Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)?


  Email This Post



Ihmhi
Novice

May 18, 2014, 4:25 AM

Post #1 of 10 (1937 views)
What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

I do freelance computer servicing and I had a customer come to me with an interesting problem.
I don't want to go into all of the details, but he very nearly bought an ancient toughbook filled with bootleg software for a ludicrous price. He ended up stopping the deal (thankfully).
My customer has a small fleet of trucks in his business including Macks, Peterbuilts, and Kenworths. He can do most of the maintenance in-house, but certain things require specialized software that he doesn't have.
He's not amazingly computer literate and I'm trying to narrow down a list of the programs he would actually need to handle maintenance on big rigs. So far the only things I've found that he might need is Meritor WABCO PC (and to quote him, "those bastards have had a monopoly on brakes for over a decade) and possibly Cummins INSITE.
So that said...

tl;dr: What PC software is needed to properly maintain Macks, Peterbuilt, and Kenworth trucks?


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

May 18, 2014, 6:37 AM

Post #2 of 10 (1924 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

Not quite sure what you mean.

Do you mean service information for repair and servicing or do you mean the software and hardware that has the capability of interfacing the vehicle's data system through its diagnostic port?

Nick may be able to answer your question since he is a heavy truck tech.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on May 18, 2014, 6:37 AM)


Ihmhi
Novice

May 18, 2014, 7:35 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1917 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In


Quote

Do you mean service information for repair and servicing or do you mean the software and hardware that has the capability of interfacing the vehicle's data system through its diagnostic port?


The latter, mainly. Interfacing with the truck's through its diagnostic port, getting readings, changing settings as needed, etc.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 18, 2014, 7:50 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1912 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

You don't really get to "change settings" on anything in the PCM. That is determined by the overall operating software. You can install updates with the right equipment but the software has to be written by someone, usually the manufacturer.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Ihmhi
Novice

May 18, 2014, 12:06 PM

Post #5 of 10 (1903 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

Hm, perhaps he meant diagnostic stuff so he could know what the readouts are and then change the settings by hand. Sorry, I'm more of a PC guy than a car guy. ^.^'

I've been asking around all day trying to get a picture of things and it's... not super easy, honestly. I mean geez, some of these companies still sell software through dealers instead of direct from their website for some strange reason.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 18, 2014, 12:17 PM

Post #6 of 10 (1899 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

I'm sure there are many aftermarket scan tools capable of reading data and codes. As mentioned before, Nick, one of our experts is very familiar with heavy trucks. When he stops by he will have some info for you.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Ihmhi
Novice

May 19, 2014, 12:34 AM

Post #7 of 10 (1892 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

Thanks for the help! I'll keep an eye on this post and see what's what when Nick rolls around.


nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

May 19, 2014, 7:00 AM

Post #8 of 10 (1880 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

Last shop I was at bought a system from Noregon Systems called JPro. It came on a Toughbook. You can spec it out for what you want it to do. Its pricey, but you can get access to WABCO among other systems. You will want to subscribe to Cummins Insite, which is an additional cost. If you have anything other than Cummins engines you will also need subscriptions to those services.

Thing to remember here is this stuff is expensive and the subscriptions are as well. Without the information subscription the computer is basically a nice code reader. you'll be able to read codes and live data. I was pretty happy with the display for the live data. When you have Insight on it you can then go directly to the code shown from the scanner and get the troubleshooting charts. Once you get used to navigating the system you can find the wiring diagrams and connector pinout charts pretty easily.

If this guy has enough trucks and trailers to justify it, this might be the way to go. The software is genuine and the price reflects it. Also, you would need to subscription to insite to change parameters. You can view them with the JPro but it takes the factory software service to change them.

If he has a good relationship with his parts guy at the dealership they might be able to help get the price lowered on the Insite subcription.


Ihmhi
Novice

May 19, 2014, 9:30 AM

Post #9 of 10 (1876 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

Thank you, that was very helpful.


nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

May 19, 2014, 7:34 PM

Post #10 of 10 (1865 views)
Re: What software is needed to maintain trucks (Mack, Peterbuilt, & Kenworth)? Sign In

You're welcome.






  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap