The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/236631
Used compressors are disassembled and inspected at the Bendix remanufacturing facility in Huntington, Ind. Reman's place in your parts costs associated with it. "The biggest value remanufacturing brings to the fleet is it speeds up getting the truck back on the road. They can swing a complete [remanufactured transmission] in in less than a day," says William Fouch, marketing manager for aftermarket transmissions, Eaton Corp. "If they are going to repair the transmission rather than use a remanufactured one, it can add an extra day or two to the repair depending on the problem and how technical the people working on the repair are." James Chenier, vice president of parts sales and marketing with Volvo Trucks, adds, "Fully dyno-tested remanufactured engines can get a truck back on the road in a fraction of the time it takes to do an inframe overhaul or rebuild." Remanufactured components and assemblies eliminate warranty risk for the repair and provide the greatest savings when compared with new components, Chenier adds. Remanufacturing also can extend the life of a vehicle, Foxx says. "A fleet may not necessarily want to invest in a new part for an older vehicle. [Reman] is an opportunity to continue to extend the life of the overall vehicle." strategy Remanufactured parts provide another option in your search for replacement parts W hile remanufactured components have been around for quite some time, not every one is clear on exactly what they are. Yet they could be a valuable component of your parts strategy. Remanufacturing a part brings it back to OE specs, while rebuilding brings a part back to being functional, says Henry Foxx, center of competency director, compressors and remanufacturing, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. A remanufacturer disassembles the component, inspects all of the parts, repairs parts back to original specification and then reassembles the component using existing parts and new critical components to replace those that could not be repaired, explains Doug Wolma, general manager, global aftermarket operations with Meritor. There are three main benefits of reman components: cost, quality and reduced environmental impact. Reman components typically are priced below the cost of new ones, since parts are reused and those savings are passed on to the fleet. "Remanufacturing gives the fleet a product that has been returned to OE specs at a reduced price," Foxx says. Using remanufactured components also can save time when servicing a vehicle, which reduces downtime and the Inspecting reman parts One thing that contributes to the quality of remanufactured components is the inspection process they go through. Remanufacturers inspect 100% of all parts, rejecting those that do not meet their quality criteria. Wolma says, "There really isn't a big difference between new and reman quality." This is especially true since remanufacturers incorporate factory upgrades to meet the latest specifications for performance and durability, Chenier explains. Remanufactured products also come with full factory warranties and coverage nationwide. Fabio Jurchak, director of sales and engineering, NAFTA for TMD Friction, uses brakes to illustrate what remanufacturers do to ensure quality. "Remanufacturers clean the shoes, they check the dimensions, and they Denise L. Rondini • Aftermarket Editor 46 HDT • JANUARY 2014 www.truckinginfo.com