I dropped off the truck at my local shop ( Dirks in Lakewood ) when I left for the road trip. I get the idea to call them Tuesday, and find out they had not touched it. Good thing I called! It had a list of troubles plus a service and safety inspection. They must have jumped right on it as they had it mostly done yesterday. All that was left was figuring out the defroster, which has not worked in years. I could get dash heat but it would not move the damper to defrost. It is an ugly bit of cable and air valves and cylinders. They finished it and I picked it up this morning, ran back and grabbed the trailer and returned for the annual inspection. He adjusted the brakes and looked it over, but it is good. Adjusted brakes, replaced air can, checked for some bump steer and found no problems, adjusted clutch, serviced everything. I could do most of that but I am happy for the boss to pay for good work by guys who do it all day. They will see things I would not, they have the heavy tools and know how to use them. If the company pays a couple grand each year it is money well spent.
I always say “ truck are neat, trucks are fun , as long as somebody else is working them!”
You got that right. I made it just over a year working on hydrovacs before I decided I just wasn't as into trucks as I first thought.
Vocational trucks can be a pain compared a standard over the road tractor. I've worked both sides, wet kits, hydraulics, cylinders are always in the way and usually poor installation from the start, along with all the leaks. OTR normally has none of that. That's why I work OTR. Plus it's cleaner. Glad they took care of your rig sky.
Your 100% right truck shop, the added parts are installed the easiest and fastest way. One freightliner had a front pto and the suction hose ran under the oil filters. Good luck getting them in with oil in them. Wish I knew it was better to leave them empty then. One truck I worked on we had to upgrade almost every while we were using it. Took around a year to get the thing to be right.
Glad we have a transmission PTO, those front ones are terrible for so many reasons. Changing belts on down.
Was on a Allison 750 w/o engine driven pto provision. I changed the pump a few years ago, was fun.
I hate front engine PTO's, for all sorts of reasons. Ever been next to a vacon running balls out when a PTO u-joint decides to take the rest of the year off, that's ******* sketch.