Keep on Truckin'

While it may be tempting to overlook preventive maintenance (PM) in favor of avoiding downtime and saving money, shred truck operators could pay substantially in the long run for letting these routine tasks slide.

“Owners of document shredding trucks should think of their trucks as mobile factories,” suggests Mark Haughey, service general manager for Shred-Tech, Cambridge, Ontario. “All rotating shafts, bearings, hydraulic pumps, valves, filters, electrical panels and electronics need to be maintained.

“Equipment that isn’t properly maintained typically fails,” he adds, “and the subsequent repair may cost more in the long run rather than frequent, persistent attention to a PM program.”

However, Haughey says he often encounters owners who are reluctant to spend money on equipment that isn’t broken or doesn’t appear to need repair.

“Maintenance is simple; breakdowns are hard,” says Doug Ferrante, regional manager for Ultrashred, Spokane, Wash.

“It’s a crying shame when I see operators fail to take care of something that costs as much as a Ferrari and has such an impact on their operations,” he adds.

Ensuring a shred truck is properly maintained begins by consulting the owner’s manual for the vehicle.

Consistency Is A Virtue
Owners’ manuals typically specify maintenance intervals for the chassis and the shredder. “From our viewpoint, this is the start of caring for your equipment,” says Haughey, who advises following the maintenance intervals spelled out in a shred truck’s manual. “If you do this, you are better than most and you can likely expect your equipment to perform at factory specification for a long time.”

Shred trucks represent double the investment, Ferrante says, as the chassis and the shredder require preventive maintenance at regular intervals. “The chassis PM schedule is usually laid out in the manual,” he says. Ultrashred also provides service manuals for its trucks’ shredding systems as well as training for owners, operators and service personnel.

“Our system is very simple and the expectation for preventive maintenance is more about inspection than about a schedule,” Ferrante says.

The company recommends monthly inspections and requires maintenance of the main shredder bearings every 30 days, he adds.

Shred-Tech recommends a PM inspection every six months for its mobile shredding systems, Haughey says. “We have a comprehensive point-by-point checklist and inspection procedure that touches, inspects, greases and retightens your entire shredding system.”

This twice-yearly shredding system inspection is in addition to the daily, weekly and monthly inspections the company outlines in its vehicles’ owners’ manuals, Haughey says.

Essential Maintenance
Much of a shred truck’s PM revolves around ensuring proper greasing of various components, but safety systems also should be inspected to ensure they are performing as they should.

“Above all, factory designed safety systems must be tested and must function as intended,” says Peter Viveen, chief operating officer of Alpine Shredders, Kitchener, Ontario.

“Greasing PTO (power take-off) shafts, inspecting PTO shaft tightness, replacing hydraulic oil filters, greasing shredder bearings, changing gear oils and changing hydraulic oils are all essential for optimal performance,” he adds.

Preventive maintenance for the shredder will vary based on type as well as by manufacturer; however, Viveen says that most types of shredders will require gearbox oil changes, bearing grease and an occasional fastener inspection.

“Solid-shaft shredders such as the technology employed by Alpine have the least amount of individual components and require the least amount of preventive maintenance,” he adds.

“Pierce-and-tear and grinder systems will require inspection of the hydraulic systems, lubrication and cutting edge inspection at the minimum,” Ferrante says. “Our hammermill system requires weekly inspection of the drive belt and monthly lube, but the hammers need only be inspected every month. Since they don’t need to be sharp to shred, this inspection is for clearance tolerance inside the machine.”

When it comes to a truck’s live floor, leaks are the primary maintenance concern to watch for, sources say. “Always keep your work environment clean so when something does go wrong, such as oil leaks, you will see them right away,” Haughey advises. “Regularly inspect the areas for loose fittings, worn hoses [and] leaking components.”

Viveen adds that floor bolts and cylinder clamps should be inspected monthly as well. “Alpine’s exclusive Xpress Conveyor offload requires a monthly cleanout and only when necessary a quick adjustment for belt tracking.”

Lubrication and maintaining proper chain tension are keys to keeping a shred truck’s container lifting system operating soundly, Ferrante says. “The candy-cane style lifts all require slack in the chain so they can get over the top radius when the flat of the lift meets the curve of the lift,” he says. “Chain rollers need to be functioning, or the bin won’t get over the top.”

Viveen adds that periodic visual inspection of the mechanical components and fasteners and lubrication of the chain and guides are required to ensure smooth functioning of the container lifter.

Haughey suggests referring to the owner’s manual for specific guidance on maintaining a shred truck’s container lifting system. He also offers the following advice: “Grease moving parts. Change the filter as recommended by the equipment manufacturer. Tighten loose hydraulic and electrical parts and fittings. Inspect all mechanical items for wear and replace as necessary.”

Often Overlooked
In Viveen’s experience, shred truck operators often overlook PTO shafts, hydraulic oil filters and gearbox oil levels while performing preventive maintenance on their vehicles.

“Failure to maintain the PTO shafts will not change performance but can result in a breakdown while shredding,” he says.

“If oil filters are ignored, the hydraulic system will get contaminated, and a gradual drop in performance or a failure will occur.

“Monitoring gearbox oil condition and level is critical,” Viveen continues, noting that a failure could result if gearbox oil is not properly maintained.

In Ferrante’s experience, shred truck owners fail to lubricate drivelines and u-joints, incorrectly assuming that contracted lube services include these items.

He adds that Ultrashred’s trucks are engineering to require little in the way of preventive maintenance. “We are at a point where the trucks we build now require roughly half of the maintenance, lubrication and cleaning as the trucks we built just six or seven years ago.”

Cause For Alarm
Haughey suggests monitoring a shred truck’s performance for signs that service may be required. “If you track the performance of your equipment, you will know when performance levels decrease. This will tell you something is not right,” he says.

Take note of leaks and worn parts, excessive and irregular noise and the smell of burnt oil, Haughey advises, as they can all point to maintenance issues that could lead to prolonged downtime if ignored.

Viveen says the state of the truck’s chassis often is a good indicator of the overall condition of the equipment.

“Hydraulic oil overheating is a good indication of the need for service,” he adds. “If the gearbox oil is dark in color, a change is most likely overdue. When shredder shaft speeds are well below factory specs, there is an issue. When the shredder is running empty (no paper in the hopper) and the oil pressure is higher than normal, there is likely a service issue.

“Provided all other systems are performing properly,” Viveen continues, “the shredder throughput and low shredder pressures while shredding are both telltale signs of a shredder needing service.”

When it comes to a truck’s shredder, Ferrante says, “Leaking fluids, slow shredding operations and loud noises indicate it is probably too late for PM. Worn belts and loose items are key indicators also.”

Haughey says that because the information destruction industry is relatively young, preventive maintenance is not a foremost concern among some operators who are less experienced with capital equipment. He adds that he often sees companies opt for seemingly cheaper service or no service at all.

“I think that in time users and owners of the equipment will see that the time and money spent for a qualified mechanic will provide the best, long-lasting shredding equipment,” Haughey says.

The author is editor of Storage & Destruction Business magazine and can be contacted at dtoto@gie.net.