Lube truck

[GOINGBROKE]

Putting together a lube truck to tie in with diesel repair business. How do you feel about contracting out your maintenance? Can you do it cheaper in house? If you contract out, are the prices fair, what are they, what services do they provide, and what would you like to see that they don't offer? Trying to get insite. Not much overhead as I am already set up to do mobile service work.

 

[Turbo21835]

What lube service are you thinking on providing. Oil, and other fluid changes. Or are you considering a daily service. As far as price, you will have to let everyone know what your rates are to compare them. I think you have some issues with timelyness when it comes to service. Our lube guys did oil changes. They also did the daily fuel and grease work. After completing the fueling, they check the hour meter and plan accordingly as to when to have the needed filters and oils for each machine. Not saying they did the best, as they always seemed to be a full service behind hour wise.

The trucks

 

[tonka]

I was thinking the same thing, are you going to just lube or haul fuel to? If your just going to lube, then if it were my Co. I would just get someone with a fuel lube truck to come out. I would think 30-40 and hour would sound fair, + the fuel, greese and oil ect...

 

[ror76a]

Side note

Turbo21835 You work for MCM? Ever heard of Ron Clancy?

 

[mikef87]

Around here to have a mechanic out it costs $90 an hour, plus mileage to and from the job. I use a guy when my 2 mechanics are busy. As for fuel we use a fueling company to take care of it for us, but I don't know of any companies that will fuel your machine and service it.

 

[637slayer]

the lube truck at my job has a really hard time pumping oils when it gets cold,just wondering how other companies warmed up their lube trucks? it will prob be around 0 again tonight with the wind chill. my scraper has a hyd. leak and the last few nights ive had to stand around for a long time waiting for the slow cold oil to pump.

 

[Turbo21835]

637, what body style truck do you guys have? Is it an open body or an enclosed body? I also thought there was some sort of heating system, i thought working off the exhaust, maybe im mistaken.

ror76a, Ill drop you a pm.

 

[Dozerboy]

I would see if any local companies are interested in that kind of service. Unless you could get oil for cheap by becoming a dealer or something I don't see it being cost affective. Most greasers don't get paid to well since it's not real technical work. I would think you would need a separate lube truck. I've never seen a service truck that wasn't over weight or close to it with just enough oil on it to cover some of what they may need if it isn't a bad day.


637 they make all kinds of blanket/tank heaters that could easily be used, but I have never know a company to spend the $$ on them.

 

[637slayer]

sorry about the hijack,ill start another 1.

 

[jazak]

What lube service are you thinking on providing. Oil, and other fluid changes. Or are you considering a daily service. As far as price, you will have to let everyone know what your rates are to compare them. I think you have some issues with timelyness when it comes to service. Our lube guys did oil changes. They also did the daily fuel and grease work. After completing the fueling, they check the hour meter and plan accordingly as to when to have the needed filters and oils for each machine. Not saying they did the best, as they always seemed to be a full service behind hour wise.

The trucks

I LOVE the paint jobs on those trucks!! Must have cost a pretty penny!

 

[JDOFMEMI]

When I worked in Las Vegas, one of the fuel suppliers had a division for mobile fueling and lube service. You would set up a meeting to show them everything that needed serviced, and the frequency, and they would arrive nightly to fuel, lube, oil change, whatever. They charged by the gallon for product, plus hourly for the truck with 2 men. I think it was $75 per hour then, and that was 8 or 10 years ago.

Tonka
You would go broke fast in that buisiness at 30-40 per hour. The truck, license, insurance, and fuel would cost more than that, not to mention labor.

I would expect 85 to 95 per hr nowdays for a well equipped truck with oiler.

 

[jmorse7]

Are there many services like this in the New York area? Thinking about branching out into something similar.

 

[AVRMECH]

lube& mech. service

Hi, I'm interested in starting up a bussiness. I want to do lube& oil maitenance and maybe mech.& tire service out of a service truck. My question is , do i need a special lic. I am doing reserch so I'm on the right foot.

 

[Dozerboy]

Not really. You probably need a CDL and depending on how much oil ETC your going to carry you need a Hazmat endorsement.

 

[AVRMECH]

Thank you for you' input. I'm going to start out in a pickup truck for starters.

 

[CM1995]

In these economic times I don't personally see any business hiring out a lube/fuel service. The small guys are going to do it themselves to keep their guys busy and most of the big contractors have their own trucks. Just my $.02.

My philosophy has been that the operator checks, lubes and fuels the machine they operate. It works well as you can teach the new guys what to look for and the more experienced operators catch things before they go wrong.

 

[AVRMECH]

I agree . I was planning on getting things together next year. I was hopeing things will be better by then. There is need for a mobol mech. in my area. I just planning for the future. Thanks for the 2 cents.

 

[danregan]

the lube truck at my job has a really hard time pumping oils when it gets cold,just wondering how other companies warmed up their lube trucks? it will prob be around 0 again tonight with the wind chill. my scraper has a hyd. leak and the last few nights ive had to stand around for a long time waiting for the slow cold oil to pump.

I dont really know what the book answer for this is- Im sure someone sells a kit- but I always thought (usually at 3 am in January) that a take off hose from the vehicle heating system wrapped around a drum. Ive seen it done on Septic Vac trucks, and wrapped around the gate.

 

[danregan]

what the.....?

 

[AVRMECH]

Huh!

I don't know where that came from? Nice info. Thanks again for the input. I have plenty of time to reserch before I go full steam ahead.i have to figure out my charge rate.