When is enough, enough

That's the problem with serpentine belts. Not much you can do there, but the rest is out of line.

 

It's Saturday for me. Cooking Dad lunch the taking him for an MRI.

 

A DPF/Paccar. You really picked a fine piece of crap. Sell it, buy a pre-emmisions rig with a nice Cat or Detroit.

 

Wow, you had to buy drive tires at 355,000 miles? Better quit now, you'll never make it....

I mean, really? We're complaining that brake pads wear out today?

 

This...

Much of that could have been done for much much less.

From an o/o who is also the driver.. much of that would have been done myself at home during a preventative maintenance inspection. First 2 days when home is spent on my truck making sure its ready to go back out and not have down time.

Things can and do happen while out on tbe road. $1700 for starter and tow?!? A road side service could have done it for much less. Or the smart o/o would have called a parts store like O'Reilys, Autozone etc.. they will deliver a new starter to you. Takes about 45 mins to replace.

$700 for hood shocks? All you need is the length and weight# and these can be ordered for $25 - $50 a piece.

$750 for headlights?!? Did they break? Driver hit something? Can find replacements on ebay and amazon for much much less.

This is how new o/o lose their shirt. Inexperienced driver calling shots and owner does not understand the business or mechanical side of things.

Personally.. I would get rid of both, driver and the truck.

Hurst

 

Sure seems like they are paying a lot to have things repaired. They gotta learn to fix something themselves or either buy new so it can be fixed under warranty. But that won't fix down time and the payments are due even if it's down. Most places don't get in a big hurry to do warranty work either.
Also they need to tighten up on their preventive maint. And with the right insurance those towes would have been covered. Seems like they do not know enough to fix themselves or to know when being gouged. Before I got towed for an AC I would have taken a cab to get a new compressor and installed it on the side of the road. With the starter he could have gotten someone to pull start him and the drove it to the shop. If he wasn't able to fix it himself.

 

Yes.. but its also one of the easiest things to replace on the side of the road.

C15.. yesterday I had the bearings in an idler pulley puke taking the belt with it. I keep both a spare ac belt and spare primary belt, along with a spare tensioner and a spare idler. These are common easy to fix things like replacing a coolant hose or a leaking air line. Took me 30 mins to get back on the road.

This is why people are going out of business. They can not control the hemoraging costs of bad choices. In order to survive in a cut throat business you have to be able to minimize and control your expenses.

Hurst

 

$550 for a coolant line????

I'm probably one of the least mechanically inclined O/O on this forum, hell even I got to change the cooling line and all it cost me was 30 min and about $80 for the line....+ some coolant....$550 is crazy!!!

587 headlights are $140 each !!!...$750. ....WTF!!!!

 

I was hoping that they meant the high pressure hose for the AC with the pressure switch in it. I think mine was about $300 and I installed it plus a dryer and the freon. If it was just a regular coolant line then they did get jacked.

 

It doesnt matter if you have a new truck or a used truck. Pre emissions or post emissions. Things do break and wear out. The miles we put on these trucks, it is inevitable.

Before I went O/O,.. As a company driver I had the mindset that I was going to become an O/O. My main goal was to make as much money as I could as quickly as I could.

Even though the truck I was driving was not owned by me. That truck was still my meal ticket. Any down time for what ever reason,.. if it could be prevented or minimized,.. that would not only save my company money,.. but also helped me not lose any work/money from down time. Sitting in a hotel room flipping channels does not pay the bills. So I always went over my truck and looked for things that I could see. Chaffing hoses/lines,.. wires,.. harness. Bushings, belts, leaking wheel seals, tires, I always adjusted my own brakes,.. bulbs, fuses,.. so many simple easy things a driver can see and do himself. I was fortunate enough to always work for O/O's or very small carriers that when I went out of my way to help,.. they went out of their way to reward me for my loyalty and devotion.

So many drivers out there with the mentality of sticking it to their company or just too lazy to do some of the most simple things. For example,.. a few months back I parked next to a FAF driver. He had a couple marker lights and a head light out (Day time running lamp,.. when the engine is running).

I mentioned to him that they were out. He replied that he knew they were out. Said he was not a mechanic and his company knew they were out. In my mind,.. how is the the company supposed to do anything while your out here? This is a bad DOT inspection waiting to happen. How can you not care enough to protect your own personal CSA? A few dollars,.. replace the burned out bulbs. Turn the receipt in with your paper work to the company. I fail to see the complication.

This is why I feel when new drivers are micromanaged by megas's,.. the driver becomes dumbed down, incapable of thinking for themself. Incapable of making the important decisions that make the difference between a professional driver and a steering wheel holder.

Hurst