Some numbers for new O/O

The rear spring hanger bushings are the easiest. Burn em out, jack up the rear of the truck, lube the new ones and beat em in with a bfh.

 

Driver and Mechanic are different.

Some start as a driver and learn how to wrench along the way.

I was a mechanic before I became a O/O in 99' ....i definitely needed the mechanic skills on that heap that I thought i bought for a "bargain".


Anyway, point is... experience in one doesn't equal experience in the other Necissarily..

 

I agree. I have been a steel mill mechanic, never any sort of vehicle mechanic. However a lot of what I know about gearboxes, and the sounds, smells, and vibrations that they exhibit when they are in difficulty have already helped me. I knew I had a heavy lubrication leak at one point because I could smell it. Heavy lubes do not smell like motor oil. It's a stronger, earthy, almost dense scent. When I started smelling that, I got the truck into a company shop and there were two damaged hub bearings. No lube leaks were presenting on the outside ends of the axles. The smell alone is why I requested someone look at it.

Someone with no mechanical experience might note the odd smell but have absolutely no clue what it was.

The service required on the two hub bearings I smelled going bad was minimal. If I had just continued driving on them, well, I probably dont need to elaborate on the potential damage that might have led to.

Everything comes together. For best performance, the operator needs to know at least the basics of maintenance, and maintenance needs to know at least the basics of operation.

A new trucker with their own truck just has not seen enough problems to build their mechanical knowledge 'database.' That new owner operator will benefit from a better, longer warrantee.

 

I don't know. It seems like every other business you see "BUSINESS MINDED PEOPLE" get into they start off with the least or at the most middle of the road equipment to get the job done when they first start out to keep their debt as low as possible. This industry seems to be the only one that routinely a guy who has no business experience and maybe not even driving experience their first move is to go out and buy a brand new truck and trailer and from the first day big into debt "because of the warranty". I've never had a warranty on a truck and did just fine and I'm no mechanic either.

 

I have to laugh at the new truck payment is more than a house mortgage argument, therefore, buying used is more profitable supposition.

Not always...

When was the last time a big trucking company CEO sat around lamenting the fact that instead of 1000 new truck payments, he could of had 1000 houses instead? LOL.

There's several reasons why fleets flip their trucks every 3 to 5 years.

 

But none of those reasons apply to a single truck operator. Buying new and strict trade in cycles is the best option for a fleet. But a single truck operator? No way. Get a good truck and maintain it well and it will last that operator 20+ years.

 

No way I would buy a used truck. I did it once and got rid of it as fast as I got it! LOL

 

I bought new once and will never do so again. All trucks break, the difference is with new you not only get to pay for parts but you get to made a large monthly payment in addition to working on it. Sure you have a warranty, but what good is it if it takes a week to get your truck in for something as simple as a fuel injector. That happened to me in 04, my choice was get the work done for free under warranty and eat a load of strawberries and permanently burning the bridge with my customer. or buy an injector for 350 bucks and change it in two hours myself. That warranty really saved my ### huh?

The key with buying used is doing very thorough inspections. When i look at a truck I'm not looking for a reason to buy it, I'm looking for a reason not to buy it.

 

What’s wrong with buying new with a big down payment and getting it paid off in say 3 years. Then driving it for a long time at least that way you know everything about it and it hasn’t been driven by 22 students just starting out.

 

What works for one person may not work for another.