Field service guys.

[lilbluewarchief]

Give your best advice for an up and coming field service tech. I will be out in a truck in a few weeks and really would like some tips/advice from some seasoned techs.

 

[lantraxco]

Always keep a stash of stuff to eat in one compartment along with a case of bottled water, some jobs turn into marathons and always happen where there's no stores or places to eat. Electric cooler is good, if you have a welder/generator a mini microwave is priceless. Probably not the kind of advice you're looking for, but my attitude goes South real quick when a four hour job turns into twenty and my stomach thinks my throat's been cut. Change of clothes doesn't hurt either. I have taken oil baths that soaked me to the skin even wearing coveralls. Diesel is the worst.

If you're working jobs where there's nobody around (I did constantly when I was in the field) develop a habit of thinking to yourself before every procedure "Now if I do this, what could possibly go wrong and could I be injured or trapped in some way?" We've all heard the stories of techs loosening hoses and ending up crushed or suffocated by whatever came down. Same goes for driving pins out, removing belly pan bolts, blocking machines up, you get the idea. Safety is always top priority, but in the field even more so and it's more challenging.

Good idea to keep a sidearm handy in the truck, YMMV, but you just never know when some form of two or four legged animal might need talking to in a loud voice. Some may find that distasteful, but like a fire extinguisher I'd rather have it handy and never need it than desperately need one and not have it. Oh yeah: CHECK YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FIRST AID KITS at the start of every day. The one time I really needed an extinguisher somebody had used mine and politely put it back in it's holder, empty. Wasn't much use to me.

Keep your sense of humor, you will undoubtedly be dealing with all manner of people out there in all kinds of moods, be professional, polite, a calming influence, and the kind of driver that assumes he has to keep everybody else around him safe because they're not smart enough to do it for themselves.

Lastly, have fun! It's a completely different world from working in a shop.

 

[willie59]

Keep your sense of humor, you will undoubtedly be dealing with all manner of people out there in all kinds of moods, be professional, polite, a calming influence

For sure good advice. In the field, you are a representative of your company. But at the same time, you represent (or are building) your personal reputation, something that rarely happens when you're a shop tech.

 

[wornout wrench]

For sure good advice. In the field, you are a representative of your company. But at the same time, you represent (or are building) your personal reputation, something that rarely happens when you're a shop tech.

Absolutely

I can think of no better compliment than when a customer calls and asks to have YOU sent to the job, not that other guy, but YOU

Lantraxco has some very good advise.
I'll add a couple more.
If you wear glasses or contacts, have some spares on the truck. I went out one time and was wearing my prescription sunglasses. Never even thought twice until it turned into one of those jobs where the sun was going down on the trip home. I need my glasses to drive. The sunglasses just didn't do it at night.

DO NOT BS the customer!

I have had to deal with that a few times, following another tech from a different company. The line of BS he peddled was amazing. Plugging his computer into machines that have no computers to plug into. Things like this. Crazy
He didn't last long. Once word got out, he was history in this town.

But most important of all, enjoy it. Your pretty well your own boss.
I loved field service.

 

[donkey doctor]

Be careful what you say to the customer. I mentioned in passing on one job that I was not long back at work from a back injury. Customer tried to weasle out of paying the full bill because "I wasn't up to the job". Fortunatly his woods foreman was in our shop about that time picking up parts and my service manager talked to him. He said they didn't need my back they had lots of rigging rats to do the lifting but did need my experience from having done the same job more than a few times so knowing all the little tricks and having all my own special tools that I had made for that particular job. No discount. d.d.

 

[lilbluewarchief]

Thanks for the advice everyone! That's some real good info. The safety concern is my biggest fear. Things can go wrong in a heart beat in this line of work. I have already seen that prove itself to be true.

 

[kshansen]

Everyone has given you great advice. The ones I would second big time are the ones about being honest with customers and all the safety related ones. In this day having a fully charged cell phone is also a good idea. Not just for contact back to shop for advice but if something bad happens it could be a life saver.

Where I worked in the last few years I was located at the shop but due to cuts in man power at the quarry I was pretty much working single handed all the time. One tool that I found to be a major help was a small lever operated chain jack like this one:

http://www.grainger.com/product/CM-Lever-Chain-Hoist-550-lb-Load-38UY91?s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/38UY90_AS01?$smthumb$

And a couple small nylon straps. Could do everything from hold up a pump or starter in a tight location or help bend that stiff hydraulic that had the natural bend going the wrong way. Even used it a time or two to pull on a wrench to break loose that stubborn bolt in the awkward location where you just could not do it with one hand. Another time was the spring loaded idler for the fan on a WA600, that would be easy if engine was on the floor but to change the belt in the loader there is just no room for a second person and that little ratchet jack will hold the idler for as long as needed to fish that serpentine belt into place.

Just one more time like everyone has said. Work safe, and think before you remove that last bolt!

 

[chris_james]

Always pack a lunch. Im bad about ah ill be at the shop today I dont need a lunch I just grap something. Take everything you think you might need for the job then take a lot more. The yellow stuff is heavy if you have a crane use it. With enough straps clovis or washers welded on to blots you can pick up just about everything with a crane if you cant use a come-long. If you can't figuresomething out step back take a breath before getting back at it. You can use prybar for a whole host of things, can be used to pry on a wrech to break a bolt loses if a rachet or pullhadle want fit. Lastly if you look at old cat service manual it says never take the word of an operator.

