Lifting bobtail with bottle jack

If the hubs centered the wheels perfectly every time on every truck, there would be no reason for these:
https://www.amazon.com/SPC-Performa...tDescription_secondary_view_div_1494548162866

 

Let me know the next time you see a tire tech actually use a set of those centering tools. The only time I've ever seen them used for a truck was at a specialty shop in Cbus Ohio when trying to find a mystery vibration. I have a smaller set I used when I was machining hub spacers for fitting Mercedes style wheels on an Audi.

 

Never mind the hub, watch the bearings, you lean over the dual tires from outside and put eyes to look straight down the inside of the inside drive tire. If everything is in order you do not see bearing or bearing parts. If it is NOT in order and you see peices of bearing falling down. Do not move that truck a inch, the moment you turn, that whole dual set, axle it's attached to will come out of the axle housing and into oncoming traffic or interfere with passing traffic.

 

I've never centered a wheel on a hub. Didn't even know there were tools to do it. Also never knew balancing truck tires was as common as it is until I joined here. Just things a guy never bothers to waste money on when everything you work on runs off highway most of the time.

 

I've seen hub-piloted wheels that had to be beaten off the hubs because they were tight...hubs on the large end of allowable tolerance while rims were on the small side...and you're right...they may not be necessary in those cases. However, if the hub is on the small end of allowable tolerances while the wheels are on the large end, the inner wheel supporting the weight of the axle while the outer wheel is held up by the hub will cause uneven wear and possible vibrations

 

It is never a waste of money to take care of your wheels, tires etc. I am actually a trained alignment rack man for cars and a balancer of tires as well among other skills... however I can never get a modern car to within the .00000001 tolerance spec range on the front end with a 2 foot wrench and a rack older than pappy. Forget it. It's lasers for that work.

Any time a company or company officer goes poo pooh and dismisses a concern of yours for your vehicle that you are issued to drive, so that the company can save a few dollars is time for you to find another company to run for.

I once had a A/C go out. They patted me on the head and promised they will get done at the indiana shop. Well in Savannah GA, I had the TA go ahead and replace the entire system. Billing after the fact came to 1650 or so.

The yelling started over the phone. They had no choice but to pay.

When I got back to the shop after standing quietly for more one way profane yelling, I told the boss, you got a billion dollar company and make me promises to my face in front of witnesses that the A?C will be fixed.

Well as the agent of the company I got it fixed properly. There is no problem. You can give me a load or you can fire me. It does not matter anymore because I now know how this company runs.

That was the beginning of the end but it is something you can take care of yourself and make life much better.

 

My question at that point would have been "are you sending someone else to drive it to Indiana or are you paying for my motel rooms till it gets fixed"?

 

Pay attention and make sure yiu got it right or it could be life or death...

 

They yelled. But paid the bill and I continued on to Florida.

The thing is I had documented the A/C being out using trip inspection reports for almost a week prior daily, turned in with the logs, with a documented request to get it repaired so there will be a/c via qualcomm. The day before someone texted me on that QC and told me to pipe down, stop bothering adults with simple requests to fix things.

That caused something in my head to snap. I'll pipe down and fix this #### thing myself. Before I stopped in Savannah though, I checked my bank account to make sure I can back it up with money if necessary. Then I went and made it happen.

One of the things Companies hated with me is telling me not to do something or patting me on the head and tell me to go away. Guess what... that usually causes me to fix it on my own. And it might get expensive.

When I snap, threats of firing or actual firing has no pain. I already am working around that problem on the way home. In the old days companies were allowed to threaten firing as a disclipinary measure. Some have done that so much it's beating a dead horse and becomes lipservice to futility. Basically desensitized to firing. It really does not matter. It's still "At will" employment.

 

does not take a lot to lift bob tail one axle at a time my 1 1/2 floor jack works but I would use jack stands