Truck Shop
Senior Member
Well if your trying to question A OTR driver you better understand Welfare Radio
Jive talk. Other wise not a damn thing makes any sense.
Jive talk. Other wise not a damn thing makes any sense.
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This will be an interesting thread moving forward......
- Thread starter Vetech63
- Start date
This thread has it's positives, it's making me feel a lot better about my mechanical ability. One thing i've tried to improve on in the last few years is spend the time to fix it right instead of fixing it over and over. Unless it's in the middle of the job and just fixing it to finish up, it's worth the time to do it properly. It's a hard habit to break, my dad is the type to never fix or repair anything unless it won't work at all and no such thing as maintenance, it's patch it up so it kinda sorta works and repeat when it completely breaks again.
ianjoub
Senior Member
Wouldn't 'the cheapest thing first' be finding the actual problem?
I know YOU know that...
ianjoub
Senior Member
Glad you dad isn't an airplane mechanic.
For sure. I moved his skidsteer a bit ago back to his place, temp alarm is on all the time, the one brake doesn't always want to disengage, and there is so much slop in the bucket pins I am amazed there is any pin left. But really it's not far off from how most people look after their stuff.
DMiller
Senior Member
Sorry vetech seeing as you fell into a snake pit!! WOW, just fricking WOW, And WTF!!!. But been there and WILL NOT GO BACK.
Sad to say at the company I am driving for 'I' troubleshoot my Own truck, give a list of what to dos to the Wrench benders, My Boss(The Owner) told them I f 'I' tell them something is Broken, then fix it. They are still PO'd, I could care less. Told them of issues with the old 963 at the Pit Pile, got ignored, boss overheard my conversation and a week later asked what they had done about it, GOT FREAKING LOUD!!! Old Cat got fixed. IF the machine is broken and does not have a hard code they have NO FRIGGIN Clue, I just ignore them much of the time.
Needless to say as soon as the current Needs Help condition levels off I am giving two weeks and the mess can go back to Septic Tank value.
Sad to say at the company I am driving for 'I' troubleshoot my Own truck, give a list of what to dos to the Wrench benders, My Boss(The Owner) told them I f 'I' tell them something is Broken, then fix it. They are still PO'd, I could care less. Told them of issues with the old 963 at the Pit Pile, got ignored, boss overheard my conversation and a week later asked what they had done about it, GOT FREAKING LOUD!!! Old Cat got fixed. IF the machine is broken and does not have a hard code they have NO FRIGGIN Clue, I just ignore them much of the time.
Needless to say as soon as the current Needs Help condition levels off I am giving two weeks and the mess can go back to Septic Tank value.
cuttin edge
Senior Member
It takes a team. We have a couple real good fabricators\welders. Had a great mechanic. Had been with the company since the 60s. Crusher, asphalt plant, equipment, trucks, you name it. If he laid a bolt 40 years ago he knew where it was. On top of that, he was a hell of a nice guy. Retired........ Parts guy, lots of contacts, great at sourcing out stuff. Shop foreman. Everyone liked him, guys in the shop would do anything for him. Always made sure everything was ready to go.. He went out west to the oil field money. The parts guy ended up on meds because he was forced into the foreman job.. The 2 wrench pullers they have now just throw pars at stuff till it's fixed. The parts guy/foreman just lines up the dealers techs to fix stuff because it's cheaper in the long run. There is a mobile guy around, but he is super busy, and mainly does our air conditioning repairs. I hate asking for repairs. I went in the other day to tell them that the cutting edge on the D3 needed to be flipped, and it was everything the guy could do not to roll his eyes at me.. Things really fell apart once the team was gone.
BigWrench55
Senior Member
Vetech63. Thank you so much for this thread. I am enjoying it immensely. It also helps me to know that I maid the right choice when I left the construction side 5 years ago. This is good therapy. Keep it coming and don't pull any punches on these jackwaggons. I know that this is a customer after all, but this should be a painful and expensive lesson for them.
But if history has taught me anything. You will be back in a years time bailing out the latest versions of NFG,and HNC.
But if history has taught me anything. You will be back in a years time bailing out the latest versions of NFG,and HNC.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
I only have a little less than two years before I retire. It's not the work-it's the people. I'm sick of being
around lazy a$$ good for nothing people. Tired of the petty crap, I need it now, today isn't soon enough,
I've only got 2 hrs left on me E Log, My dog chewed up my phone charger cord and the mic cord on the
CB.-----------How about you hang yourself with what's left of the cord-and save us all.
None of this thread is a shock or surprise to me, it's the world we live in. Pi$$ Ants, nothing but Pi$$ Ants.
around lazy a$$ good for nothing people. Tired of the petty crap, I need it now, today isn't soon enough,
I've only got 2 hrs left on me E Log, My dog chewed up my phone charger cord and the mic cord on the
CB.-----------How about you hang yourself with what's left of the cord-and save us all.
None of this thread is a shock or surprise to me, it's the world we live in. Pi$$ Ants, nothing but Pi$$ Ants.
John C.
Senior Member
I hate to bring it up but I sure hope you have some kind of regular pay schedule with these guys. I only work with a couple of customers now so am pretty easy as they are really good at making sure I'm being paid shortly after I give them an invoice. When I was full time on my own my hard rule was that I do a job and get paid, I'll be back for the next one. I'd give a little lee way on how long it took before the situation changed to have a nice life.
Some customers I charged by the job on the machine. Others wanted bi-weekly invoices called repair labor with line items on the invoice.
Some customers I charged by the job on the machine. Others wanted bi-weekly invoices called repair labor with line items on the invoice.
