Ground subcontractors, Listen to your drivers!

[OrioN]

Look, we know that we're not supposed to mark anything on the post trip inspection on the powerpad, but to report any potential vehicle problem s directly to the ba bc or manager of the investor class...

So listen to your drivers! I've driven for past contractors that doesn't fix the package car inn a timely manner & moved on to better ones.

This new manager is over his head, or lazy...

I'm one with my vehicle & no one else drives it since I'm the only one on my line that's rural enough to use this boxtruck

Brakes are squealing, brake fluid level down to the halfway mark...

I tried the c clamps, butt I like the specialized brake tools better

Wheeeeeeeee, I saved another day from being stuck in a rental truck.

With ~ a thousand of stops a week, I guess the caliper bolts got dried out, dust boots were intact.

Recommended to use synthetic good quality brake grease annually to help keep pad wear evenly

This gmc boxtruck takes a whopping 74 ft lbs of torque those sliding caliper bolts, Geezus!

8 Lug nuts per rim are at 140 ft lbs, butt the previous mechanic over tighten them... my 22mm impact socket got broken trying to remove the rims for that brake job, using a breaker bar with a 2 foot pipe.


I don't mind doing brake pads, though. easy $40 in my pocket.

Off to the rentals for yard work!

 

[bacha29]

Orion, you're doing it all wrong! Spending you're days off working on that smelter bait? Look all you need to remember is the investor class maintenance motto: "Don't fix it when it's broke.Fix it when it quits running". It's not your fault that nowhere in your investor class/ employer's 14 tiers of management can there be found a single person who knows how machines work and what it takes to keep them working. No matter what extended circumstances exist in your life get the hell out of there now. Your job is to pick it up here, haul it over there and put it down somewhere. That's all there is too it
Creating and defending the equity of your investor class employer.......that's what management exists for.
For example. What if that jack slipped and the thing came down on top of you? Would your investor class employer's WC cover your death, injury and loss of income? Hell no.
if a DOT roadside inspection were to pull you over and red tag your unit, who's going to be offered up as a sacrificial lamb to Daddy X? Just look in the mirror.
It just isn't worth the few extra bucks they toss you.

 

[OrioN]

What if that jack slipped and the thing came down on top of you? Would your investor class employer's WC cover your death, injury and loss of income?

Bach, no way in hell would I work without Jack stands... U didn't see the pics with the gray stands under the frame?

Jacks are for lifting only! Don't rely on it to keep the vehicle up, that's just looking for trouble


____________

They gave me a pos stepvan a few weeks ago... because I was over capacity with too much freight.

I should have red tagged it on the spot. Driver wiper blade wasn't working, hazard switch was stuck, headlight aimed too low.

Vehicle died on me at 2200 with 60 stops 90 boxes to go... rebuilt alternator failed. Drained the battery. 1.5 hour wait for the tow truck. DEX 027 since I'm not going to deliver past midnight.

I need to have a reliable transport for my particular route since I am out there late everyday.

 

[bacha29]

Bach, no way in hell would I work without Jack stands... U didn't see the pics with the gray stands under the frame?

Jacks are for lifting only! Don't rely on it to keep the vehicle up, that's just looking for trouble

Yes I saw them but that's not the big picture. It's doing company business off the clock and outside the legal protections the law affords you as an employee.
If you want to continue to do that nobody's stopping you and if in your mind's eye the rewards are worth the risks .....doesn't matter to anyone else but you.
Have at it.

 

[MAKAVELI]

Here's another tip. Next time use Factory pads and replace the rotors. Factory brake pads last longer and rotors these days are really not meant to be turned especially in commercial applications. You're not paying for the parts I hope so why not sticking to your contractor and have them paid for the best parts?

 

[OrioN]

LoL, they don't pay a premium for good drivers, u think they want to waste more$ ???

These made in China pads were cheap and carry a lifetime warranty... it can be replaced easily in the next year when they wear out again.

Rotors in spec & only sanded down for easy break in or bed in process. I don't want the extra work of removing the caliper cage to replace good rotors.

No brake wobble after my bed in process, so all is good

 

[MAKAVELI]

LoL, they don't pay a premium for good drivers, u think they want to waste more$ ???

These made in China pads were cheap and carry a lifetime warranty... it can be replaced easily in the next year when they wear out again.

Rotors in spec & only sanded down for easy break in or bed in process. I don't want the extra work of removing the caliper cage to replace good rotors.

No brake wobble after my bed in process, so all is good

2 things you don't ever want to go cheap on a truck. Brakes and Tires.

 

[Indecisi0n]

LoL, they don't pay a premium for good drivers, u think they want to waste more$ ???

These made in China pads were cheap and carry a lifetime warranty... it can be replaced easily in the next year when they wear out again.

Rotors in spec & only sanded down for easy break in or bed in process. I don't want the extra work of removing the caliper cage to replace good rotors.

No brake wobble after my bed in process, so all is good

Pads with a lifetime warranty, lol

 

[MAKAVELI]

Pads with a lifetime warranty, lol

Exactly. It's a sales gimmick.

 

[OrioN]

Pads with a lifetime warranty, lol

AutoZone gave me free pads on my personal vehicles over the years. It all depends on the counter person to look up the past purchases on their database (phone number)

It's basically a bogo free offer nowadays

 

[OrioN]

2 things you don't ever want to go cheap on a truck. Brakes and Tires.

