DIY mechanics or have a shop do it?

**LBZ** · 06.09.2012

Just curious how many o/o still work on their own trucks? Was told long ago to never let shops(particularly if you are not familiar with them) to touch your truck for anything.

I can do the basic bolt on stuff. But when it comes to King pins or say a in frame, just do not have the tools nor the experience.

But what I have found is how long my truck is down for the simple things. Was doing some preventative maintenance fixing a slow & original air compressor that took nearly four business days. Bought the compressor(w/ a few associated parts) on a Friday thinking the truck would be rolling Monday. My truck is 9 years old, so more parts were needed. Mondays parts are not in stock & cannot get until Tuesday. Repeat Tuesday that turns into Wednesday for stupid stuff.

Just had to replace some exhaust parts. Spends four hours tracking down the right parts after tearing things apart to identify all that is needed, drive 90 miles each to get them & then fix the next day.

Just frustrated beyond words with the price of parts, lack of anything in stock & the cost of sitting.

Other than "that is trucking", am I missing something? I am learning quite a bit, but #### it is a expensive education.

**superhauler** · 06.09.2012

Originally Posted by LBZ

Just curious how many o/o still work on their own trucks? Was told long ago to never let shops(particularly if you are not familiar with them) to touch your truck for anything.

I can do the basic bolt on stuff. But when it comes to King pins or say a in frame, just do not have the tools nor the experience.

But what I have found is how long my truck is down for the simple things. Was doing some preventative maintenance fixing a slow & original air compressor that took nearly four business days. Bought the compressor(w/ a few associated parts) on a Friday thinking the truck would be rolling Monday. My truck is 9 years old, so more parts were needed. Mondays parts are not in stock & cannot get until Tuesday. Repeat Tuesday that turns into Wednesday for stupid stuff.

Just had to replace some exhaust parts. Spends four hours tracking down the right parts after tearing things apart to identify all that is needed, drive 90 miles each to get them & then fix the next day.

Just frustrated beyond words with the price of parts, lack of anything in stock & the cost of sitting.

Other than "that is trucking", am I missing something? I am learning quite a bit, but #### it is a expensive education.

all i can say is welcome to owning your own truck! i usally plan on fixing something i will preplan and order parts before i get home, saves alot of time. unless you start tillting back a few cold ones then it always seems to take a day longer! cheap nothing is cheap anymore.

**Gasienica** · 06.09.2012

Yup yup. Plan to fix things. I order parts when I got west and then pick them up coming home back east. You can only plan so much. Sucks when something just really screws up. I only do most of what I can. If its something bigger I go to my friends shop and get to use his tools and knowledge if I'm stuck or need a hand. Parts usually no one stocks at dealers. All comes in from warehouse next day. Blows my mind how almost nothing in stock ever. Use all the local resources for parts unless it KW specific.

Rear end went out in Albuquerque unplanned day before memorial. Couldn't order parts till Tuesday. Parts will be in Monday morning but I didn't go with just replacing with original rears it came with but changed ratio and got them blued with a set of tractor bearings. This was on my mind to do after summer season but I guess it wanted to be done now and it showed me. 1.3m miles on them so I'm getting both of them done. Just flew back home cause an unschedualed repair like this almost means a un scheduled vacation.

Welcome to the self schooling O/O life. Theirs a lot of knowledge here if you ever have a brain fart or questions.

**dave26027** · 06.09.2012

By the time you're so familiar with your wagon that you can guess accurately what parts will need replacing when you start a repair job, it'll be time to buy another truck- and the process starts all over again.

**Gasienica** · 06.09.2012

Mines 12 years old. I've had it for almost 7 of those years and plan on having it at least for another 10.

**SHO-TYME** · 06.10.2012

I try to work on mine as much as possible.

**Kansas** · 06.10.2012

I'm about 50/50 on shops doing the work vs. me. I am 100% for letting the shops do PM and tire changing. I just don't want to mess with disposing of the used oil and tires.

One thing I know for sure, shops make mistakes, and they make them often. If you want it done right. You have to do it yourself. Rember this, it's your truck, you love that truck, and the shop could give a care less about it. I can't tell you how many time I had settled my bill with a repair shop only to find out it was still broken. They didn't even bother to test drive to see if the part swap fixed the problem.

**rollin coal** · 06.10.2012

A good shop is worth it's weight in gold. I do all the routine stuff myself and have done minor things like turbo swap, completely replacing exhaust,fixing wiring issues with lights, replacing shocks, etc. New bushings in the suspension, clutch, king pins etc I'll pay to get done. Have one trusted CAT house and one mechanic there who is the only person that ever touch's anything motor, very good at diagnostics, caproperly diagnose and fix anything right the first time, well worth the $105 an hour. One independent shop with a lower rate that does excellent work and one suspension shop that can handle all things there with reasonable rates. I'm always game for learning new things, would really like for someone to teach me how to set the overhead. But for many things even if I had the know how and tools would still rather pay to have done. The most difficult part starting out if you're not DIY everything is finding trusted people with actual skills instead of the typical parts changers in most places who don't have a clue if there isn't a code. Everything is expensive but good shops will save time and money long term,even one with a $105 an hour rate.

**MNdriver** · 06.10.2012

I plan to do most of my own little things and inspections. But when it comes right down to it, my time is of enough value to me to have someone else do the work.

Remember you SHOULD be putting all that time you are working on the truck on Line 4. It could come back to bite you in the end if you don't and something happens. Just cheap "insurance".

Having been a mechanic and now a driver, there's a reason there are mechanics and they don't drive.

It can be hard to find the right shop you trust too.

**LBZ** · 06.10.2012

Appreciate the responses & good to see people still working on their own trucks. More & more of the posts around trucking forums are from those just getting out of cdl school leasing on with what ever co. driving new trucks. So it is getting increasingly difficult to learn things from experienced o/o's who have been around awhile.

Anyway, my truck is a 2003, have had this truck since Feb. 2010 & it was well maintained before I got it. Cannot imagine getting a hold of a fleet truck at this point in comparison. Went & looked at a 2007 a couple weeks ago that the salesman said "was the cleanest of the 9 traded in". Truck threw a code at start up & was in worse shape than my '03. Never even drove it!

Lesson learned, will hang on to the devil I know.