A company in operation for almost two decades knows the way to keep things running smoothly and efficiently is through proper care and attention to necessary elements of business. Those necessary elements look different for every industry, but for those of us in the work truck industry, McLaren Doors can sympathize.
McLaren Doors, manufacturer of roll-up truck doors since 1999, broke down a few ways to keep truck doors in tip-top shape:
HEALTHY HINGES
A truck with rusty door hinges isn’t difficult to spot. Just hop in your car and get on the highway. The rust bleeds down the side of the truck, staining the paint and tarnishing the decals. Not only does it look bad, it’s the precursor to a multitude of door-related issues that lead to costly repairs and truck downtime. Needless to say, it isn’t an ideal situation for anyone involved.
Unless you use stainless hinges or a hingeless door, your hinges will rust; it’s an inevitable fact. To ease the pain and prolong the life of your hinges, McLaren Doors offers three simple ways to get the most out of your hinges with a little TLC … or should we say “SLC.”
- Straighten: When hinges are installed at even a slight angle, it reduces the life of the hinge. You might not notice right away, but there are telltale signs. Grease splatter from a specific hinge or difficulty opening the door at certain points could indicate signs of friction caused by slanted hinges.
- Lubricate: Greasing hinges once a month can greatly reduce the hinge deterioration rate as well as keep the door operating smoothly, which can help reduce driver fatigue. McLaren Doors recommends a white lithium grease as it has less tendency to attract dirt.
- Clean: Road debris, salt, and environmental pollutants are like sandpaper on your hinges and cause rusting, especially between the door panel and the hinge. A quick spray helps clear out debris and keeps the hinge rotating properly.
Although you can’t stop the inevitable march of rust, with these three simple steps you can save some money, reduce an injury, or just keep your moving billboard looking better for longer.
KEEPING THE BALANCE
When it comes to your truck roll-up doors, one of the biggest parts of its operation is based on how well your cables balance the door.
What most people don’t know is that cables are rarely balanced properly and can lead to problems both immediately and over the long term, which can cost you money, downtime, and aggravation.
A poorly balanced door can affect your door’s operation from cables hopping off and poor door sealing to spring and hinge wear, as well as putting a driver in danger.
Taking the few extra minutes to properly install cables reduces these damaging effects and increases the operational quality of your overhead door.
When installing cables, McLaren Doors recommends following these simple steps to ensure your door is running properly:
Spring assemblies with independent cable drums:
- Once the door counterbalance spring is set, roll the door open and closed three times.
- Stand on the inside and have someone close the door.
- With the door closed, inspect the bottom seal contact. The seal should make even contact across the base plate.
- If the seal does not make even contact, you can fix this by loosening the cable drum on the affected end of the door. Make sure it is done slowly as the weight of the door will correct quickly.
- Once done, repeat these steps until the seal contact is uniform.
Spring assemblies with dependent cable drums:
- Check the cable tension and make sure both cables are under uniform tension, and inspect the bottom seal contact. The seal should make even contact across the base plate.
- If the seal does not make even contact or one of the cables seems under-tensioned, fix it by loosening the spring unit on the affected side until both the seal contact and the cable tension is even. Be careful when doing this as the spring is under high tension.
- Once done, repeat these steps until the seal contact is uniform.
The aging process is inevitable. Yet, truck owners who follow the above tips can ease the strain of age on their vehicles. All it takes is a little “SLC” and proper balance.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
McLaren Doors manufactures PVC truck doors that offer strength and flexibility. Find out more, visit www.mclarendoors.com.
MODERN WORKTRUCK SOLUTIONS: NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
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