Hamer Shafer, the first employee and the primary architect of transforming Muncie Power Products, Inc. from a distributor to a world class manufacturer died on March 25th, 2009. Shafer’s life was the epitome of the “American Dream” with his ambition and prudent judgment allowing him to grow a small parts distribution company into a global manufacturer. We invite all of our friends, colleagues, and customers to view the on-line memorial of Mr. Shafer’s business and philanthropic achievements.

Continuous Improvement (CI): the seeking of small improvements in processes and products, with the objective of increasing quality and reducing waste. Continuous improvement is one of the tools that underpin the philosophies of total quality management and lean production.

Recently, the Muncie Distribution Center benefited from a CI event that increased productivity in the CS PTO cell by 15%. The employee led group restructured the first work station reducing travel from 7 to 5 feet with a time reduction of 42 seconds.

Considering the large quantity of PTOs produced in the cell, the efficiency gained in this event will save thousands of feet in non-value added movement equating to hundreds of hours of increased capacity. The event also revamped the component placement in an effort to increase first pass yield.

The CS Cell Continuous Improvement Event is just one example of how MPP is achieving higher quality standards while improving product delivery to our valued customers.

Rick Wallace, PTO Products Manager, released a new PTO Updates Memo in March. The update contains information pertaining to Eaton Fuller Application Page 49, Allison 1000/2000 Series Transmissions, and changes to the SG Series PTO.

The QR 2009 is now available in print and CD. MPP strongly encourages using the web based catalog available on our website. The rapidly evolving truck equipment industry leaves users of the paper QR without the daily updates that are instantly available on-line.

If you would like to obtain a hard copy of the QR2009 for a reduced price of $15.00 contact our customer service department at 1.800.FOR.PTOS. Electronic copies of the QR on CD are available at no charge in small quantities.

Q: What can be done to reduce the chances of a PTO vibrating loose?

A: An important point to remember when installing PTOs is that the mounting bolts are a maintenance item. A good “best practice” is to plan on verifying that proper torque is applied to all fasteners during routine chassis maintenance and more frequently in high vibration environments.

It is imperative that the PTO installation manual is followed and that proper torque specifications are met. For reference, our recently updated torque specifications are 40-45 lb-ft for 6-bolt PTOs, 50-55 lb-ft for 8-bolt PTOs, and 40-45 lb-ft for 10-bolt PTOs.

It is also important that the supplied Nord-Lock Washers are installed correctly on 10-bolt PTOs. The instructions for installing the Nord-Lock washers can be found on page number 1.3 of the 10-Bolt PTO Installation Manual.

Our 6/8 Bolt PTOs are supplied with a special Spiralock nut. The Nord-Lock washers can also be used on these PTOs and are available for purchase in special stud kits. Contact Muncie Customer Service for more information on ordering a 6/8 Bolt stud kit that will include the Nord-Lock washers.

For customers using Loctite or similar liquid thread locking materials, it is important to apply the threadlocker to clean surfaces, which may require the use of a primer. Additionally, for blind holes, insert a few drops of the liquid in the hole as well as to the bolt threads to prevent air trapped in the hole from forcing the threadlocker out as the bolt is threaded in. Proper selection of threadlocker products will enhance the security of bolted joints, but some types offering stronger holding power will require the application of heat to remove the bolts.

Answer supplied by George Halleck, Vice President - Marketing Manager
E-mail sales@munciepower.com with questions to be answered by our experts.