Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMAN
Cam, you can have the overhead or most any other engine work done at most certified truck dealerships or engine dealers. You can take a Cummins engine to a Cummins dealer, Detroit to a Detroit dealer. There are also some parts which are interchangeable, but may have different part numbers. I found a drag link for my Peterbilt at Freightliner. You just had to match the parts since the numbers were different. :?
Is setting the valves and checking the jakes a finesse kind of thing better done at Cummins? I'm just really wary right now what I take where to be done. Obviously, you don't want to go to dealership for an oil change. Same time, you don't want TA working on your ECU (computer, whatever it's called) :wink: . One thing I try to pay attention to is going to the place that actually has the parts! If they don't, they've got to send out for them and mark them up and charge for picking them up and stick it in the bill without showing you why the price was so high- thus, my $700 fan clutch.
I had my starter motor replaced at this outdoor shanty shop in Houston. Guy cleaned my battery terminals immaculately. This really happened, the bill was so low I gave the guy more than he was asking for. Just good, decent people there. Spent $500 in labor at Freightliner getting my rear 4 brakes and hubs replaced as well as two slack adjusters. They wanted an hour and a half of labor to install a few zerks. Mechanic confided it would have take 20 minutes. I nixed the zerks.
So then, I came across this guy with a shop on the SC/GA border to do the front brakes and hubs. Labor charge........$80! So, the moral of the story is I'm really trying to figure out who to get to do what. Set the valves, fix the jakes- Cummins? Freightliners?
Cam, I prefer going to the engine dealer, such as Cummins for an overhead. Since my engines are CAT, I usually go to them for my overhead, although I have had one done a the Peterbilt dealer in Amarillo once. Any truck dealer can do it for you. You can go to Freightliner, Peterbilt or any of the others and have the overhead done. As long as they are certified to do the work, it should not be a problem. The reason I prefer to go directly to the engine dealer is that they will be more familiar with the engine and specs. It probably doesn't make a difference, but that is simply a personal preference.
As far as other mechanical work, I try to find people who are independent and charge me for actual time. Many of the dealers will charge by the book. Before they start, they will look the time up in their book. If it says it should take 8 hours to do the work, that is what you are charged. It doesn't matter if it only took 5 hours. I have found good mechanics in different parts of the country and will look them up to do work if I need to do it when near them. Another thing I don't like about some of the larger shops and truck stops is that they charge a "shop fee." This is nothing but a way to jack up the price for the same work. I won't do business with most of them for this reason. It is dishonest. I recently went back to Wingfoot. They are part of Goodyear. This is the first time I have been in that store for about 2 years. I stopped doing business with them due to them starting to charge a shop fee. I told the new manager. He supposedly set it up where I would no longer be charge that fee at any of their stores. These people do all of the Pilot garages in addition to their Wingfoot Tire Stores. According to him, if I stop at any of their garages, the fee will automatically be taken off. I currently get my oil changed at a local truck stop. They are independently owned and have been fair with me on anything they have done. Besides, I prefer doing business with independents. I have gotten my oil changed at Freightliner. We have a large dealer near me. They ran a good deal on them for a while. I try to save when I can. I think Kenworth charges about $300 for an oil change. That is ridiculous! My local truck stop usually charges me less than $200. One thing I have found at some truck dealers is that I will often wind up spending more than is quoted. I have never had that happen at CAT.
If I had a place to work on my trucks, I would probably do the oil changes and lubes myself. Since I don't, I will continue using the local truck stop. I will do minor repairs myself. Anything you can do yourself will put money in your pocket.