RollAudio

New and used are pretty simple concepts to grasp. But remanufactured and rebuilt? When it comes to heavy-duty replacement parts, they're two different things altogether. Todd Kindem from ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket group explains. Time: 3:35; size: 1.6 MB. Intro music is Edie Carey's "Under a Sky"; exit music is Amplifico's "Flutter." Both are courtesy the Podsafe Music Network.

Even a truck that’s sitting for weeks or months needs regular maintenance. Some items are obvious, like the batteries and tires. Others aren't, like the A/C system. But flipping on the air conditioner or defroster will lubricate seals in the compressor, reducing the risk of leaks and costly A/C repairs. Frank Burrow, manager of product support at Red Dot Corp., explains. Time: 3:33; size: 3.3 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

Temperature has a big impact on tires, and specifically, tire pressure. Haul from 90 degrees and sunny to 10 below and nasty and your tires will lose roughly 10 psi. That's why Tim Miller from Goodyear says you should check your inflation pressures more often in the winter. Plus: How to calculate your optimum inflation pressure. Time: 4:20; size: 4 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "After the Storm" by Dale Murray.

Keeping your air system clean and moisture-free is one of those quick and easy tasks almost anyone can do. Drain your tanks daily, watch for unusual amounts of moisture, and when necessary, replace your air dryer with one that meets the OE spec. You’ll be repaid with more predictable braking system performance. Not a bad return for an investment of a few minutes each day.

Tim Miller from Goodyear on what every owner-operator should know about tire maintenance and roadside assistance.

Tips for maintaining factory-installed HVAC.

Tips for spec'ing factory-installed HVAC for your truck.

There was a time when few people were concerned about brakes on the steer axle because they weren't a regulatory requirement. Today, the steer axle is the focus of a proposal to shorten stopping distances of commercial trucks. (This show originally aired on LandLine Now, XM satellite radio channel 171.)

There are roughly 40 different idle-reduction products available for class-8 commercial trucks today, all promising to power climate control systems and appliances without using the big motor under the hood. But what if you could do all that without running an engine at all? This year, most of the major truck OEMs will release some type of onboard power management system -- good news for truck buyers who want the advantages of engine-off power but not the drawbacks of aftermarket APUs and get-sets. (This show originally aired March 19 on LandLine Now, XM satellite radio channel 171.)

An interview with Enno Jakobson of Challenger Motor Freight on technologies designed to help drivers stay alert on the highway. The show airs this week on LandLine Now, XM radio channel 171.

Tire manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to minimize rolling resistance, the drag effect that tires have on your truck. The simplest approach is to use a shallower depth of tread. Following the rollout of a new line of fuel efficient tires, Donn Kramer of Goodyear explains how new compounds and tread designs mean you don't have to compromise tire life for the sake of fuel economy. Time: 7:31; size: 6.9 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "After the Storm" by Dale Murray.

Do your part to clean up the environment: change the fresh air filter on your cab's HVAC system. The filter not only keeps these contaminants out of the cab, it stops them from interfering with the performance of your heater and air conditioner. Also: Tips for claiming back the GST when you're operating in Canada. Time: 7:50; size: 7.2 Mb. Includes interviews with Mark Williams of Red Dot Corp., and Scott Taylor of TFS Group. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Rumble Groove" by George Fletcher's Bourbon Renewal.

The average annual driver turnover rate at truckload carriers is more than 130%. Two researchers dissect the formula behind the numbers. Time: 6:55; size: 6.3 Mb. Includes interviews with Linda Gauthier of the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council and Julie Rodriguez of the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. Both organizations offer studies into why turnover rates are so high. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Sugar Mountain" by Casey Desmond.

While most truck owners want to reduce engine idling, hear from one owner-operator who's running 100% idle-free -- without sacrificing comfort or breaking the bank. Time: 8:07; size: 7.4 Mb. Sources: Robert Jordan. Also, Brian Lawrence of Xantrex Technology answers a question about sine wave inverters and sensitive electronics. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Tonight" by Zach Ashton.

The big engine under the hood isn't built for sitting still. That's why truck owners are turning to auxiliary power units, or APUs, for a seamless source of energy when the truck isn't moving. Time: 8:42; size: 8 Mb. Includes an interview with Will Watson of Auxiliary Power Dynamics, maker of the Willis APU. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Spectre Swing" by This Spy Surfs.

