Hope all owner's are not like this

x06col · Mar 25, 2007

Ya know, had some newbe, or, veteran been foolish enough to take some of this advice and visit the DOT at their scales, chances are they would have been placed out of service for a number of hours stuck in the middle of nowhere, steada being somewhat comfy around civilization, not to mention other ramifications of that kind of action. Advice/suggestions like that are stupid. Check that. They are really, really stewpud direct from the fingers of an idiot. That kind of process is akin to thinking with your middle leg. And boys, y'all know what that gets ya.

davekc · Mar 25, 2007

Why do I get the feeling there is more to this story?

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

marvinkwagner · Mar 25, 2007

I am sure glad you were able to get the problem corrected and found it was an exhaust leek.

I do know for a fact that if you use that extended life antifreeze and if you have a seep in your heater core where it may seep on to the core its self it will make a realy bad stink order in the truck of which will smell like pepper spray and will force you to shut off the heater in the truck and just run the ac unite. I know for a fact that FLD 120 and the Centruy an the Columbia class along with Classic class As with the FL70 and FL80s Freights Shakers are very prone to this. It all got to do with a inlets and outlets valves to the heater core.

again that smell will make you sick as a dog. JYD.

Have a Safe One
and God Bless
Kevin

RichM · Mar 25, 2007

Worried in Akron, I think this is more to this story also. Was this your first trip in this truck? When you first smelled the exhaust why didn't you stop right then and there. What were the results of the hospital vist and what engine was replaced. Seems to me like a good pre trip would have picked this up.

bamamule · Mar 25, 2007

anybody ever noticed that one of the first questions that dot asks you is Is there anything i need to know? How is the company you work for like?
dot is there for us if they didn't inspect trucks
check log books
just think what companys would have us driving and how many hours they would have us running non stop
wake up drivers dot is there for us belive it or not start working with them not against

nightcreacher · Mar 25, 2007

Marvin,if the leak is in the heater core,it will also leak with the air conditioning on,besides they said from the start it was an exhaust leak.
if your freightliner is burning your eyes from the heater ducts,then you need to change the heater filter,or didnt you know there was one.
I'm glad they got the problem fixed,but yes a good pre-trip would have solved this before it got out of hand

x06col · Mar 25, 2007

I don't think there is anything wrong at all working with our regulators at all. However, suggesting the lambs stroll up to the wolf and wiggle their tail, is simply, not too bright. Period!! You know,, you don't stick your tongue on cold metal, or a number of other things that are not too bright. And, you don't stop at the local scale house unless you need a DOT inspection, and, you are ready for it.

bamamule · Mar 25, 2007

iv'e done it twice didn't cost me a penny they even gave me a ride to the motel while the company fixed the truck and took me back when it was finnished they are there for us

x06col · Mar 26, 2007

I don't spose you do it any more tho as an Owner Operator when ya got a little sumpin wrong, do ya????

bamamule · Mar 26, 2007

nope now i fix whats wrong when its wrong and if i ever plan on becoming a fleet owner down the road i will make sure that i have enough monies to keep the truck rolling right

x06col · Mar 26, 2007

Good plan!!

catshavestaff · Mar 27, 2007

>Worried in Akron, I think this is more to this story also.
>Was this your first trip in this truck? When you first
>smelled the exhaust why didn't you stop right then and
>there. What were the results of the hospital vist and what
>engine was replaced. Seems to me like a good pre trip would
>have picked this up.

I'm standing at the ready with the fire extinguisher when I ask this question...In a standard pretrip, the truck is not running until you climb inside to pretrip the cab and 4 point brake check...if you're not a mechanic, and I mean, REALLY NOT, a truck mechanic, how would you have picked this up in a standard pretrip?

Be gentle,guys, not only are we noobs to the hilt, but definitely not motorheads.

greg334 · Mar 27, 2007

x06col

Normally I think your comments are helpful but what I am reading is simply just something that is not helpful.

I read into your comments that going to the authorities is a stupid thing?

Why?

My advice is to protect the driver(s) and it is not a log violation where the truck would be parked for a few hours, it is a safety violation which means that they truck don't move until it is fixed.

