Q&A with Dave Jenkins
Morris Lubricants Brand Ambassador Dave Jenkins is an experienced truck mechanic and a competitive truck racer. Throughout the week he runs his own commercial vehicle and automotive workshops and keeps HGVs, trucks and LCVs well maintained and in tip top condition to ensure that the country’s supply chains are kept moving.
Recently Adrian Hill, Morris Lubricants’ Technical manager met up with Dave to discuss all things trucks and the latest considerations for commercial vehicle oils & lubricants.
Ade: Dave you have been working with trucks for 30 years what differences have you seen in the oils and lubricants you work with over the years?
Dave: Even if you went back 15 years ago there were probably only one or two main oils used in trucks, but today there are lots of different ones with many different oil specifications. You have to be on the ball.
Ade: As a mechanic, what products do you use from Morris Lubricants?
Dave: I use a mixture of engine oils, transmissions, power steering fluids, greases and workshop products, such as the Workshop Pro MD4 maintenance spray and Traffic Film Remover.
Ade: What have been the big changes you have seen in servicing trucks over the past few years
Dave: The biggest change over recent years has been the increasing complexity of the engine designs and all the different after treatment devices that are now added to trucks to help reduce emissions.
Ade: What types of customers do you work with on a regular basis?
Dave: I am very lucky in that I’ve got a range of customers who can be either owner drivers or businesses that own a big fleet of vehicles. Regardless of size of company the need is the same, it’s important that all of these vehicles are kept on the road, as it’s my customers livelihoods are at stake.
Ade: Why it is so important to make sure your customers have the best quality oil?
Dave: It has to be customer satisfaction and giving them peace of mind. Also, my peace of mind because I know I’ve done the job correctly. Commercial vehicles are used for businesses and have to earn money whilst on the road. A truck that is always in a workshop does not earn any money and can lead to increased costs and of course lost business.
Ade: What benefits have you and your customers seen when they have swapped to Morris Lubricants oils and lubricants?
Dave: That is a very interesting question. The main thing is that my customers know that the products are not going to let me or them down. As I have said before, my customers are businesses that rely on their vehicles to be on the road, earning money. When Morris Lubricants says their products meets a specification it really does and you guys at Morris Lubricants can prove it.
Ade: How important is it to you that Morris Lubricants make sure they have products for the latest specification of trucks?
Dave: In my own business I see a wide variety of different makes and models of commercial vehicle come through the workshop and being able to provide specific lubricants is vitally important. Technology is continually changing and the manufacturer specifications are constantly updating too. So, using Morris Lubricants oils and lubricants means that I’m keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in the industry.
Ade: Do you work with particular models of truck?
Dave: If only! I work with a wide variety of vehicles, Volvo, DAF, MAN, Iveco, Scania, Mercs, etc. and these are all different ages and mileages. It keeps me on my toes!
Ade: What things do you have to consider when planning a service on a vehicle?
Dave: I care for my customers and therefore you must make sure you are following the manufacturers guidelines. I pride myself in using parts and consumables that cover OEM specifications. I also make sure my customers vehicles are maintained regularly. Meeting servicing intervals is essential and to skip a service will be costly in the long run. Old oil will cause the engine to run poorly with lack of power and there will be unseen damage being caused. If not cared for correctly, the engine may end up needing a timely and costly overhaul.
Ade: Do you find that customers are aware of the importance of using the correct oil?
Dave: This is another interesting question, I have to say, probably not, because it can seem quite complex. However, it’s important to use the right oil to protect aftertreatment devices, such as DPFs, that can be expensive to replace. Lubricants may look the same, but the chemistry and the oil formulations, that you can’t see, makes all the difference.
Ade: How do you see the difference between serving cars or trucks?
Dave: Maintaining trucks and cars are very different, as they have very different driving styles and requirements. Trucks will be on the road for long periods of time which puts a huge demand on the engine, transmission and gears. Whereas a car can have very short stop start journey’s which means that both vehicles require very different types of oils and lubricants to make sure they perform to the best of their ability. There’s a good deal of pressure on me to ensure that I’m working at the highest level required for them to have complete trust in the reliability of their vehicles. My customers can’t afford for things to go wrong and using Morris Lubricants products makes sure that they don’t.
Ade: Dave to finish off do you have any questions?
Dave: I’ve always got questions, but the big one at the moment where do you see the future of trucks?
Ade: That is a difficult question. It’s really hard to predict, but what we can see is that new engine technologies and advanced powertrains will continue to evolve and emerge to keep pushing emissions down. It could be electrification, it could be hybrid engine technology or it could even be a hydrogen-based fuel. There is a lot to consider and several key factors that need to be achieved for successful innovation. It will be interesting to see how these technologies progress, but Morris Lubricants will always make sure that they are ready for these developments.
To find out more about the Morris Lubricants range of commercial vehicle oils, lubricants and greases, please visit morrislubricnats.co.uk or looks out for the social media posts on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
