Yesterday, I gave you the first eight items in a list of modifications/additions we've made to our equipment to help us get the most out of our investment. Several of them have already made a significant difference in our bottom line; notably the Super Wide Tires and the Aluminum Wheels, which have reduced our fuel consumption.
Of the following, only one (the seats) might be considered cosmetic, but from where I sit I feel it's a crucial item, as it's essential to cradle my tush in comfort. After all, that's where I spend the majority of my time when I'm working, right?
So here we go...
Synthetic Oil
$147.00 for six gallons
Synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil; they can also be synthesized from other raw materials. Two of the advantages of synthetic oil are longer drain intervals and less wear on the engine. This oil has moly, which bonds to the metal, eliminating wear in the engine by creating a protective barrier between moving parts.
Air Dog Fuel Preporator II
$1,000.00
The Fuel Preporator II seperates and removes the entrained air from the fuel supply to the engine, for maximum fuel efficiency, peak performance and reduced exhaust emissions. It also saves the fuel injectors by sending pure, clean fuel directly into them.
OPS Eco-Pur Oil Filter
$550.00
The Eco-Pur Evaporator filter removes liquid contaminants that create acid, oxidation, sludge and dilute oil. It filters particulates down to three microns, meaning it does a helluva better job than a standard flow filter, which only removes particulates in the 15-40 micron range. And nobody wants particulates in their oil. Eww!
Fleet Air Filter
$324.00
This is a lifetime filter, made of foam instead of paper. It never has to be replaced, which is already a savings, and pays for itself in little over a year. By investing a bit of elbow grease (the filter needs to be cleaned every 50,000 miles), you can save yourself about $2,000.00 over the life of your truck.
Evans Waterless Engine Coolant
$500.00 for 10 gallons
Created by Jack Evans, a competition racing engine builder, this coolant technology does the job by eliminating the use of water. Its efficiency is considerably superior to conventional coolants. There's a lot more technical mumbo-jumbo about boiling points, viscosity and vaporization if you're interested, but you'll have to check this page if you want those details. Ed is happy because he doesn't have to worry about changing the coolant, having the system flushed and falling prey to internal engine pitting, and I like it because I can climb hills in the middle of the desert, in the summertime, without having to heed those pesky "Turn off a/c to prevent overheating" signs!
Fluidampr
$600.00
These dampers are manufactured using viscous silicone fluids to shear harmful harmonic vibrations from gas and diesel engines. Viscous dampers never have to be tuned or rebuilt, and in performance applications will never wear out. For more details, read this.
Superior Seats
$1,536.00 each
Initially, we were going to buy the Bose seats, which would have set us back $12,000.00 for the pair. But after we tested them out at the MATS, we decided their special "ride system technology" just wasn't worth the money when the actual seats weren't all that comfortable. And, they only came in one color; a black and grey combination. That just wasn't going to work with my beige and taupe color scheme, so we decided to go back to Superior Seating (where we had initially seen the seats we wanted) and buy our seats there. We chose the Luxor model in the Monterey Leather. We pick them up this week!
Donvel Ride Control Systems
$1,000.00
In 1985, Donvel's founder was challenged by a fellow driver to "do something about the way these trucks handle in the front end." With a machinist background and over two million miles of driving experience, he accepted the challenge. His success in solving that initial problem led him to create a unique air control system for Class 6, 7 and 8 trucks. The Donvel Ride Control System consists of two products, available seperately or as a package. First is the Steer Axle Stabilizer kit that reduces excess bounce and rock. Second is the DVI Motion Controls for the existing air springs on your cab/sleeper, seat, drive axles and trailer axles that also reduce excess bounce and rock. We have the Steer Axle Stabilizer kit and the DVI Motion Controls for the sleeper. Ahhhhh....
I hope you will give some thought to these products when considering how to modify your your equipment to get the most out of it. Part of being an owner-operator, in addition to keeping an eye on your bottom line, is doing whatever you can to make the most profit possible. It's been said that you have to spend money to make money, which as you can see in this case, is true. But if you're able to save a few dollars, few hundred dollars, or a few thousand dollars, by investing in upgrades or modifications, better that the profit be in your pocket than someone else's.
If you have any questions on how these items are actually performing on our truck, which runs 150,000 miles a year, don't be shy about emailing. I will be sure to pester Ed for all the details to get you the best answer I can!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Here’s Your Sign
2 YEARS AGO: A Mini And Me
3 YEARS AGO: Wild In Tennessee
4 YEARS AGO: Isn’t There A Third Evil?
5 YEARS AGO: What The Hell Is This??
6 YEARS AGO: Sorry, no post for this day.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Investing In Your Investment - Part Two
(Synthetic Oil, Air Dog Fuel Preporator, Eco-Pur Oil Filter, Superior Seat, Fleet Air Filter, Evans Coolant, Fluidampr)
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5 comments:
Interesting list... Most truckers spend their money on chrome and chicken lights
Way over my head! I guess I really no nothing about modern trucks. Well, except for the virtues of synthetic oils.
I got to know about those seats...do let us know as soon as they're installed....looks like you'd just want to melt into those seats...
I want to follow your journey someday to know how's it feel like riding in a truck
We have two and a half years of sitting on a Bose driver's seat. The motion canceling technology is great, we feel a lot less tired after a nine + hour driving day than with our previous air ride seats.
But the actual seat, which Bose doesn't make, is a disappointment. It's a National. We are long in the thigh and it is barely comes to the knee. I feel the bottom of the seat is wearing out after less than 250,000 miles.
We bought an Isringhausen for the passenger seat and I love it. Lots of adjustment possibilities. We use it mostly when we're parked as our comfy easy chair.
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