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We do not go over a whole lot of non-client recollects in this article at Autoblog, but from time to time something will prompt a fast double-choose. Spartan Fire’s recall of its 2022-2024 Gladiator, Metro Star, FC-94 and KME Panther hearth vans is a wonderful instance. It is a recall of just 166 motor vehicles, but fairly than catching hearth, they could possibly fall short to place just one out owing to a defect in their transmission command units. Of course, you’re examining that appropriately.
Just before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s get this out of the way: Spartan found out this challenge in the course of inner screening no incidents of unsuccessful pumps were being claimed in the firm’s recognize to basic safety regulators. With that out of the way, are you all set for a Monday morning lesson in the mechanical workings of a fire truck? I guaranteed wasn’t, but it truly is fascinating. Here is a handy explainer from Dallas Hearth-Rescue in situation you want a visible clarification. The mechanical facts start off around the :45 mark.
When the firefighting pump on this form of hearth truck is an independent piece of hardware, it is continue to driven by the truck’s engine. To carry out this, the truck’s pushed wheels have to be decoupled from the transmission. If you happen to be acquainted with electricity products, this in essence capabilities like a energy takeoff unit if your know-how is constrained to automobiles, imagine of it like a 4WD transfer scenario, only relatively than sending electrical power to both equally axles, it disconnects the rear shaft (primary to the push wheels) and connects the front (major to the pump). At the time this mechanical relationship is created, the truck’s transmission is locked in equipment (4th, in this scenario) and the pump is prepared to run. This is wherever the recall arrives into participate in.
Spartan states the mechanical bits function good, but a misbehaving sensor may cause the transmission handle module to act up if the truck is backed up before firefighters endeavor to engage the pump. This reverse -> park -> pump sequence can cause a application glitch that would not enable the transmission to lock in the appropriate equipment, leaving firefighters with an inoperable pump. Spartan claims the difficulty will be resolved with a computer software update for the Allison transmission’s management module. Operators and sellers ought to be notified in April.
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