​If you’ve been driving a truck or other heavy vehicles for a long time, you may remember a time when inspections weren’t quite as strict or stringent as they are now. One of the big shifts that happened recently regards the upkeep of brake systems, with new standards requiring a schedule of maintenance at least once a year. There are a few reasons for this, but today we’re just going to talk about two of them.
 
The first reason is straightforward, and plays a role more often than you would think: it’s simply a matter of quality. If you walk into a parts section of an automotive store, you’re going to find many more options than you ever thought, for almost any part on a vehicle that can be replaced – brakes included. And while competition for your hard earned dollars is good, you may find a wide range of prices waiting – and, unless you have a lot of money to burn, you’re likely to lean towards something on the cheaper side. While these cheaper brake pads/shoes will work, they may not work as well as something more expensive, because they are often produced or manufactured for as cheaply as possible – which may be here at home, or may be far overseas. This means quality control may not be effective, the component parts may be tainted or sub-par to begin with, or they may just get damaged during a long trip across an ocean. Our advice? Buy the cheapest brake pads at your own risk, because you’re likely to be paying again if they fail early.
 
The second reason that brakes have to be checked every year now is that the latest criteria of inspections for the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program (CVIP) has changed.  Inspections of years past included a cam rotation, lining thickness measurements, and push rod traveling, from which we could pinpoint the drum wear, even though we usually visually inspected the brakes through the hole in the backing plate. We only pulled drums if physical damage or the measurements indicated that we had to check for a defect in the wheel.
 
Now, though, CVIP standards say we must pull the brakes every year on various makes and models of equipment, in order to verify things like pad/shoe condition, drum wear, heat dissipation, and cracking to within one inch of the drum lip. As you can imagine, this causes us to replace many more brake parts, because the visual inspection is much more thorough.
 
As with any of these new regulations, it can be tough to stay on top of it all when you’ve got everything else in your job to worry about. That’s why it makes sense to leave it to the pros – especially the ones whose specialty is preventative maintenance and who are dedicated to keeping your rig running, operational, and compliant before the major problems appear. West Tech Mobile is that shop – and we look forward to helping you get the most out of your heavy equipment, trucks, and other heavy-duty vehicles in Calgary!

Cooling system performance test, checking all fins, checking coolant strength, a/c performance test (hookup manifold gauge kit, check static pressures, etc), check vent temperatures, check cycle times on your compressors, check condition of drive belts, a visual inspection of condenser and fins, checking fan hub operation,  pressure washing dirt and bugs found in fins, check the blower fan for functioning, check for any winter damages.

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Spring and summer are the favourite seasons of many Alberta drivers, for good reason – no more salted roads, no more snow and ice, no more early darkness! But as the warm weather kicks in, and the volume of commercial truck traffic increases, so does the frequency of commercial truck inspections.
These temporary stations are often seen at the roadside on highways throughout the province, conducting safety inspections on drivers, vehicles, and cargo alike. But what you might not know is that there are also mobile versions! These pop-up inspection stations can set up in new locations all the time (there have been a few spotted on Stoney Trail already!), and catch unsuspecting drivers. These “blitz” style operations are nearly impossible to predict, and can’t be avoided when you’re already cruising down the highway.
Now don’t get us wrong; it’s important to follow the law, and these stations are enforcing strict standards for the safety of everyone on the road. After all, big trucks + small passenger vehicles + speed = bad news! That’s why during an inspection, if infractions are found, you can be fined or even have your truck held temporarily until the problems are fixed. If your cargo is not secured properly or documented poorly, or if your truck is mechanically not up to par, you might be stuck indefinitely – and that’s not good.

So what are we doing about it?

Here at West Tech Mobile Truck & Trailer Repair, we know that this situation would already be inconvenient enough – and that’s why we bring the fix to YOU! If you find yourself stranded at an inspection station, with repairs needed before you can get back to the road, simply call us and we’ll meet you there, on-site with our fully-equipped service trucks. We’ve got everything you’ll need to get your truck or trailer working again – and as always, our work will be of the highest quality and reasonably priced. We can take on almost all heavy-duty trucks, trailers, light machinery, and equipment.
Even if it’s the middle of the night – don’t worry! Our roadside assistance is available 24 hours a day. We know how frustrating it is to be stuck on the shoulder overnight, and we want to make sure you don’t lose any more time than you have to on your schedule. And with 4 separate mobile service units, we can even be in more than one place at a time.

But why stop there? Once you’re back on track – and before the next inspection rolls around! – bring your truck or trailer to our shop facility at #22, 5555 51 Ave SE in Calgary, AB. We can do every tune-up, fluid check, and top-up you can think of, on every system in your vehicle – electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, everything! We’ll help you make sure that the next time you pull into an inspection station, you can be confident that you’ll be driving back out again soon. And with our 3-month (minor repair) and 12-month (major repair) warranties for work performed at our facility, that confidence will last for a long time.

So if you need emergency roadside assistance, give us a call at 403-899-8805 and we’ll get a service truck out to you. It could make all the difference when you need it!