Quality is in the Eye of the Driver

When you hear the word aftermarket, your thoughts may be leaning toward believing it to be an inferior part. Although there are plenty of inferior parts to go around (some good, some not so much), you should be weary to keep from being bitten by them. Inferior is a relative term when talking about heavy duty truck parts.

The truest test of any heavy duty radiator or charge air cooler is how it performs in your truck – while it’s on the road. Although original equipment manufacturer (OEM) engineers have an immense amount of data available to them to prove how the part should function, there may be variables that are overlooked. This leaves an opportunity to correct the fit or cooling capability issues by an aftermarket manufacture, resulting in a far better part. Fit issues such as improperly aligned brackets create stress points that may lead to framework and solder joint cracks. Leaking radiators don’t cool. Minimal cooling on the OEM radiator means the capacity is tested, with any changes made to the engine such as increased horse power.

Really, the only way to know which part is best for you is to do some research on your Peterbilt, Kenworth, or Freightliner truck to see if there have been any reported problems with the cooling system. Customer service technicians in both OEM and aftermarket parts hold specific knowledge and experience in this area; they are a great resource to go to for help with this.

Each day we do comparison shopping on everything we purchase. Take some time to comparison shop for the heavy duty truck parts that support your living to ensure that your truck is running at optimum levels. The experts at Radiator Pros are waiting to answer your questions to identify the best part for your needs because the best judge of the right parts is the person behind the wheel!