Owner ops/Lease ops post your maintenance

Ironically, the battery issue is why I refuse to install a big inverter. I just think its' going to over load the electrical system, constantly draining the batteries and causing the alternater to over work as well, which means replacing it sooner.

This is just my opinion, I don't know if it makes much sense, but I think its a very real possibility.

 

they sell a special tool for the top cap & collar that prevents tearing it to pieces. I have one.

 

[h=2]tip on belt tensioner[/h]

I just came from the shop that is working on my truck. told me if I want to save some money, I could get some parts myself. sure. they gave me part of my tensioner & told me to go 2 miles to a place that did all sorts of bearing work & told me to get 2 bearings. cost $17.50 instead of the $138.00 the freightliner dealer wanted for the tensioner itself. I had no idea what went out when the tensioner needed replacing. it was the original. 18 years old, so I guess it was time. this is on a 94' ser 60 detroit.​

 

scottie ... if you are still under 450K, your battteries may still be under warranty ... no cost to you at the company store. ... also any consumables - such as light bulbs - are about 60 to 75 percent cheaper at the company store.

This year - steers $670, drives $2800, complete rework of the DPF systems $1800, $225 per oil change, batteries, under warranty ... thats was my old truck. Finished the lease and purchased a used fleet truck.

On the new truck spent $2400 on diagnostices on all the systems, including cleaning the DOC filter and DZR on the DPF systems and a new crankcase breather filter ... repaired at no cost to me under 30 day warranty, new radiator, EGR coolor, air charger leak, seat shocks, flex pipe, new batteries, steer wheel well shroud, hood insulation, air filter and windshield wipers.

 

I have the same tool. It still came apart.

 

I have been blessed with breakdowns recently. approx 1 month ago I was driving just as it were getting dark. I turned my lights on & noticed my amp gauge in the yellow. uh, oh. turned them off, amp was back in charge territory. turn lights back on, back in not charge mode. also notice, when I hit brakes it pull power & again amps not good. so I step on it kinda. was about 12 miles from the big city of b- ham AL. pulled into the flying j. called my shop mechanic. he told me their is a freightliner dealer 1 block away from me & gave me their number.

then I get all my tools out & just as I get the cab over, a guy drives up & asks whats up. I told him. he gets out his battery tester & load tests all 4 of my batteries. all good. he offers to drive me to the dealer with my old alt. I take old one off & we drive to dealer. there for about 1-1/2 hours waiting & have my alt tested, then have to have pulley transferred. cost of alt. $245.00 we go back the guy does most of the work putting my alt back on & help me with the batteries. I ask the guy what do I owe you? he say's. you did not call me. I came over by you. O.K. thank you, but I have to give you something. he say's whatever you want, but you owe me nothing. I gave him $40.00 he was surprised I gave him so much, he gave me his number & told me he owes me a free tire change or repair. drove away 9 at night, from a 5 a.m. start feeling wore out & tired, but also blessed all the way home.


just last week I have a load on. everything is good. drive 55 miles on a 2 lane back woods road then hit i-65. hammer time 68 m.p.h. couple hours later, stop to fuel at the loves in falkville al & notice a rear drive tire really low. put air to it. no use. so after fueling, I drive 40 ft to the tire center there. wait over an hour while another truck in front of me. then get my spare mounted. cost $ 34.78. again, wore out, tired, but all the way back home. I feel blessed. the tire going out on the 2 lane rd would of have me worried. going out at a truck stop with tire service.. a blessing. the next day.


I am at home drain my oil & get a gob of metal on my plug. old oil is already in a contaminated oil pan. so in goes new oil in to drive 30 miles to shop, that did the gear train work just 21,000 miles ago. on my way back from dropping truck off, I'M thinking. all the way.. I am blessed. I caught the problem in MY driveway, I got the truck to the shop. thinking all week, what if the truck engine let loose while on the road? home all week & not making any money & losing money & I feel blessed.


that's how I look at my breakdowns this month.

 

The devil in a breakdown is usually the place it happens and what you need to do ( read PAY!) to get somewhere to get it fixed. Usually the actual problem itself is not half as much of a headache as the getting somewhere .

 

Being Blessed!

I like your attitude. It so much pays to pray and be positive. That little voice inside your heading telling you something, isn't just you being a nut job and crazy, its our angels, trying to help us.

 

Yeah brother... been there and done that a few times and it's always a blessing to at least make it back home.. you always have to find that silver lining no matter how frustrating at times.. it is what keeps a person going...