Running my own Service Truck. Truck Build

[excavator]

Well said excavator. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks about having an employee. there’s plenty of work out there and often times I have enough to keep a second guy busy but I worry that my expectations would be too high and I’d micro manage everything he did and never get my own stuff done. Not to mention I’d be responsible for him if things got slow. Then I think it might be just as easy and less stressful to stay a one man show and just take care of my good customers who take care of me and get to any others when I have time.

After 35 years it's safe to say I've seen a few scenarios. I've been told many times to go big, get employee's ect or I will never really succeed. But I've also watched numerous guys try it, they're around for awhile and then gone and often broke. And I tried it to, after the last time it failed I told one of my best customers that IF I ever talked about it again to please grab the longest 2x4 he could swing and please hit me hard. That's going on 20 years ago and now I'm 62 yrs. old and it won't happen. Just be satisfied with what you can take care of and take care of them well and you will be successful.

 

[DMiller]

I had considered until battled the old Allis loader, figured I had had enough time in the trenches where cannot maneuver that well in small locations anymore.

 

[Mike L]

I see guys online that have several trucks and employees and they look like they’re killing it. Kudos to them for making it work but it seems to me that after you’ve got 2 or more employees you’d end up in the office or chasing parts, etc and that’s the opposite of what I want to do everyday. It’s stressful enough to keep track of me.

 

[muddog1975]

I see guys online that have several trucks and employees and they look like they’re killing it. Kudos to them for making it work but it seems to me that after you’ve got 2 or more employees you’d end up in the office or chasing parts, etc and that’s the opposite of what I want to do everyday. It’s stressful enough to keep track of me.

I totally agree with that. Just keeping up with crap is enough. I managed 5 guys for about a year, it was horrible. The thing was that, I would have to go back behind them and repair or finish up after them....I found that the most frustrating thing was they didn't have my work ethic. Just paperwork and safety requirements were enough to make you start drinking.

 

[simonsrplant]

Good luck to you.
Where exactly are you looking to set up?
Most of what I'd say has been said, but I'd steer way clear of your F750 or similar.
From experience you can't get parts for them like you can the equivalent kw or pete.
I've had two F550s and now a Freightliner. I can tell you for nothing the bigger truck is cheaper to run.
As for setting up the truck ...
Unless you have ran several, having what you need is an evolving lesson.
I've been doing it a while, and built my Freightliner around what I wanted....
You can't sit on the couch and figure it out, you need to run stuff that doesn't work for you to figure out what does.

 

[muddog1975]

I just picked up my new service truck Friday. It was raining all day Saturday. Didn't get anything done but linked bluetooth up to my phone. Today got all my tool boxes, welder and all the other crap swapped over. Getting decals in a few weeks. Just wanted to share the pics

 

[muddog1975]

More pics, and reminded of the phrase....10lbs in a 5 lbs sack....they will never be a big enough service truck...lol

 

[Bumpsteer]

Damn, looks great!

As a small business owner, I figure that I can't afford an employee. Having to babysit someone all the time, just a money losing proposition.
Downtime is no big deal to me, plenty of stuff to do, gets to be a problem when one has to keep others busy.

Ed

 

[muddog1975]

Damn, looks great!

As a small business owner, I figure that I can't afford an employee. Having to babysit someone all the time, just a money losing proposition.
Downtime is no big deal to me, plenty of stuff to do, gets to be a problem when one has to keep others busy.

Ed

Totally agree with that.

 

[milon]

Hey guys,

I have been thinking about running my own service truck. I work at a Cat Dealership right now and have about ~13yr of Cat dealer experience. I work in the mining industry and I feel like I can be successful on my own.

I am trying to read up online on service trucks, but there isn't much out there for reviews and comparisons. Like for example I would get the 14,000lb crane, but which brand to go with? Maxilift Cobra, Auto Crane, Tiger Crane or others? What's the reliability like and customer service?

Which truck to get? Ford F550, F600/F650/F750, Pete 325, Kenworth T370

Which compressor? VMAC, VanAir, other brands?

GenSet/Welder? Miller? Lincoln?

I'm just starting my research and I need somewhere to start Mobile So I'm starting here by asking some of you fellow HD techs who have some experience running service trucks to shed some light and provide some input and feedback. I'd really appreciate it.

Some Info: I plan to run the truck eventually in Northern Canada where temps average about -20C or -4F in winter, Work will vary from On-highway truck/trailer repairs to Support equipment like Cat D7-D11 and Haul trucks from Cat 773 to 793/ and Cat and Hitachi excavators.

