Jerr-Dan

W e know tires are expensive. We also know most drivers mean to keep up with their tire maintenance programs, but driving often gets in the way. Until you drop a tread, or pick-up a bolt, it's easy to forget about your tires. Problem is, tires are very unforgiving, and will eat up your profits any chance they get. Don't let them. Here's how. Any tire showing damage is trying to tell you something.  You might need an alignment if you see certain patterns, so knowing which tire patterns to look for helps you identify the problem. Tire sites usually have a chart on types of damage to expect with each problem. Keep tires of the same diameter together  (New with new. Used with used). If not, you end up with one tire skipping and scraping the road because it isn't the same size. Premature wear isn't pretty. Know when to replace/retread your tires . Minimum legal depth is 4/32" on the steer and 2/32" on others. Tires wear at approximately 1/32" per 13

It’s already been a year!? Weren’t we just making sure we wrote 2014, instead of 2013? Well, as  you might expect, we need to review the ECTTS year that was 2014, and let you in on some things that are going to happen in 2015. With the introduction of a new parts web site, we accomplished one of our big goals this year. This had been planned for a while, and the implementation took a bit longer than we thought, but our new e-commerce site looks great, and works even faster. You can find our great new site at  https://parts.ectts.com/index.php , if you haven’t already been there. It’s not just a new design, though. We’ve added new ways to pay, as well as a chat function, so you can ask us questions and get immediate feedback. With larger graphics, and redesigned categories, it’s easier to navigate, as well. Just as before, we’ve also been busy writing and blogging original articles about our industry. This year, we’ll be bringing you even more of them each month, as well. Like the

Protect Your Investment. Winterize your Rig It's that time of year, yet again - time to winterize your rig. And while the below is by no means a comprehensive list, it is a good way to start your winterization plan. One of the few things typically taken care of for you is your fuel blend. You already know that your truck can be harder to start in winter, and to combat this, fuels are blended with 1D and 2D types of diesel for faster ignition. In spite of that, you'll still want to check the cetane number (CN). The higher the better in winter, as it's a measure of how quickly the fuel ignites. That said, let's get to the list you do have to worry about: Hoses, radiator and belts  - In the warm months, rubber and plastic might work perfectly well, but cold weather will test all of these components. Before it gets cold, check for small cracks, rub marks or bulges that can lead to a failure down the line. It may not happen today, but parts will fail at the least c

It’s coming to a trucking business near you. You’ve felt it creeping up on you for any number of months, but now it seems like it’s right in your face. The economic  upturn  is going to make your life a wreck if you’re not prepared. So what’s the big deal about the economic upturn in the trucking industry? Remember those days when you had to cut back, and scrape for loads? Remember all the maintenance you had to let go until you could afford it, or the equipment you didn’t buy because it didn’t make sense at the time? You lost money then, and now you’ll lose more  money if you’re not prepared to take advantage of the opportunities available. What’s going to hold you back? Unless you kept and maintained all of your equipment and drivers from 2010, you’re probably going to be lacking the resources to tackle all the loads you can. The good news is that you’re not the only one. The bad news is that you’ve got some catching up to do. Fortunately, everyone else is in the middle of ge

Welcome to East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales Newsletter It's the time of year for giving thanks to those we appreciate. Our Customers. To all of our customers we will offer FREE shipping on all orders over $200.00 placed between Thur, Nov 27th - Sunday, Nov 30th. ( Excludes ODF items and clearance items.) Simply sit back, log on to  Parts.ECTTS.Com  and get your shopping done without having to brave the weather, or the crowds. Happy Thanksgiving! The Perfect Turkey? If you're fixing turkey this thanksgiving (and who isn't?), you're probably expecting a moist, juicy bird. While everyone hopes their bird will turn out that way, what if there was a way to make it happen every time? This is going to seem strange, at first, but you'll get the idea of why it's necessary. First, after you have removed the giblets, and rinsed the bird, place the turkey in the roasting pan upside down (breast meat down). Second, do not stuff the bird

You’ve seen the videos and pictures on the web. You know it happens – just not to  you . And this is exactly how it starts.  Every day we see a video of a truck carrying a large load hitting a bridge, underpass or some other object of civil engineering. In fact, over 60 percent of states say that over-height accidents are considered a significant problem. The problem is so bad in the empire state that New York is installing “Over-Height Vehicle Detection Systems” to alleviate it. (You have to wait for troopers to guide you to another route if you’re over height, and that can’t be an enjoyable process.) So, how do these strikes happen so frequently when we all know to measure twice and plan the route accordingly? It’s all about safety culture and technology. Just like larger companies, small operations need to instill their safety processes and procedures – especially if they’re currently not in place.  It’s all about knowing everything about the load you’re carrying. Just