 

[lilbluewarchief]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I have ran into several of these senerios already. I went out on a service that shouldn't have taken anytime. 7 hours later we were leaving after replacing a thumb and seat. And starving I might add. Lunch is a necessity for this ole boy.

 

[tctractors]

I always pack a Flask and something to eat even if it is local as things change fast, in the U.S.A. you lads have all the toys hanging off the service trucks, I run a bit more basic with just a few spanners, a few bars, a few fancy chains that I cooked up to my need, a few endless slings, and always a chain lever hoist, I have 5 of them in different tonnage but a 3/4 ton unit is very handy to always have in the truck, don't forget that most drivers lie on any day ending with a Y so keep your own mind on things, don't keep phoning the yard at the smallest drama, working on site's puts you in control so always strive to be in control, the best tip is always be top rate and polite to the parts people at the Dealers as they will always respond to your need for help in the best way, they often suffer with low wage and a crap Boss so being happy with them is the least you can do.
tctractors

 

[lantraxco]

Good points TC, especially about the parts people. I have worked that seat myself and about the only reward parts people get is when a customer or mechanic is friendly and maybe remembers to show appreciation for "getting it right". They always hear about it if there's a mistake, and most times complaints they can do nothing about, price, stock, obsolete, etc.

 

[chris_james]

Few more ideas cardboard it will be your friend. Tarps and bungeecords incase of rain plastic bags and ducktap to cover a hole where a pump or turbocharger use to be incase of rain. You can never have to many hydraulic line caps never to many.

 

[FSERVICE]

all good things so far!! always treat the customer good, they will remember you & ask for you again!!
#2 always have a cooler full of water many uses but if you get something in your eye itll be the best thing in miles!!
#3 complete change of clothing including rubber boots
#4 I know everyone has a cell phone nowdays but a CB radio when you are out in BFE is nice..
#5 the personal protection device (handgun) hopefully you never need it BUT its there if you do!!
#6 camera (you never know what you might see) great for documenting damage, before repairs or after repairs (pics for HEF)
#7cardboard (Kentucky creeper) is a great thing to keep on the truck.
#8flashlights headlamps (many as you can)
#9 extra battery for all your stuff!! ( cause they will fail at the most inopertune time)
#10keep your service truck clean & neat!! its very hard to do BUT DO IT!!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!!
ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET 1 CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION!!!

 

[clintm]

some good things to have on hand wooden block's,colored zip ties or 6"-12" of old phone cable for marking line's/hoses,oil drain pans, large umbrella(it's a good time of year to catch the on sale)or small tarp for mobile shade treesmall parts container's,motorcycle straps, as always good duct tape

 

[JPV]

A couple things I like to keep on the truck, Cat sells a kit of plastic caps in an organizer that will plug holes from tiny up to 1 inch or so, they won't hold pressure but sure are nice for keeping things clean, it is about 50 bucks which is a great value, also when you replace a hose keep the caps that come on it, you build a collection pretty quick, anytime you order o rings get a few extra and you will get a pretty good selection of those, a spool of chainsaw pull cord is very handy for tying things up, very strong and easy to work with. You can't keep everything on the truck you need but after 6 months or so you will have a pretty good idea of what you really should have. The biggest thing is a good attitude, and try to make good relationships with other field mechanics you might work around. I have learned to try and get my own part numbers when ordering parts, that way if it is wrong I can't get mad at anybody but me. It is extremely hard to describe the o ring in the spool valve thing that hangs on the side of the main valve body on a Cat 320c over the phone, even harder for the poor parts guy to try figure out what you are talking about!
If you are like me you will love it, always look out for yourself and know when to get help, sometimes you have to.

 

[lilbluewarchief]

Lots of great advice. Thank you all so much for your tips! I will most certainly put them to use.

 

[nowing75]

I keep a Deutsch connector kit on the truck. Have used it many times. If your working on the same equipment manufacture look for diffrent style connectors and pins. I keep lots of hydraulic fittings and adapters for testing and repairs. Colored zip ties are great for marking hoses as previously mentioned. Lots of brake clean and rags. Flash lights and head lights are a mush. I have lots of 12 volt led lights on the truck. Microwave,food and antacids and aspirin. I like to have nuts washers bolts, cotter pins,safety wire. A 10 x10 canapé can come in handy.

 

[nowing75]

Whoops upside down. 2 laptops and my ipad is great for looking up parts. Spare tire for the truck and fuel filters for it also.

 

[partsandservice]

I almost exclusively repair logging equipment. I always enjoyed working in the woods, but the part I hated was having to make a three or for hour jump back the house after fifteen on the job and then having to be on time to work the next morning so I would get overtime pay for staying out so late. Save enough of yourself to get home safely. Electrical tape and paper shop rags make a good feild patch when cut your hand on a radiator hose clamp, cut off plastic tie , sharp metal ect. Try to make it to the job with a plenty of fuel . I once got stuck coming out and had to camp in the truck for the night till the crew came in to pull me out. Luckily they showed at day break. IMO you must have snap on angle wrenches to effectively repair hydaulic equipment.

 

[willie59]

Electrical tape and paper shop rags make a good feild patch when cut your hand on a radiator hose clamp, cut off plastic tie , sharp metal ect.

LoL, in my more seasoned years it seems you can poke a hole in my skin easier than a rubber inner tube, it's not unusual at all to see a greasy shop rag wrapped around one of my appendages held in place with duct tape at any given time.