The point is many drivers don't understand that they are ultimatly responsible for the safety of the truck when it is on the road. They also think that an owner is the ultimate authority. If the driver is unsure, the DOT is the final authority with safety and the owner can not tell the driver(s) at that point to bring the truck home, it is out of their hands and out of his reach to do anything about it except fix it - an authority has parked the truck. Call a cab and let the owner deal with the repairs.

And it is also a way to document the problem where a mechanic may not want to do his job or is another idiot who can't see a truck sitting in an empty parking lot. you know that many mechanics can't determine a problem and many more don't care and want to just to make a buck.

If the inspection finds other safety violations, ok thats alright. As a driver I would rather deal with a fine instead of being sick for a week by fumes or not being able to drive at all. Unless the driver has been padding his HOS or running illegaly, what does a driver need to worry about?

I wonder whould you be the one who would tell the driver(s) to drive the truck back to your HQ to get fixed?

Tennesseahawk · Mar 27, 2007

Are you willing to pay a fine for someone else's screw up? Not me!

Gotta go with the Colonel on this one. Going to the DOT may open a bigger can of worms than you expect. Your best bet is to give the owner the options YOU are willing to do. If he doesn't agree, then tell him you're prepared to abandon the truck, rather than drive it unsafely. That puts it on HIM. An owner cannot see the truck from where they are, so sometimes any repairs might be downplayed as a quick fix. And sometimes, owners are just tight wads and are unwilling to put money into their business. Either way, giving him that option can open his eyes to how serious the matter is.

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!

davekc · Mar 27, 2007

If the load was picked up in Cleveland, were was the truck originally repaired? And the obvious, if it was leaking, why wasn't it fixed right there in Cleveland? It never should have went to Toledo with a load in the first place.
Way too many holes in this story.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

x06col · Mar 27, 2007

Greg:
No, I certainly wouldn't expect or demand a driver drive unsafe equipment. I will never be in that position because there will never be anyone as blissfully ignorant of their occupation operating my equipment. Never. For that owner to even think of that kind of thing is, in fact, stupid. However, there are a number of solutions other than those folks facing the possibility of being in the middle of nowhere for a protracted period of time waiting for a repair. That can happen. But, why ask for it?? Not all DOT are touchy feeley and provide transportation when you need it. At least the couple in question were smart enough not to subject themselves to that possibility. I cannot imagine, as in this case, how difficult getting an exhaust leak fixed could be. Betcha it took all of ten minutes. Fix it, and get on about your business. For anyone to suggest anything different, is not too bright.

arkjarhead · Mar 27, 2007

you could most likely take some jb weld and fix the leak, if its a small one, temporarily. secondly if it's a large hole in the exhaust someone didn't do good enough on their inspection. the last man i drove for was an awesome,honest guy to drive for, but if you don't know how to do simple maintence and repair on the truck he didn't want you to drive for him.he wants his drivers to know their way around the outside of the truck as well as the inside. if you can't fix a blown out light bulb,change a mudflap, or swap out an air hose on the truck you aren't a "driver" in his oponion. and i have to agree with him.if you can make a simple repair then you save time waiting in a mechanic and save your boss money. i swaped out a busted air hose once he paid for the hose and fittings and put some money in my pocket for doing it, but getting on down the road was money in my pocket.i had a partner call a mechanic to change a 3 foot peice of hose at the bowling green, oh scales and he paid over $200.00 for it. My boss put tool boxes in the truck to take care of those minor problems. Plus it seems to me if you are an O/O you can help your bottom line by taking care of those minor things yourself.

tmbm · Mar 27, 2007

>Why do I get the feeling there is more to this story?
>
>
>
>Davekc
>owner
>22 years
>PantherII
>EO moderator

Most likely because there is, always two sides to a story.

x06col · Mar 27, 2007

C'mon Greg, show us your #####. Tell us agin how you'd drive your truck to a scale house, if, you figgured something was wrong with your truck. The rest of you can chirp up too. Because i'm not sure I read what I read the first time. Or, were just typing with your middle leg.