Owner Operator Mistakes You've Made, Lessons Learned

Don't let company drivers talk you in to something that you know is going to turn out bad for business.
Something like, " Hey boss, we're working our *** off - sure would be cool to run with those other drivers,
how about taking the speed limits off the truck(s) so we can run 70 (was set at 65).

Then the fuel bill goes up and the mpg goes from 6.5 to 5.7.

 

If something isnt put into writing, it was never said!!

 

Listening to other drivers on "what you have to do to make it". Rollin can attest that most of what we do other drivers will tell you can't be done.

Ask "why" a lot. Why can't I? Why should I? Why wouldn't I?

 

I have been owner operator for 10 months now,and i learned a good lesson two weeks ago.Do not take your truck in some unknown shop,even for the oil change(Im sure more experienced colleagues know this). I had minor air leak in the cabin,went there for check,found bad air switch or air valve(16$),but they had to order it,so i had to wait 2 hours.I asked them if they do oil change,coz i was on 11 000+ miles since last one,and the guy said they do,but he didn't know the price,so i had to talk to the boss. The boss was weird,first he couldn't find VIN number on my door,then he didn't know the price of oil change,he needs to put everything on the paper???Oil change is an oil change,basic thing.He was amazed when i told him how much I pay for oil change(220$-250$ in Chicago).That was to cheap,he said.OK,how much you charge?After some calculations,he came up with 350$,maybe even more,he said,depends what kind of filters Im using.His price for 2 oil filters is 89.90$?????The other guy already drained oil from my truck and took of oil filters,in the meantime,boss came with new price,319$.Ok,i was thinking in my self,it wont hurt me much to pay more,I just want to end this circus and get on my way.Then i saw guy didn't took of my fuel filters(there's 2 of them). I asked the boss why he didn't?Oh,u want them changed too(sort of yelled at me)?? Of course,every oil change u should change fuel filter.Listen son,Im in this business for over 30 years,I know my job,I don't want to argue with u,bla bla bla...I guess with fuel filters it would be almost 400$ for oil change.Btw,they don't have anything in stock,he had to order oil(13 gallons he says,even if he can only put like 9.5 gallons in detroit 60) and filters.He wanted to rip me off,but he couldn't,so he said to the guy to put old oil and filters back,so i can go,coz they can't get air switch either,so it was complete waste of my time and nerves.I went to TA in Nashville,Tn,and changed my oil and switch,even though I don't like to go to TA shops,i had to,coz I didn't want to run my engine on already drained oil for too long.So avoid those kind of shops if u don't have some really big issue with your truck.I live in chicago,i have regular mechanic shop where Im taking my truck to,and Im trying,if money allows me,to do all repairs before i hit the road,coz its much cheaper then to do it on the road.

 

That all depends upon the company. If you're with a company that respects ALL of its drivers, this won't...or at least it SHOULDN'T...be an issue.

I probably carry more tools than I could ever really need on the truck, but I just don't see the point in carrying all of those extra parts. A quick phone call to NAPA (or any other auto/truck parts store in the area that makes deliveries to local repair shops) and a payment with a credit card over the phone will have whatever you need delivered to you on the side of the road.

It's amazing how quickly a persons memory fades when it comes to recollecting a conversation you had with them last week.

 

Today, was quoted out new kingpins on the truck I picked up on July 25th.

The issue came when I had a pair of fairly nice steers that were scrubbed to a bald spot on one tire and the inside in on the other is showing wear.

Last weekend while I was home, I jacked it up and checked the right side so it was absolutely NO surprise when the mechanic showed it to me today.

When you buy a truck, Items for condition of Sale.

Dyno run with print out.Full 3 axle alignment. This should show the condition of the king pins as well.
Oil and Coolant analysis records if available as well as a current set of tests.

A/C evac and recharge. On the APU as well if it has one.

New power accessory belts on Engine AND APU if it has one.

I was expecting kingpins. Just not 2 weeks AFTER I bought the truck. I was planning on doing this come October/November prior to winter hitting us.

