Over haul Estimate.

I'm not saying good independent mechanics aren't out there. I just haven't been able to find one anywhere near me and I've tried several. None will stand behind anything. I do know the mechanic at the CAT house who works on my truck. He's smart, ex-machinist, had his own shop at one time tired of it and got a good job with bennies for CAT, really knows his stuff. He's the only person that works on mine I request that he do it and if he's covered up I'll wait. I gladly pay their shop rate and know of several times it has saved me a LOT of money due to the fact this guy can diagnose and get to the problem quickly, listens, asks questions - like a real mechanic should do. I wouldn't just pay $100+ an hour to any shop out here. In fact I have been burned by a few of those too. Always the same story MHC Kenworth, different city, same ripoff. I came around quickly to doing most things myself. But with my motor there is only one place it will ever go even if that means dragging my truck on a hook across the country. And I realize it's a lot of cash for an inframe with them but it comes with 3 years standard unlimited miles warranty (they must be really sure of themselves huh?) so I don't really worry if they check things out (I KNOW they do) because if it drops a liner I'm out some down time - but I'm not paying parts and labor. Actually I do know how they checked the liner protusion, I have the spec sheet on that, he gave it to me and went over it showing how close he got everything. Now of course reading pulling trucker's post I don't know if the deck is warped or not but then again I don't run a lot of hot aftermarket tunes in my truck and pull sleds for fun like he does. Nothing wrong with that but you gotta pay to play - wouldn't a 3/4 ton dodge be much cheaper? Mine has always been just a good pre-emissions 550/1850 CAT file, never any hot rod stuff, and not hot dogging my truck.

 

That is exactly how it should be, have a guy you trust and stay with him. 100 dollars an hour for a top notch man is cheaper than 25 for a butcher or parts changer. The fact he was a machinist is even better means he is a perfectionist. Nothing about closing a shop to take a good job is failure, I'm not saying I won't go back to Cat or Deere either one some day if they keep leaning on trucking like they are. Especially if I could take my guys with me or they move on to better things. But I won't close and leave them without a job they have families too.

 

I know from being in the motorcycle business and car dealers years ago no matter how good a shop you take it to, the work done is only as good as the guy doing it. A dealer can hire a new tech and it might take a month or two for them to figure out he is a hack or doesn't know what he is doing. Best of luck with the rebuild.Adam

 

The aftermarket tunes and sled pulling had nothing to do with the "warped" deck on my motor. The deck was machined wrong from the factory considering you could still see machine marks. Oh and trust me I do pay to play...once my wife and I's new house is built I will be gathering parts of either a blown alcohol 4x4 truck or a blown alcohol mini modified tractor.

 

Nothing like the smell of burnt alcohol lol. I would like to do some pulling but never have hooked to one, wouldn't know where to start. Still it intrigues me course if I don't get off my can and do it I wont ever learn.

 

now that's what I'm talking about now were talking my speed!!!! I'm going 540 F2 on my new build super mega truck!!

 

Good luck on your inframe. If that is true turn key, sounds good to me. Got a friend who had the platinum done by Carolina cat prob a year or so ago. I think his was around $21k total.

 

Fair Quote ... Had it done ... Used the financing ... Didn't regret it at all ...

 

Which Cat shops have the best mechanics in the Midwest region? I've got either a bad ecm or bad wires to track down.