In the United States, there are about 1.3 million GPS-enabled devices today monitoring vehicles and workers in commercial trucking. That number is expected to quadruple by 2009. So the chances are good that some fleet you contract to is going to ask you to put a GPS device in the cab with you, if they haven't already. So what is GPS and how is it changing the way fleets manage trucks? Look up in the sky on this week's RollAudio. Time: 7:50; size: 7.2 Mb. Includes an interview with Kip Hough of OOIDA. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Ocean" by Zach Ashton.

These days, truck owners are doing anything they can to save a buck on fuel. But before you strip off your bug deflector, plot your fuel stops and find out what you really pay for a liter or gallon of diesel fuel. How? Strip out the state or provincial fuel tax. Time: 7:38; size: 7.0 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is "Title and Registration" by Death Cab for Cutie .

You don't have to be a big fleet to have a formal tire maintenance program. Owner-operator Grant Sheldon is a self-described tire fanatic. But his basic tire regimen is something anyone can do, and the results can be better fuel economy, fewer surprises on the road, and a long-lived tire casing. Time: 8:12; size: 7.5 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is Homemade Hurricanes by Amplifico.

A sleeper-cab today has space for a microwave, TV, laptop computer, a coffeemaker -- but where do you plug in all this stuff? A quality power inverter is your three-pronged solution. Interviews with Bruce Purkey of Purkey's Fleet Electric and Brian Lawrence of Xantrex Technology. Time: 7:00; size: 6.4 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey. Exit music is Machinery by Might Could.

Some "extras" on your truck won't add to the bottom line and just aren't worth paying for. But there's another place to look for extras you'd be better off without: in your finance contract. Steve Mulligan of TFS Group, an accounting firm for trucking companies and owner-operators, explains. Time: 7:33; size: 8.7 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

Doug Crawford's actions on August 25, 2005, earned him the lifelong gratitude and friendship of the man he saved, as well as recognition as the 2005 Goodyear Highway Hero award winner. When you come upon an accident scene, what is your legal obligation to stop? Mike Langford of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light & Hanson explains. Other links: Goodyear's Highway Hero nomination information. Time: 7:47; size: 7.2 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

With debate over speed limiters picking up momentum, researchers are looking at ways GPS and onboard computers can play a more active role in monitoring and even controlling truck speed. Show notes: Learn more about Manu Kumar and Taemie Kim's prototype dynamic speedometer. Read about the latest study of intelligent speed adaptation at the University of Leeds. The Ontario Trucking Association has more information about its call for mandatory speed limiters at its web site. Time: 7:21; size: 6.7 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

Every supplier of replacement brake linings has its own special recipe for making them. How do you know which one is the right mix of performance, longevity, and value? This show includes interviews with brake consultant Allan Wright, who wrote one of the best books I've seen on air brakes (now two chapters in a free manual distributed by the British Columbia government), and John Younger of the Altec brake lining group at Carlisle. Time: 6:55; size: 8 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

When you buy a new truck, you're really working two separate deals: spec'ing the vehicle, and then spec'ing the money to pay for it. Steve Mulligan of TFS Group, an accounting firm for trucking clients, offers advice about how to get loan-ready. Time: 7:10; size: 6.6 Mb.

You know it's spring with the A/C tune-up coupons hit your doorstep. Take that offer, because recharging the air conditioning system is not a do-it-yourself job. Time: 5:28; size: 7.5 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

It's tempting to fill up down south when you're dispatched into a cold climate, figuring you can always fill up with winter-blend fuel once you arrive. Doing so, however, could put your trip on ice. Time: 4:06; size: 5.6 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

With tax rates as high as they are, it pays to get a receipt for every single business expense. But those little slips of paper are hard to track if your office is a truck cab, and if you can't properly document an expense, you risk losing that claim. Steve Mulligan of TFS Group, an accounting firm for trucking clients, talks about a cheap, simple, effective way to organize receipts in the cab. Time: 6:00; size: 5.5 Mb. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.

If you can track your vehicle, you also can monitor the behavior of the guy driving it. Or can you? Vehicle tracking and privacy on this week's RollAudio. Time: 8:08 Size: 7.5 Mb Slackstring's "Lend Me Your Love" courtesy of Podsafe Music Network. Theme music is "Under a Sky" by Edie Carey.