assessing all aspects of steering and axles, operational use and maintenance.

"Many fleets are still missing this fuel saving opportunity, because they still think of wheel alignment as just tracking," comments Steertrak managing director Andy Cornish.

"They don't use the right equipment and they don't use trained technicians who understand all aspects of steering and maintenance. Hargreaves used Steertrak because they knew we could deliver on these aspects."

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Steertrak

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