As Euro VI preventative maintenance plans place increased focus on belt kits and hoses, Gates provides technical guidance and assurance for workshops.
It’s fair to say that an increasing number of parts enquiries received by technical hotlines concern the influence of European exhaust emissions regulations, more generally known as Euro VI. For counter sales staff at heavy duty parts distributors across Europe, the speed of their answers is dependent on how quickly they can identify the brands that conform with the requirements. The best options are guaranteed to fit, have proven to be reliable, and are recognised as acceptable by fleet engineers.
Legislation
Since January 2014, all trucks and buses in Europe have been built to meet Euro VI. The regulations incorporate tough on-board diagnostics and in-service monitoring of emissions that contain NO and NO2, better known as NOX. These are the product of the high temperature combustion generated inside the engines.
As a manufacturer working closely with designers of major truck and bus manufacturing marques, Gates has a strong OE pedigree and enjoys a preferred supplier status for various systems on vehicles built by a wide range of manufacturers. These include MAN (truck and bus), Mercedes-Benz (truck and bus), trucks built by DAF and Scania, as well as buses made by Van Hool. OE success stories highlight Gates as a preferred OE engine parts supplier for parts on engines such as the MAN D15, the Mercedes HDEP, and the DAF MX11 and MX13 engines.
With a strong OE pedigree, it is clear that Gates understands the commitment to quality and compatibility of parts designed for Euro VI. Moreover, the ranges of parts supplied include more than just multi-ribbed accessory belts, tensioners and idlers. Hoses for turbochargers, air systems, fuel systems and cooling systems (plus the compatible thermostats) are also available. It means that Gates is supplying OE-quality parts to the aftermarket at very competitive prices.
Service contract expiry dates
Over the last two years, the percentage of Euro VI vehicles requiring service and repair outside of their initial purchase warranty or contract service terms has risen sharply. This makes the business a popular target for independent workshops that can offer favourable service and repair contracts.
Whilst the conditions set by fleet operators often specify that OE parts must be used, in practice they are often satisfied by the reputation of the brand. A strong OE pedigree ensures that the parts supplied by Gates will pass any reputation test and be supported by most fleet engineers.
Belt kits, quality and control
Moreover, Gates is making things easier for professional workshop mechanics by not only supplying individual parts, but also offering complete belt kits. By fitting kits, workshop managers can be sure to make vital contributions to preventative maintenance strategies employed by fleet engineers.
Those responsible for logistics fleets that generally operate with tight, just-in-time deadlines understand that the drive systems fitted to these engines are highly engineered and require careful maintenance. For instance, RPM has been lowered and now generates extra vibration that the drive system must control. This means that all of the parts – belts, tensioners and idlers – must all be replaced at the same time in order to ensure that worn parts don’t compromise the critical performances of any other components in the system.
The belt kits supplied by Gates are attractive because all of the OE quality parts needed for one drive system overhaul are in the same box. This allows for ease of ordering, ensuring all of the parts are compatible, and provides additional peace of mind as all parts are covered by a single warranty.
