Truck Accessories Key Terms

Learn truck accessories key terms to maximize your work potential in the industry

By Christine Pollock
Working in the trucking industry encompasses more than just driving down a road. When you learn and understand truck accessories key terms, you will be able to easily communicate with other drivers and industry experts. It increases your legitimacy in business dealings as you clearly define your expectations using the industry vocabulary.

 

Automatic transmission shift lock

The automatic transmission shift lock is a safety mechanism. Its design requires the driver to turn the ignition on and depress the brake pedal before moving the transmission lever out of the park position.
Try: BuyAutoTruckAccessories.com defines the automatic transmission shift lock and cites examples of its usefulness.

Auxiliary springs

Auxiliary springs, also called helper springs, control the swaying and rolling of high body trucks and trucks with shifting loads, such as liquids. Generally located in the rear section of the truck, the springs act only after partial deflection of the regular truck springs.
Try: DuPont offers case studies on how auxiliary springs increase the stability of heavy duty trucks.

Balance shafts

Balance shafts reduce engine vibration and noise in most four-cylinder engines. The weighted shafts inside the engine block rotate in opposing directions at double the crankshaft speed.
Try: DHgate.com offers an image of an assembly for the balance shaft suspension for Mercedes Benz trucks.

Crumple zones

Designed to crumple in a certain manner in a collision, crumple zones are part of the rear and front sections of a truck. This crumpling action reduces impact force on the passenger compartment, protecting the occupants.
Try: Truck Trend offers images and blogs demonstrating the ways crumple zones keep truck and car drivers safe.

Double wishbone suspension

Double wishbone suspension refers to a design that minimizes truck changes when driving around corners or over bumps. With this design, each wheel connects with ball joints to a "knuckle" connector attached to lower and upper A-arms. The arms are not of equal lengths.
Try: Team-Integra.net explains double wishbone suspension as compared to MacPherson strut suspension.

Power takeoff (PTO)

Power takeoff (PTO) is a device that transmits power from the engine to auxiliary equipment. These devices mount on the transmission in a standard opening, or to the rear or front of an engine.
Try: Inland Truck Parts Company offers power take off units for a variety of trucks including lift and refuse trucks.


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