The voice of experience
Page 105
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DAVID WARD is workshops manager at St. Albans Sand & Gravel Company and is a firm believer in the benefits of correct wheel and axle alignment. Ward is responsible for the maintenance and servicing of 50 eight-wheelers. He says: "When I joined the company seven years ago I made sure the whole fleet was thoroughly checked for alignment problems.
"I was certainly sceptical of the alignment business when I first started but seeing a truck professionally tested convinced me of the benefits. Among the older generation of workshop manager there are still those who imagine that the chalk and string method of testing is adequate but it is not.
"There is no question that correct alignment maximises tyre life. It should certainly be checked after any repairs have been made to the running gear. Keeping on top of it has the added benefit of increasing the attention paid to wheels and axles, particularly on trailers which can be neglected.
"I think that most professionally-run fleets now take wheel alignment seriously and build it into their maintenance schedules. If they don't then they should because miss-alignment adds significantly to running costs."