Must have tools

If they are halogen then yes, if they are HID, then I am not sure. The 194s and 3157 should still be the same.

 

Sounds like our shop. The drivers aren't required to work on the trucks but if it's some minor deal like a light or a mudflap they usually will. They get paid for it and the shop appreciates their effort.
'Course if a driver is on time and a half and he takes an hour to change a mudflap we'll probably have a little chat with him.

 

Yep I'm the same way if I can do it myself have time and the tools I rather do it then sit and wait or have down time.

I found a broken radiator hose clamp yesterday bought one and put it on simple quick. I have a ton of tools even racheting wire crimpers and splices to do electrical repairs and 12v test light.

I carry gorilla brand duct tape too in case you.need to do a redneck temporary repair.

 

Two or four pair of needle nose locking pliers. Saved my bacon more times than I can recall. Airline in seats, heater hoses, etc. A set of torx bits and an appropriate screwdriver handle. And Gorilla Tape.

 

I'm a former aircraft mechanic. Many drivers don't have a pen, flashlight, spare fuses or know how/where to find the fuse panel. They'd rather sit for 2 hours waiting on a service truck than replace a fuse or light bulb.

 

It always amazes me how little some guys, usually the younger guys but not always, know about their trucks. Switches, fuses, circuit breakers, none of this stuff is rocket science. I never wanted to be a mechanic but I'd sure rather do a few simple repairs than spend the night in the middle of nowhere.
I understand that some of the megas don't want their drivers touching anything but the steering wheel -and I understand why- but it sure wouldn't hurt for some of the drivers to learn some basic repairs.

 

"But I don't get paid to fix my truck"

Well how much did you lose while waiting 2 hours for the mechanic plus the 20 minutes it took him to change that hose clamp and write up his work order? It would have only taken 10 minutes to do it yourself. That's like $40-$50 in a driver's pocket right there.

 

If waiting for a repair causes you to miss a load or be late with the one you have on that hose clamp you wouldn't/couldn't change just got real expensive.
I don't want this thread to turn into an old guy rant but I sure wish some of the younger drivers were as good with a wrench as they were with their electronic gizmos.

 

In all honesty, a trucker that does not have a working flashlight is somebody I would consider part of the problem not a solution. Could you imagine a guy calls his company one moonless night. Hey there is a noise under my trailer and I have no idea what it is. The company says well can you at least tell me where the noise is coming from. No because I don't have a flashlight. I can see the breakdown guy just looking up at the ceiling doing this.

 

I think more of it has to do with upbringing. I'm in my late 20's now but I never had the fancy computers, video games or cell phones my friends had growing up. The old man was just starting out with his own truck when I was 6 so the only time I got to see him was if I helped out with the truck. By the time I was 9 or 10 I knew exactly how to do a brake job, wheel seals, set wheel bearings, install daytons, adjust brakes, change oil and grease a truck. I just didn't have the strength to lift the hubs or drums myself lol. I think if more kids had these opportunities at a younger age we'd have a much more competent work force that isn't afraid of hard work.