Military Airfield Gets Two “Like New” ARFFs for the Price of One

With the economy struggling, what do you do when you need new equipment? Some manufacturers are offering lease-purchase or special financing deals, or you can consider refurbishment.

When the fire chief of a American military airfield contacted Crash Truck Services at Company Two Fire Inc. about buying a mechanically new aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) truck, he had one severely limiting specification: To meet the chief’s financial guidelines, the “like-new” truck had to cost less than half the price of a new ARFF with equal suppression capacity.

The rest of the specifications were pretty standard: The mechanically new ARFF had to have 1,500 gallons of water, 250 gallons of foam and meet OEM Part 139 requirements in force at the time of the truck’s original manufacture.

To make the deal work, Crash Truck Services agreed to remanufacture one of the many used ARFFs in its inventory: a used E-One Titan with a 1,500-gallon poly tank. Then the fun began.

The Titan was stripped to its frame rails and the engine, transmission and power divider were completely rebuilt.

Frame and drivetrain

All body panels were inspected for damage, corrosion or worn areas, and repaired to OEM standards or replaced. The existing doors and hardware were repaired as needed. Existing interior compartment features were repaired to meet the OEM standard.

All chassis springs were inspected and replaced if they did not conform to OEM specifications. Spring clips, bushings, leaves, coils and associated bolts and pins were replaced as needed. Spring hangar attachments to frame were checked for signs of metal fatigue and defective components were replaced as needed. Shock absorbers were replaced. The specs called for the unit to sit level with load.

The entire air brake system was remanufactured to original OEM standards. The brake shoes/disc pads were inspected and would have been replaced with new units if needed, but that is rarely required. Brake drums/rotors were inspected and machined to meet OEM tolerances and/or replaced as necessary. All brake lines were inspected and replaced as needed. The brake system on the refurbished Titan remained the OEM all-wheel type with split circuits so that failure of one circuit does not cause total brake failure.

New tires were installed. All O-rings and associated hardware were replaced.

The air system was examined and tested. Deficiencies or leaks were repaired. Areas that are affected by extreme heat were protected or replaced with heatproof materials. The existing air system reservoir was removed and cleaned. All new air lines, valves and solenoids were installed as needed. An air lockout system was installed using electric solenoid valves. In conjunction with the air lockout system, an appropriate size/type new air dryer was installed.

The front and rear differentials, as well as the front and rear axles, were inspected for oil leaks. Gear oil was analyzed for metal contaminates. Wheel spindles were checked for wear and metal fatigue. Bushings, bearings and seals were replaced as needed with new ones that meet or exceed OEM specifications. All drive lines were inspected and reinstalled with new U-joints.

A new radiator core was installed. All radiator and heater hoses were replaced. The entire cooling system was then pressure tested for leaks and repaired as necessary. All new hose clamps were installed.

All existing exhaust components that failed to meet OEM specifications were replaced. The exhaust system was cleaned and inspected.

Wiring and electrical systems

The wiring harness from engine to cab dash area was inspected and repaired as needed. All replaced wiring was standard copper of aircraft industry quality, and numbered to a wiring diagram furnished with the completed Titan. Battery trays, hold-down clamps, terminal connectors and battery cables were inspected and replaced as needed. A 165 amp remanufactured alternator with built-in regulator was installed.