Picking my own freight baby! My journey to & of being on Schneider choice, the Adventure & Numbers!

helps he was a diesel mechanic first.

 

If you are running a truck you are responsible for the upkeep, it is very important to learn how it works, why it words, bad signs to look for, and the correct terminology of each part. If not, you will get shafted during repair time.

I was always mechanical, and learned fast and hard. It is not overnight, but study engines and components on your down time. That is part of your business. Every penny you save by knowing what is wrong with your truck is free money in your pocket.

I worked at a Freightliner dealership for a while in the parts dept. Way back then I was shocked at how many so-called mechanics didn't know squat. I have seen bills ran sky high from techs repairing 2-3 different things that didn't need repair before stumbling upon the real problem.

I bought my first OTR truck at 19, and celebrated my 20th birthday halfway across the country with my wife with me. Later that year it gaulded a piston over 300 miles from home. I left it on the emergency lane and hitched a ride home with another driver.

After driving down with my dad and seeing what was wrong, we drove home. I spent the next day rounding up parts and tools, loaded them and my wife in the car, and headed back to the truck. I started pulling the engine down at 10 am. I changed a piston, head, rocker box, re-installed the air compressor I though the sound may be coming from, made a 60 mile round trip for a extra part I didn't have, and at 2 am, 16 hours later, I was in the truck on my way to Houston to deliver the load, and the wife was on her way home.

This was all done on the emergency lane of interstate 85, halfway between LaGrange, Ga and Montgomery, Ala. She held the flashlight for me and handed me tools as I needed them. Saved lots of money and time because I had watched and slightly helped a mechanic rebuild an engine like mine, plus asked a lot of questions.

 

That's pretty impressive, but you don't have a prayer of figuring out most issues with these emissions engines. Heck even the shops struggle. Sure, you can learn what you can learn, but you're still at the mercy of sensors and dpf garbage. Not too mention needing special tools and a pit for access. Just not as easy as a couple decades ago.

 

So you ran a truck illegal, without a license for two years, and got away with it?

Impressive.

 

...if he was talking long enough back, it wasn't illegal. He better be an real old timer, though.

 

Really? That's what you came away with after reading his post?

You seem like a good dude, why are you busting balls?

 

Because I've heard the same story probably a thousand times told by a thousand different drivers. The BS gets old.

 

I really think there are becoming 2 kinds of owner operators out here. The 1st is the guy that is able to fix anything or at least have some advance knowledge of how it should be fixed. There is no doubt these rigs of today are expensive to own and expensive to fix. Down time is clearly at a cost of 500.00 per day plus in lost revenue.

2nd Owner Operator is the person with some moxie that is internet smart, knows to the penny what it cost to operate the rig and family bills. Understands the freight lanes, knows how to interact with shippers, there customers, and understands who could be a customer and why.

I applaud the guy for fixing the truck on the ramp its impressive and it was a critical skill set need back in the day. Those days have change....and changed alot.

I also feel these dealerships are horrid, they claim rapid diagnosis blah blah....they need to go to a high end car dealership to see how things are done...and done right. I waited 38 hours at Freightliner of Phoenix to fix an air leak on my drivers seat when they told me it would be 2 hours. Then the tools forgot to get the seats serial number for warranty when they called me to give it to them....I said 2 hours.....I never gave it to them.


Be Safe Out There

Captain Dave

 

Not to mention, at age 19 he had enough money or credit to buy a truck. Possible yes, likely.... not.

 

Does the SNI terminal in Dallas have a shop?