Instant O/O and Loadboards II

Things will get really good when Alec Baldwin buys a truck and signs on with PP,...........

 

what we realy need in here now, is to have some brokers start posting.

 

I thought most of us are broke???,..............

 

He wants us to be broker...

 

I can't be!!!,.............

 

do we really need cheats too?

 

how about brokeist.

 

Hope everyone had a great weekend - either running paying miles or enjoying some home time. I've been on pins and needles under a big question mark about the issues the truck developed last week.

PP was able to run it over to the shop this morning, and I appreciate that as it made sense to position the truck near him rather than down here in GA for the weekend. It gave him more time with his kids, and I really don't have a problem trusting him with the truck and rolling my car to the house.

A phone call, with the ECM codes, to a trusted mechanic told me the fuel supply ("primer") pump needed to be replaced. Apparently these can go south after sitting for a period of time, and should be the cause of the intermittent rough idling (and I mean 5 cylinders firing - rough), part-time fuel leak at the rear of the injector rail, and occasional thick smoke under acceleration. The ECM codes were fuel supply pressure too high, fuel supply pressure too low, and EGR temp too high.

At any rate - I was told this afternoon by the shop that it should be ready by tomorrow afternoon, and will probably cost about $500 or so. That makes about $1,200 out of pocket to truck maintenance and repairs in the last 20 days. There's a few smaller issues that would be great to have fixed, but time is money (and money is money), and this truck needs to be pulling some weight right now to justify having it. I'll feel alot better when the odometer is spinning numbers again and getting some BOL's signed.

I'd also like to thank my lucky stars that we were able to slide through CO without getting nailed on their chain law. Apparently the fine is $500 to $1000 for not having chains on the truck this time of year, and we didn't have them yet. It was the first time the truck has been that far west, and I haven't had the time, or the money, to have a chain rack installed and chains hung. IMO chains are for display only, or to get the truck safely off the highway in a worst case scenario.

CO also wanted to see the last 8 of the VIN on the sides of the truck, and called me in one night to show them the papers on the truck. Overall, we were probably pulled about 8 times at scales - mainly because of the paper temp tag in the window. I do appreciate having up to 60 days to pay for baseplates here in GA, but the paper tag is like a "kick me" sign hung on your back in grade school. If I had the $1700 I'd just pay up to save the wasted time and scrutiny.

Overall, things are looking good, and everything PP has said rang true. The hopper gig may just be the deal for me and my truck. She has no issues pulling 80k all day long, gets great mpg, and the drops are nearly painless (other than a certain load of fresh cotton seed that refused to leave the trailer LOL). I actually enjoy travelling the rural areas we've covered, and the people at most of the locations are decent, hard-working folks. I'd like to have more long mile trips, and that's what the truck was spec'd for - but honestly I like not having to out-think the tail swing on a 53' van (and slide the axles around).

After running reefer with my brother in law for a short time, it's a refreshing change. No bumping docks in tight city cold houses, no scrounging for lumper pay at every drop, and no drop and hook reefer suprises in the middle of the night on a weekend (like having a reefer you just hooked to go down without warning, with the monitor panel missing).

Thanks for your time in reading and posting, alot of the advice has been helpful and it's remembered. One of the main reasons I went to trucking for a living years ago is to get back to something that isn't (entirely) cut-throat and everyone for themselves. That attitude doesn't benefit anyone, it just puts decent people out of business, and unable to help others in need. Life is better when people share time to kind gestures and decent advice. None of us know everything, but together we know alot.

Good luck and good business to everyone this week - and the best to you!

 

Enjoyed your post and especially liked:

"but time is money (and money is money), and this truck needs to be pulling some weight right now to justify having it. I'll feel alot better when the odometer is spinning numbers again and getting some BOL's signed."

Glad to hear it wasn't anything worse on your truck. As you know and have heard..."It can always be worse".

Keep up the good work, good luck and thanks for the update!

 

How broke?