Truck and Track Winter 2025/26 www.truckandtrack.com 54 TRAILERS Drawbar couplings tend to be thought of as fit and forget ancillary items even though they are very much safety critical! Positioned at the rear of the truck, bombarded with grit or other road debris thrown up by the rear wheels they have a tough life! These factors can seriously impact on the reliability and service life of the coupling’s component parts. Furthermore, lack of maintenance or incorrect lubrication, such as smothering the coupling pin with grease will only accelerate the rate of wear. Grease is NOT the recommended lubricant for VBG couplings it simply attracts grit like a magnet and turns this into a form of grinding paste prematurely wearing the coupling pin and other components. Grease does not reach or lubricate the internal workings of the mechanism; over time the grease will congeal and impede the opening and closing operations. The VBG Mechmatic is a proven system that addresses these problems by not only cleaning the internal parts of the mechanism but also providing the correct type of lubrication. The function of this VBG solution is simple and timed to operate electronically. The Mechmatic unit is fitted near to the coupling and is connected into the vehicles compressed air system. Every 6 running hours a blast of compressed air is forced through a connection fitted to the lid of the coupling. The blast of air effectively cleans the coupling driving out any dust and moisture, which has been drawn into the mechanism’s internal workings. A removable canister built into the Mechmatic unit houses an aerosol can of VBG Mech oil which when activated electronically, every 24 running hours, injects the lubricant through the connection in the lid of the mechanism. The Mech oil aerosol can, it is estimated, will last for 3,000 operating hours (approximately one year). Warning lights fitted to the Mechmatic unit (Green and Red) indicate that the lubricant can is either operational (Green) or empty (Red). However, if the Red warning light is ignored the air cleaning system will still function. The Mechmatic system (VBG Part No 07113000) can be specified as an optional extra with a new coupling or retro fitted to an existing coupling. Add to your order Pt No 49-005500 for the aerosol can of Mech Oil and you have the complete installation. The benefits are clear and have been proven to extend the life of the mechanism and ensure trouble free operation. The VBG Mechmatic should be a default option for all VBG couplings. www.vbg.eu VBG Mechmatic takes the pain out of coupling maintenance
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