One of the key aspects of fleet maintenance that is often overlooked yet plays a critical role in the performance and longevity of your vehicles is proper lubrication, specifically greasing and engine oil management. When applied correctly, lubrication management helps prevent costly breakdowns and repairs and extends the life of your vehicles, reducing expenses and ensuring your fleet stays on the road longer. Applying the right lubrication strategies can help you navigate the complexities of a mixed fleet and maintain an efficient and reliable operation.
Lubrication challenges in mixed fleets
As a mixed fleet operator, navigating the lubrication and maintenance of your diverse vehicles and equipment can present several hurdles:
- Multiple vehicle types, different needs: Mixed fleets typically include a mix of heavy-duty trucks, light-duty trucks, and delivery vehicles, and possibly specialized equipment, all of which have different lubrication requirements. There is no room for a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Different oils and greases: You must choose from various types of oils (synthetic vs. synthetic blend) and greases (high-temp, multi-purpose, etc.) based on each vehicle’s specifications. Using the wrong type of oil or grease can lead to inadequate protection, or worse, irreparable damage.
- Monitoring and maintenance frequency: Different vehicles have varying oil change intervals, depending on factors like engine size, usage, and load. This makes staying on top of maintenance schedules for a diverse fleet a real challenge.
Best practices for mixed fleet lubrication management
Standardize where possible
Using different lubricants can complicate maintenance schedules and procedures, inventory management, and training requirements. While each vehicle type may have unique lubrication needs, it’s beneficial to standardize certain aspects of lubrication management across your fleet.
- Oil type: Wherever possible, standardizing engine oil can help streamline inventory and ensure consistency in your lubrication practices. There are now versatile lubricant options, like CITGO CITGARD 800 Synthetic Blend Heavy-Duty Engine Oils, that work across multiple engine types.
- The effectiveness of CITGARD 800 across various engine types is attributed to its uniquely formulated additive blend, which offers superior engine deposit control, minimizes valve guttering, and reduces oil oxidation. The benefits of using CITGARD 800 include streamlined inventory management, simplified maintenance, and reduced maintenance costs. With CITGARD 800, you can consolidate lubricants, minimize the risk of applying the wrong oil, and even extend oil drain intervals, making it an ideal choice for mixed fleets.
- Grease types: Like engine oils, greases can vary depending on vehicle components. Standardizing grease types for similar vehicles can help reduce complexity. However, it’s important to adhere to the original equipment manufacturer’s requirements for each vehicle.
By selecting a premium grease, you may be able to eliminate multiple lower-quality greases due to the wider operating ranges or better performance characteristics. Consider the top-quality Mystik JT-6 multi-purpose grease products, ranging from moderate to high temperatures for multiple applications.
It's important to recognize that each type of vehicle will have different needs. Customization of lubricants should be done according to the manufacturer’s requirements for each vehicle type.
Select the right lubricants
- Choose the right lubricants: While you may use some standardized oils and greases across the fleet, always ensure that you’re using the right lubricant for each vehicle type. The following lubricant properties will help you select the right engine oils and greases for your fleet:
- Viscosity grade: Check each vehicle’s OEM recommendations on the appropriate oil viscosity grade and the operating conditions of your vehicles and equipment. Lower viscosity engine oil use in heavy-duty applications is now an option due to modern engine design and advancements in additives. Using an oil like CITGARD 800 10W-30 allows for fuel savings, extended oil drain intervals, and is also API SN licensed and can be used in light-duty gasoline trucks that require a 10W-30 oil. The trend for using lower viscosity oils for increased efficiencies can be seen in the use of synthetics in transmission fluids & gear oils. Oil viscosity is also an important property in greases.
- Performance specifications: Ensure that the lubricants you are selecting meet certain performance specifications, such as the American Petroleum Institute service classifications and OEM requirements.
- Compatibility: Lubricants need to be compatible with different components and materials such as seals, gaskets, and bearings across your fleet. Grease compatibility with the prior grease should also be considered when transitioning to a new product. Using the wrong grease can lead to thickening, thinning, accelerated wear, and possible breakdown.
Invest in fluid monitoring systems and technology
Investing in advanced diagnostic and monitoring tools and technology can streamline maintenance processes across your diverse fleet. These tools can help in quickly identifying issues, performing accurate diagnostics, and optimizing maintenance schedules. Monitoring services, like CITGO LubeAlert Fluid Condition Monitoring Service, can be used for predictive and preventive equipment maintenance. This state-of-the-art service provides valuable insights into equipment condition and conveniently helps to plan your vehicle's maintenance activities. LubeAlert makes fluid analysis simple by collecting data samples while in the field. Using LubeAlert can help increase operational efficiency and production, decrease maintenance costs, and reduce unexpected downtime.
Build vendor supplier relationships
Establishing strong relationships with your vendors and suppliers who specialize in parts and services for different types of equipment can be beneficial. This can ensure timely access to maintenance expertise and technical support specific to each vehicle and equipment type. Contact your supplier about choosing the right combination of heavy-duty engine oils and greases that will work together for your specific needs, such as the premium line of CITGO CITGARD heavy-duty engine oils and Mystik JT-6 high-performance greases, for your optimized mixed fleet operation.
While maintaining a diverse fleet requires careful planning and coordination, it also offers opportunities for flexibility and capability across various operational needs. By leveraging expertise and strategic management, you can navigate lubrication challenges effectively, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency across your fleet.
