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Yep. They can milk you dry.

Haul tankers with milk so you can save cash and pay with milk. :lol:

 

Pepe, I had a trailer repaired by a mom and pop shop near Truck Town a year or so ago. I thought they were very fair, especially compared to any of the truck dealers in the area. I think they charge $50/hr. If I remember correctly, they do repair work on trucks and trailers.

 

Not so easy when your on the road though and something breaks down. I had my alternator go in the middle of nowhere and it was $350 to replace. If I was at home I could have done it for $125 myself.

 

There are some things which can be done with a few basic tools. A pair of pliers, screwdriver and adjustable wrench can take care of most minor problems. I keep a set of Craftsman tools with me. I have known of a couple of owners who kept a spare alternator with them. I usually keep extra belts and fuel filters. Most everything else can be purchased on the road. It is difficult to take everything with you.

 

i keep a spare hose of every size & all spare belts too. plus carry 8 gal of water. & about 200 lbs of tools. when your home it is a good idea to go over your truck every week & look at everything & replace anything that looks like it may need it & put the old peice in side pocket for spare. i also carry old hoses & cut them to fit over existing hoses & air lines to keep them from rubbing a hole in them. g- man probably does this. or know's what i'm talking about. i recently had a alternator put on at a fly j in lowell in. cost me $350.00 could of done at home for lot less, but i was not at home, but i look at it this way.. if i was at home that means i'm not making any money. the fact that i was on way back from a load made $1000 going up & now headed back home with another $1000 reload.. hey it's the price i pay to make money & keep rolling. plus breakdowns dont happen often. or they shouldnt. if for axample you replace a 2ft air line from brake chamber... get about 3 ft extra with all the extra brass fittings. that way if you brake a line later you will have the hose & fittings to replace yourself. for that size anyway.

 

Well??????????? What the heck is going on or are you so busy hauling stuff you can't get online?

 

I do have a hose over my air line to prevent it from rubbing against the cat walk. I usually keep spare lights with me as well as electrical tape, fittings or connectors and duct tape. Unless it is something major, I can usually get myself going in a short time. I don't see the need to wait for 3 hours to replace a light which I can do my self in 10 minutes or less. Most truck stops and garages have minimum charges. I would say that most of our problems will be electrical on the road. Corrosion will take it's toll on the lights and wiring. I also keep a spare tire with me. It is much less expensive to have my own spare if I blow a tire than having to buy a tire on the road. If you keep up your maintenance, you will probably still have more problems with lights or wiring and tires than any other thing. When I pulled a car hauler, I ALWAYS kept spare fittings, hydraulic hoses and fluid with me to make repairs.

I won't pay a garage to do something that I can do myself. Several years ago, I was in Tulsa. I broke a belt. At the time I didn't have a spare. The truck stop had the part but charged me about twice what I could have bought it for at a parts store. I put it on myself. That probably saved me at least $50.00 in labor costs and I was back on the road in about 20 minutes or so.

I do as much as possible at home. I have a local place where I will have some things checked. It is best to find problems early to avoid breakdowns while on the road. You won't stop breakdowns completely, but can minimize them with proper maintenance.