I started to notice this wear in the 2nd week and been trying to sniff it out and what it could be.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/ask-an-owner-operator/13608-so-you-want-own-your-own-post2774294.html#post2774294

I had also gone in and bought a smallish IR temp sensor. It works and is accurate. But it still does not replace an actual gage on the tires.

DOUBLE and TRIPLE check that ALL of your dual tires are set for the valve stems in and outside are accessible in the holes on the rims. 7 out of my 8 were not. It was a PITA checking the air pressures until I got it fixed at a cost of $100.

This was NOT on my radar when I was at the dealer picking the truck up on final inspection.

What gets me even more, my truck and trailer were bought at places 150 miles apart. And BOTH of the pieces of equipment were that way. WTF?

As a "compensation" on this, I was using the temp sensor religiously to monitor tire temps.

I had one tire that I had was at 30 PSI when I was adjusting the tire pressures last weekend. When I went to start airing it up (inside dual), I started to hear belts NOT sounding right so I stopped and took it to a tire shop on Monday.

I had a bad side wall by the bead and just said to replace the tire.

What got me on this is that there was NO change in temp on the tire. It was running the same temp within 1-3 degrees of the matched tire. We also took down the paired tire with it and inspected it for damage from overloading as well. Couldn't see any so it went back onto the truck. The 4 best tires were put on the front trailer axle and the worst 4 on the back.

The back axle will be replaced first and they new tires will be installed on the front and the front axle moved to the rear. If you are wondering why? It's because the debris will be kicked up from the front axle and tossed up into the second axle putting them at greater risk of getting a nail or what not. (think about it if you have ever had nails in a tire)

 

Heres another thing i am learning. "Dont work yourself to death". I have been going as hard as i can lately and its wearing me down and adding extra stress onto the homefront relationship. I have no choice at the moment as its sink or swim time right now and I am determined to keep swimming. The repairs i have had to make over the last 3 months have really drained my cash and I am just hanging on BUT I will make it. I just wont give up! When I get to a point were I can knock it back a notch I will be sure to make time for my home life.

 

Mine started this week with the Kingpin's and steers.

 

Over 12 years driving o/o right hand on the shifter, shift low, shift high. left hand on the wheel, turning left, turning right. 3 pedals, 2 feet, clutch in,clutch out. brake pressed,brake released. go pedal down. feeling good, I am doing what I set my mind on doing, & doing well at it. don't ask me why, but just the last year or 2. just taking the time at least 3-4 times a week to get on my knees & bow my head & be thankful for having full use of my arms & legs & the freedom to use them. that freedom came from so many who have lost their arms, legs & life, so that I can achieve my dreams. that is the lesson I learned after seeing so many soldiers who paid the price for ME.

 

WTF indeed. It only takes having to do that once to learn you. Time permitting, I've gotten to where I'll wait till they finish mounting the wheels with the valve stems wrong before I say something. Go ahead and wrap it up, my man. Bonus points if they already removed the jack. It's kind of like kicking them in the back of the head (what they really need) except you don't go to jail afterward.

I used to be more tolerant of mechanics, having been one for 10 years. It's only taken me 1.5 yrs in this business to become the customer from hell. Simple crap like not even bothering to index valve stems turns me instantly nasty.

Sorry to hear about the kingpin problems. FYI I've had problems with Yokohama RY-617 steer tires on both my trucks. If that's what you have, beware. Their drive tires have turned out to be sucky too, but not enough to get any warranty compensation.

With the steers, two 11r-22.5 got all lumpy and out of balance within weeks of each other (bought/installed at the same time) after about 60k miles and were warranty adjusted by my local dealer for about $200/ea OTD. One low-pro on the other truck had weird wear on the shoulders and cupping, also at about 60k. A guy at that shop who used to work with a carrier that had used lots of the same tire said they had a known casting problem that this looked like. This one was out of town and I didn't have time to argue with the dummies at a T/A or Petro (where that one had been bought) so I had some other brand mounted and put it back on the road.

FWIW, those tires were found by elimination. I had the front ends and balance checked before that conclusion. Steers were balanced when bought, and had centramatics as well.

Moral of the story: Don't just assume the new kingpins will solve it entirely. Murphy's Law has been whipping my butt lately.