Emergency Vehicle Operations: All Fire Apparatus Need Vis-Check

I conducted an emergency vehicle operator class in Canada and found a fire department that had taken its fire apparatus to a local heavy-duty truck dealer to get their trucks evaluated by a computer system that measures vehicle safety. The evaluation, performed annually, is centered on a computer-based system called Vis-Check. I learned that Vis-Check is used by heavy-duty truck shops around the world as a diagnostics tool, checking braking systems, weight distribution and handling characteristics for large trucks.

I wanted to learn more, so I searched for Vis-Check and found that its U.S.-based distribution center is in Orlando, FL. One phone call later and I found that a long-time, well-respected, heavy-duty-truck brake and spring facility had the closest Vis-Check to my home in Orange County, NY. I took a trip to the City of Newburgh to visit McDonald & McDonald Inc. to learn more about Vis-Check.

Built for “road trains”

I met with Tom McDonald, president of McDonald & McDonald, who gave me a tour of his facility and an education on Vis-Check. McDonald stated that his machine’s technology was designed and built in Australia for the Australian large-truck combinations called “road trains.” Road trains are large tractor-trailer combinations that may have one tractor pulling as many as five full-size trailers and where the brakes on the last axle on the last trailer have to activate first, so this technology was used to calibrate brake systems in conjunction with the weight to bring these large, heavy vehicles to a safe stop.

The cost for the Vis-Check machine was $115,000 when it was new and McDonald & McDonald charges $95 for evaluating a single-axle truck and $125 for a tandem-axle truck.

For McDonald & McDonald, Vis-Check is used primarily as a diagnostics tool for brakes, king pins, wheel bearings, motor mounts, frame cross members and handling problems. For a city manager, fire chief or fire district commissioner, this vehicle check is a great investment as it reduces liability because a number of important operating systems on the apparatus are checked with a digital, computer-generated report delivered to the fire department.

The following systems are checked: maximum rolling resistance, maximum brake force, brake balance, maximum deceleration, weight, parking brake force (maxi-brake), rolling resistance ratio, parking brake deceleration and weight balance. Each axle is measured independently and these values, as well as values measured on each wheel on each axle, are recorded on the report and then a total of those values is also noted in the report. Also included in the report as pictured is a graph showing braking efficiency.

The system requires two trained operators. One operates the hydraulic pump and computer and the other drives the apparatus onto rollers. The driver must then operate the truck on the rollers at a low speed (drive axle). Two rollers check braking efficiency. Plates are used to shake the truck, which checks the king pins, wheel bearings, motor mounts and frame cross members. About an hour is needed to check each apparatus.

As you can see, Vis-Check offers an inexpensive way to reduce liability, check vital components, reduce vehicle down time and diagnose small problems before they become a large repair bill on your apparatus. If you are interested, search online for Vis-Check or visit your local heavy-duty truck repair shop to see if it has a Vis-Check machine.

Please note: Firehouse Expo 2014 is just around the corner, so register now before it is too late.

Michael Wilbur presents “What Have We Learned? Top 10 Emergency Vehicle Accidents of the Past Decade” at Firehouse Expo 2014.