They don't gaf, as long as the company maximize profits no matter who made those tires or brakes... most of the rotors are casted in China as well, hmmmm.

As long as they meet the DOT standards, they'll use the lowest prices to get things done, not just at this scam operation.

The main point is that these subcontractors have to implement a timely fix or replacement vehicle for the day, not last-minute change ups that delays the salary paid drivers work day.

 

[MAKAVELI]

They don't gaf, as long as the company maximize profits no matter who made those tires or brakes... most of the rotors are casted in China as well, hmmmm.

As long as they meet the DOT standards, they'll use the lowest prices to get things done, not just at this scam operation.

The main point is that these subcontractors have to implement a timely fix or replacement vehicle for the day, not last-minute change ups that delays the salary paid drivers work day.

There's a right way and a wrong way to do brakes. Slapping cheap pads on used rotors is the wrong way. Besides you're saving the contractor money on labor. You're charging on a fraction of what a shop would charge. Contractor can take that money can buy some quality parts.

 

[OrioN]

You're not seeing what I'm seeing in the terminal. They do that all the time with mobile mechanics to keep the smelter bait from being red tagged...

As long as the rotors aren't scarred from metal to metal contact, and did meet minimum thickness specs, it can be used.

Warping of the rotors, or metal scarred rotors, yep... time for new slabs of iron

 

[MAKAVELI]

You're not seeing what I'm seeing in the terminal. They do that all the time with mobile mechanics to keep the smelter bait from being red tagged...

As long as the rotors aren't scarred from metal to metal contact, and did meet minimum thickness specs, it can be used.

Warping of the rotors, or metal scarred rotors, yep... time for new slabs of iron

Like I said there's a right way and a wrong way. Especially in heavy duty commercial applications.

 

[dmac1]

Like I said there's a right way and a wrong way. Especially in heavy duty commercial applications.

No reason to replace good rotors even in a commercial vehicle. I don't know how much experience you have with vehicle maintenance, but reusing the original factory rotors means you know you are starting with a quality part. And even using cheap pads is acceptable as long as you watch the wear. Changing disc brake pads is a lot less complicated and easier to verify correct installation compared to drum brakes.

 

[dmac1]

Brakes are squealing, brake fluid level down to the halfway mark...


I tried the c clamps, butt I like the specialized brake tools better



Off to the rentals for yard work!

I think the c clamps are overkill. Since you are changing the pads, you can just use a pry bar while the caliper/pads are still mounted. Just slowly pry from between old pad and rotor. Doesn't matter if you scratch up the pad, and done correctly you won't damage the rotor. If you can bend the rotor with the prybar, you must be superman or something. Doesn't take that much pressure to squeeze the fluid out of the closed caliper. The old pad itself will pretty much evenly compress even multiple pistons if you pay attention. Saves a lot of time.

 

[MAKAVELI]

No reason to replace good rotors even in a commercial vehicle. I don't know how much experience you have with vehicle maintenance, but reusing the original factory rotors means you know you are starting with a quality part. And even using cheap pads is acceptable as long as you watch the wear. Changing disc brake pads is a lot less complicated and easier to verify correct installation compared to drum brakes.

Rotors wear, especially in this industry. 200 stops a day will do that. That wear create a longer break in period with new pads and more heat. Going the cheap route is not always the best way. Even our mechanics replace the rotors every time they replace bats they don't even reuse the rotors or try to turn them.

 

[OrioN]

Of course rotors wear down, butt if u use one of these:

And it's well above minimum thickness with no metal to metal contact, you then use a sandpaper technique to give the rotors a non-directional finish.

Rinse off with brake cleaner and bed in the new pads properly, which is key to having no issues down the road, i.e.glazed pads due to improperly bedding process. It's not my first brake job...

I already took my vehicle for a test drive to the gas station to fill up for Tuesday... no wobble when pedal is applied, good to go!

These trucks and that Ford transit cargo van I had last year have beefy rotors.

Dunno about the feightliners or Mercedes cargo vans though. I also didn't get to drive the Isuzu reach, so I can't comment on them.

 

[bbsam]

Rotors wear, especially in this industry. 200 stops a day will do that. That wear create a longer break in period with new pads and more heat. Going the cheap route is not always the best way. Even our mechanics replace the rotors every time they replace bats they don't even reuse the rotors or try to turn them.

I call BS.

@1BROWNWRENCH do you guys reuse rotors?

 

[MAKAVELI]

Of course rotors wear down, butt if u use one of these:

And it's well above minimum thickness with no metal to metal contact, you then use a sandpaper technique to give the rotors a non-directional finish.

Rinse off with brake cleaner and bed in the new pads properly, which is key to having no issues down the road, i.e.glazed pads due to improperly bedding process. It's not my first brake job...

I already took my vehicle for a test drive to the gas station to fill up for Tuesday... no wobble when pedal is applied, good to go!

These trucks and that Ford transit cargo van I had last year have beefy rotors.

Dunno about the feightliners or Mercedes cargo vans though. I also didn't get to drive the Isuzu reach, so I can't comment on them.

Sandpaper is a backyard mechanic method that's not accurate. The correct measure is both thickness and runout. A lathe is used to cut a flat surface with zero runout and a finish that helps break-in of new pads. Most rotors these days are just not engineered to be reused with resurfacing and replacement is the better option in most cases. I just find it hilarious that you post all this backyard mechanic work that for the most part is exactly the opposite of what should be done.