Testimonials
Norco Corporation significantly reduces maintenance costs using Duolec® Vari-Purpose Gear Lubricant in their trailer hubs.
key takeaways
Challenge
Norco addresses seal failures, leakage, and brake issues by converting hubs to oil-filled units and using Duolec 1605, which holds 8 ounces per wheel, to prevent costly repairs and improve performance.
LE solution
Bill Guynes, a lubrication consultant, recommended Duolec® Vari-Purpose Gear Lubricant (1605) for its extreme pressure resistance, long-lasting adhesion, water resistance, and ability to protect against corrosive wear and overheating in heavy-duty applications.
Results
Replacing seals and bearings in the Saginaw area costs approximately $290 per wheel, but using Duolec 1605 lubricant can save $130,500 per million miles by extending unit life to over a million miles.
We’re getting over a million miles out of these units using Duolec 1605. My mechanic would quit if we changed to anything else.
- Owner, Ag Hollenstine
Customer Profile
Norco Corporation, located in Saginaw, Texas, owns refrigerated trailers used across the United States. They have been in business for 35 years, and an LE customer since 1996. They have approximately 90 trailers and have been using Duolec® Vari-Purpose Gear Lubricant (1605) in the hubs of the trailers with excellent results. They also have three trucks with Cummins engines, 6.0 liter diesel Ford pickups and 7.3 liter diesel Ford pickups.
Application
Norco use Stenco Seals, Eaton, Rockwell, and Henrickson axles. These units are rented to haul perishable goods, and or items that need a controlled environment.
Challenge
The most common problem with these units is that they leave the terminal and may not return for over a year. If they fail on the road outside shops must fix them at an extremely high cost. The problems associated with previous lubricants were foaming in use, which caused seal failures, bearing failures and brake failures. There is also the problem that when the brakes are saturated with lubricant you have brake failure on that wheel which can cause jack-knifing. To eliminate this problem the use of a performance driven product just makes good sense.
Before using Duolec 1605, they were experiencing seal failures, leakage and shortened bearing life. When these seals leak it ruins the brakes, and shortens bearing life. Some manufacturers have gone back to greased bearings to eliminate this problem, unfortunately due to extended time away from the home shop, the grease dries out, and the bearings get loose and then fail. At Norco, they convert the hubs back to oil filled units, and then fill with Duolec 1605 eliminating the problem. These units hold 8 ounces of lubricant per wheel.
LE Solution
Bill Guynes, LE lubrication consultant, recommended Duolec® Vari-Purpose Gear Lubricant (1605), which is for heavy-duty service in oiled bearings, transmissions, differentials, and industrial gearing. It is an extreme pressure, long lasting, water resistant lubricant that is very adhesive and nonfoaming in service. It protects against corrosive wear and reduces overheating.
Results
Labor cost in the Saginaw area is about $60 per hour. Seal and bearing replacement is a 2-hour job per wheel. The bearings cost approximately $90 per set and the seals are $10 each. If you add brakes, you are looking at $40 for the shoes and a half hour more on labor. You could end up with a $290 charge before you add the towing bill and service call. This does not include the taxes or downtime and late delivery or additional 4 hours to 1 ½ day’s additional fuel cost (running the reefer unit).
Average life of this type of unit is between 100,000 and 200,000 miles depending on lubricant used.
That equals $1,450 per unit savings over the 1,000,000 miles or 90 units x $1,450 = $130,500.00 saved per million miles of service.
Owner, AG Hollenstine, stated, “We’re getting over a million miles out of these units using Duolec 1605. My mechanic would quit if we changed to anything else.”