This will be an interesting thread moving forward......

[Vetech63]

Someone has changed a turbo! Odds are it didn't correct whatever issue the engine was having. I picked it up and took a quick look........no oil leaks, good bearings, impeller looked like new. I have no idea what this came off of, but its just lying outside in the weather.
There is another just like it lying in the shop floor LOL..........so 2 have been changed!

 

[Vetech63]

So, last week the company truck mechanic stopped by where I was working on a paving machine in their yard. He told me that he had another employment opportunity and wondered what I would think. After telling me what he was looking at, the pay, the time, the travel........I told him if he didn't take it he was stupid. Well, he took it and quit last Friday. During this conversation he asked me what I thought of TNH. I told him that since he had been hired I had only seen him twice at the yard, and that was at quitting time. He said that didn't surprise him. He said that several times he had gone to a job and saw TNH sitting in his truck at the job..........not doing anything but waiting on something to break down. Hell, no wonder I never see him. He then told me that one of the job supers had helped him get those pads off that dozer rail, and that from what he saw, the super did most of the work. HNC has been gone for over a week with Covid, or so he says. In the meantime, nothing at the yard is getting done.............same ol same ol!!!! Its rather disgusting but I'm doing my best to ignore it for now. Yes, its driving me insane

 

[spitzair]

Hopefully you feel better again soon, glad to see you back here though!

 

[skyking1]

That sitting water truck and the way they do work, I would bet something has been frozen too. The changed turbos SMH. They are so simple to check out in place. Pull the hose check for end and axial play, look for oil.
Parts changers are a scourge and boat anchor.

 

[JLarson]

That's distributed spare parts storage, what if you're out there and need a turbo, bam, there's a turbo. Ignore the fact a pigeon has been shitting in it for 6 months lol.

 

[Vetech63]

I forgot this pic yesterday. A JD 764 with a track drive problem...........yeah no kidding.

They use this high speed dozer like it's a regular dozer. The undercarriage as you can see is wore smoothe out. It's all Camoplast JD proprietary and last time I checked the parts alone were near $100K

 

[Crummy]

I forgot this pic yesterday. A JD 764 with a track drive problem...........yeah no kidding.

New turbo time

 

[Vetech63]

Let's gripe some more! LOL

I see HNC making somewhere in the neighborhood of $75K a year....and doesn't do much of anything except drink coffee and shoot the **** with the supers.
TNH making the same $75K and barely doing anything but is great at sitting on his ass.
All this equipment needing repairs just sitting..........and a crapload of rental equipment being used.
..and the wasted parts being bought that I can't even imagine what that cost is a month.

So where to go from here?
If I just start fixing this stuff without HNC's approval he gets upset. Not that I really give a F^%& about that at this point, but since he seems to have management in his corner (makes no sense at all) I don't feel like I can push the envelope.

I could go to management with all the evidence I have but what would it really accomplish? 2 guys losing their job probably with NO ONE to replace them. I just don't see myself stepping up to save them by going on their payroll......to me that would be a death sentence. I don't want to be in a position of being told what I can and can't fix by management that doesn't have a clue. Would they let me run the equipment operations?......maybe, but would it be worth it to me.? Doubtful. I'm expecting the economy to get even worse this year, so I don't want to be in a position that if it does.......I'm expendable. Besides, even if they were to make an attractive offer to me, I couldn't let go of my own business that I run now. It's the only guarantied security I have ..........so I would have to do it as a sub-contractor anyway.

So, this is kind of a no-win situation at this point in time.

 

[Mobiltech]

I think you have to step back and take a look at what is important in your life. Yes it is nice to come in and save the company from itself but at the end of the day no one really cares. I know as an independent I always feel like I need to take every job to stay in business. The truth is you will always have work if you are good at what you do. When the economy does take a downturn who is the last man working? As always it is the independent mechanic because he keeps things rolling when there is no money to buy new stuff.
At this stage of life how much more money do you really need anyway?

 

[dieseldog5.9]

Just soak up some gravy while it is there.

Being the devils advocate here: the turbo looks to be electronically controlled Variable displacement, Electronics could have failed. I usually just replace the actuator, but the dealer only sells the whole turbo. ( Cummins experience not Caterpiller.)

 

[dieseldog5.9]

I think you have to step back and take a look at what is important in your life. Yes it is nice to come in and save the company from itself but at the end of the day no one really cares. I know as an independent I always feel like I need to take every job to stay in business. The truth is you will always have work if you are good at what you do. When the economy does take a downturn who is the last man working? As always it is the independent mechanic because he keeps things rolling when there is no money to buy new stuff.
At this stage of life how much more money do you really need anyway?

This is why Bars do better when the economy is down.

 

[63 caveman]

Vetech63,
What the compony employees do, make, or don't do should not matter to you. I can see and understand how frustrating it could be to watch this bull but just put it out of your head. But it should help you decide to reject or except an offer if that comes up. Although something tells me that going on payroll for this outfit would not change the situation much just chain you to it!

Send bills and stay cool brother!

 

[BigWrench55]

Just keep your head down and cash them checks. Only give your opinion of the situation if asked. Construction companies are the same everywhere. They won't see the forest through the trees. Even if they got rid of the two mechanics they have now and hired an ace. They would only burn him out and replace him with more of the same. I've been there and I understand your frustration. But the fact is. There isn't a expensive enough lesson that will open their eyes.

 

[skyking1]

take solace in knowing the things you choose to fix are fixed, properly. Everything else is out of your control.

 

[cuttin edge]

It would be different if you were an employee. Just fix what they tell you, and take the money. Sometimes it takes a while for management to catch on, but they do. Our shop is going through some changes. New accountant questioning spending. New supervisor installing software to track spending per unit. Questions being asked like why was that in 4 times this year for the same thing, operator abuse, or not being fixed right. It comes eventually, and if they don't notice, they must have enough money that they don't care.

 

[Sberry]

A couple things. 1st. Easy to underestimate the amount of skill good washing takes. I learn a lot about a machine or even a car washing it. 2nd. So much is ran by people can count but they dont know what they are counting and no experience, dont have a concept of collateral damage being done by the knobs to the point that they are worse than none

 

[colson04]

They use this high speed dozer like it's a regular dozer.

So do you think the wear is from improper use and abuse?

I don't know jack about high speed dozer operation compared to regular dozer operation.

 

[cuttin edge]

So do you think the wear is from improper use and abuse?

I don't know jack about high speed dozer operation compared to regular dozer operation.

Never been around one, but I assume they are a fine grade machine, and not meant to do heavy work. Guessing the damage is from spinning the sprocket. Our rubber track bobcat will do this, but it takes a lot. Wonder if the track is self adjusting.

 

[skyking1]

They're meant for cuffing off loose material stuff just out of a truck or dumped from a loader bucket. Presumably abuse would be trying to use it to cut grade in hard ground.

 

[Bls repair]

Look at the wear and tear your saving on the machines.