Thanks

After packing all our tools in the back seat of a truck we’ve decided to build a service truck. I geuss it will be what a lot of people would consider a mechanics truck as it will be a mobile shop, with no on-board fuel. It will mostly be used for repairs for us but I occasionally do some work for the neighbours. So far I have gotten an old 11 ft enclosed service body that I plan to put on our old 1970s for f350 grain truck. Also got an under hood compressor and tank for air. I plan to put a full set of hand tools, welder, torch, vise, Ac equipment. Inside the enclosed part it is all shelves so I plan to put lots of parts, and maybe a hose press? Maybe a spot for a spare implement tire? I don’t think the box would allow for a crane though. I haven’t put any money into it yet, and am just trying to figure out what I am going to need to fit on. What would you guys recommend?

 

[Welder Dave]

A newer truck if you're going to make a legit service truck.

 

[63 caveman]

If you specialize in diagnostic and electrical and wiring repair you do not need a big service rig. If you are any good at it there is tons of work out there for you. Challenging work with good money in it with much less overhead cost.

 

[Mike L]

If you specialize in diagnostic and electrical and wiring repair you do not need a big service rig. If you are any good at it there is tons of work out there for you. Challenging work with good money in it with much less overhead cost.

While I don’t disagree with you, it’s been my experience that if you are any kind of mobile mechanic you end up a jack of all trades and never specialize in any one thing. It would be great to ride around in a Honda Civic with a multimeter in the passenger seat but what happens when you diagnose a faulty harness underneath the cab of a machine and you need to pull the cab to access it? It would be a hard sell to tell the customer that he needs to call another mechanic because all you do is diagnostic work. And let’s not forget that #1 famous phrase- “ hey, since your already here……”

 

[Welder Dave]

Yeah, it could turn customers off if you tell them you can diagnose it but only after everything is removed in order to access it.

 

[DMiller]

I played the numbers years ago and could not make them work out, Older truck, Service body and crane jib, then the additional tooling for such work as the later crawlers or rubber tired loaders, working Vocational trucks or on highway where would need either the crane or a real dolly to swing hubs off for brakes, seals, bearing failures. Then is AG stuff, never know what will end up on. Just all manner of Heavy, Awkward or filthy.

Need a Dependable chassis, would not be using greater than a 20 year old truck and the service body will necessitate room for Oils, Greases, fuels and a waste oil tank. Along with Welder, Gas Axe, Oxy Lance tooling and severe enough duty clamping equipment to remove gland nuts on cylinders. Then my numbers shot craps. Definitely need shop space as cannot or have less will to work in blowing snows or sheeting rains in a mud or frozen hole.

 

[Truck Shop]

Then my numbers shot craps. Definitely need shop space as cannot or have less will to work in blowing snows or sheeting rains in a mud or frozen hole.

That's what makes a young man old real quick. I want a roof, walls and concrete floor---A Shop,
and a big one at that.

 

[Junkyard]

While I don’t disagree with you, it’s been my experience that if you are any kind of mobile mechanic you end up a jack of all trades and never specialize in any one thing. It would be great to ride around in a Honda Civic with a multimeter in the passenger seat but what happens when you diagnose a faulty harness underneath the cab of a machine and you need to pull the cab to access it? It would be a hard sell to tell the customer that he needs to call another mechanic because all you do is diagnostic work. And let’s not forget that #1 famous phrase- “ hey, since your already here……”

That simple phrase is why my ideal service truck would end up looking like an Australian road train!

 

[Mike L]

I’ve found my happy medium. I store some seldom used tooling at the house (hollow ram pullers, pneumatic torque wrench, oxylance, etc) and just load them as needed. I drool over the tandem axle service trucks but in reality my truck is as big as I want to go due to the places I have to squeeze and limited places to turn around.

 

[CM1995]

I just picked up my new service truck Friday. It was raining all day Saturday. Didn't get anything done but linked bluetooth up to my phone. Today got all my tool boxes, welder and all the other crap swapped over. Getting decals in a few weeks. Just wanted to share the pics

Congrats on new truck! Looks awesome!

 

[Junkyard]

I’ve found my happy medium. I store some seldom used tooling at the house (hollow ram pullers, pneumatic torque wrench, oxylance, etc) and just load them as needed. I drool over the tandem axle service trucks but in reality my truck is as big as I want to go due to the places I have to squeeze and limited places to turn around.

I struggle with that too. In a perfect world I’d have a twin screw with a knuckle boom.