Sorry about the frustration Vtech but at least you're knocking some big problems out quickly for them. That always looks good. I've never been able to out where the know nothing mechanics get their attitude from, maybe it's a defense thing since they now they're full of it?
Sberry
Senior Member
I am a dropout too, it really took an upturn when they started bushing the biz adm degrees and the main point of those was to learn to get that stare and try to make what they were saying make sense with a look like everyone else was stupid. How they were going to "save all this money" and going to train a new maint guy next week was going to fix it all.
Sberry
Senior Member
I went to look at a sandblast on a ship,,,, a real fuggin ship, hundreds of ft long, hauled rail cars and 100 autos at the same time. The guy thy got tyo run this says,,, we got this uinder control, I asked how,,, well they going to hire the maintenance guy from his apt building to do it. He thought it should be 150$ and take a couple days. 150 large didnt even pay for the paint,, ha
Sberry
Senior Member
I dont know a thing about Cat codes but bet could have figured out the dirty rad
had a bit to do with it.
had a bit to do with it.
Sberry
Senior Member
I am not very fond of the business peckerheads either especially when they get that glazed look in the eye where they gonna tell you how it is.
Sberry
Senior Member
300 people working in a plant, no maint people. I asked about electrician to see if the plant mgr knew, he fumbled about with some papers while mumbling and trying to figure out what to say that would get me off the question about qualifications to run a plant like this? (he is bil and has a biz degree). He spends his day chasing the janitor and explaining to him how if he would hustle the plant could make money, line shut down, gant find parts while he does this. Then the news people who I have little respect for interview why this plant is closing and of course they interview peckerhead instead of the janitor,,, he mumbles something about world economics etc, dumb azzes interview the guy fugged it all up.
I have great respect for real engineers but seems that has really gone in to the toilet since now we can spend the day figuring out who to blame thru emails vs taking a look at a problem on the floor.
I fix a problem while they are peeking out their windows to see if it will work, it does and time for a big lunch dinner for a succesful project, I was there a month, only guy I ever see was the one hired me, the rest all patting themselves and giving hi 5 and they didnt have a single thing to do with it,,, despite I never met them its like we are old buds.
World now belongs to the biggest bullsh9itters.
I have great respect for real engineers but seems that has really gone in to the toilet since now we can spend the day figuring out who to blame thru emails vs taking a look at a problem on the floor.
I fix a problem while they are peeking out their windows to see if it will work, it does and time for a big lunch dinner for a succesful project, I was there a month, only guy I ever see was the one hired me, the rest all patting themselves and giving hi 5 and they didnt have a single thing to do with it,,, despite I never met them its like we are old buds.
World now belongs to the biggest bullsh9itters.
treemuncher
Senior Member
I've got to say that I've really enjoyed the stories on this thread. Mechanics are like doctors but without the lengthy school time, excessive tuition, endless paperwork, liability or respect that comes with a "white collar title". Yet we, the "dirty doctors", are what keep civilization in action. Without us, things come to a standstill and not just anybody can get it done. I've been around good mechanics and bad mechanics. I have a low tolerance for stupidity but respect for anyone who is willing to learn from their mistakes and make a valid effort to rectify a situation.
I have no respect for parts changers that experiment until it's fixed, although I have done that at times when at a severe loss, usually with electronics. Logical reasoning is what makes a good mechanic, not the ability to change a part or make wild guesses. One of my best college professors explained to us that, "You are not being taught how to solve all of the world's problems - that would be impossible. But, a good education with logical reasoning and knowledge in how to apply basic engineering principles can be applied to any problem, no matter how large, to logically work it out the correct solution to the problem." More students need words of wisdom like these and less about color/race/gender/fairness BS. The "Can Do" attitude goes further than, "You hurt my feelings", in this lifetime if you have any desire for success.
I never went to school for diesel, hydraulics or much of anything else in my current business but I'm always willing to tackle anything. I do have a willingness to learn and to fix almost anything that comes my way by way of research and logic. I could never survive my business if I could not repair stuff myself - I would go broke paying for repairs & maintenance. I never worry about work because my resume is so long and so diverse. I can always fall back on mechanic work because, as has been shown on this thread, decent mechanics are a rare commodity. We are always in need.
I'm glad I never pursued a medical degree. I think it would be frowned upon if I took a BFH to an uncooperative patient and cursed it out with extreme profanity.
I have no respect for parts changers that experiment until it's fixed, although I have done that at times when at a severe loss, usually with electronics. Logical reasoning is what makes a good mechanic, not the ability to change a part or make wild guesses. One of my best college professors explained to us that, "You are not being taught how to solve all of the world's problems - that would be impossible. But, a good education with logical reasoning and knowledge in how to apply basic engineering principles can be applied to any problem, no matter how large, to logically work it out the correct solution to the problem." More students need words of wisdom like these and less about color/race/gender/fairness BS. The "Can Do" attitude goes further than, "You hurt my feelings", in this lifetime if you have any desire for success.
I never went to school for diesel, hydraulics or much of anything else in my current business but I'm always willing to tackle anything. I do have a willingness to learn and to fix almost anything that comes my way by way of research and logic. I could never survive my business if I could not repair stuff myself - I would go broke paying for repairs & maintenance. I never worry about work because my resume is so long and so diverse. I can always fall back on mechanic work because, as has been shown on this thread, decent mechanics are a rare commodity. We are always in need.
I'm glad I never pursued a medical degree. I think it would be frowned upon if I took a BFH to an uncooperative patient and cursed it out with extreme profanity.
funwithfuel
Senior Member
But, but, some folks need a BFH adjustment right in the noggin.