Here's to all who do their own work

[MEby]

I've been getting a vibration in my truck on deceleraton. So I climb under the truck and check the u-joints, the rear u-joint was loose but as I pushed on the front u-joint up by the t-case the whole transfer case wobbles. I push my creeper up to the front of the t-case and there is one bolt gone, the rest were either loose or ready to fall out with one bolt tight. By now I'm blowing steam , so I move up to the trans bellhousing and there is one bolt missing and two loose on it. #@$%!#@$%! I would have been really mad at the guys who did the engine swap if I had'nt caught it before it was to late! I have always done my own work before because I can do it for much cheaper than to pay to have it done, but am beginning to understand why many of you do your own work because of the lack of quality mechanics out there. So here's to all who do their own work.

 

[Grey Wolf]

I've heard it said plenty of times myself, "If you want it done right do it yourself":-laf

 

[6BT-Dakota]

I've heard it said plenty of times myself, "If you want it done right do it yourself":-laf

Or find someone you can work along side of to be his tool B$T$H

 

[Sri Ram]

I am in complete agreement. No offense to the many proud, skilled techs out there, but a good mechanic can be hard to find. Maybe a lot of 'em are in the commercial sector? Nearly every time I've had a vehicle in the shop, I find something undone or done wrong when I get it back. So, if you find a good one, let other members here know about it! DIY

 

[McCRam]

I found a shop that we were taking some of our equipment to. Word got out that they did good work and they got very busy. Now they are so busy they hurry through project and do shoddy work. I just spent four hours on a truck that they tuned up. The only time I take my vehicles somewhere is when I can't afford the tools I need to get the job done.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I've heard it said plenty of times myself, "If you want it done right do it yourself":-laf

YUP - I graduated from that school... :-laf

 

[DVolk]

If any one needs work done and your near Longview,Wash, im about 30 miles away up oregon highway 30 , the size of your truck is not a issue

any thing from half ton to 50 tons

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I am in the project mood :-laf. Replacing the rear main seal. Okay, might as well do the clutch whilst were in there. Dan at quad 4x4 advised leave the transmission 5th gear fix until it fails or transmission rebuild time. I am upgrading the pilot bearing to the ball bearing style from Dan's. Also was a good excuse to buy a transmission jack for a fraction of having a shop do the repairs.



But lo and behold... what is this??? The front strap on my fuel tank is busted and the front of the tank is really sagging. If I hadn't been putzing around I might have not noticed this project tooo



Bottom line... . it pays to putz

 

[Hendricks]

Nobody touches my trucks but me and my wife.

 

[JFlagg]

I am in the project mood :-laf. Replacing the rear main seal. Okay, might as well do the clutch whilst were in there. Dan at quad 4x4 advised leave the transmission 5th gear fix until it fails or transmission rebuild time. I am upgrading the pilot bearing to the ball bearing style from Dan's. Also was a good excuse to buy a transmission jack for a fraction of having a shop do the repairs.



But lo and behold... what is this??? The front strap on my fuel tank is busted and the front of the tank is really sagging. If I hadn't been putzing around I might have not noticed this project tooo



Bottom line... . it pays to putz

I hear ya! Sunday I rotated my tires and ended up pulling axle shafts and replacing U-joints, funny how one thing leads to another. Noticed I need change the front brakes too... . wish I would have had some then.

 

[MMcCallie]

My truck has been to at least 6 different shops in the past 10 months. Each shop has to redo work done by the previous. Things like a/c, belt alignment, and as i just found this weekend, the bolts holding the flexplate to the torque converter were backing out because they had no Loctite. They didn't even bolt the transmission to the crossmember! So many thousands down the drain because i couldn't do things myself or find the right people to help. Never again, i'll wait to do it right.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

I also do all my own work. Mainly Im just a cheap *******. lol

I always figured if I have to do it twice cause I screwed it up Im still out less and I have learned along the way.

In the old days I did alot of projects more than once ,but these days I seem to have better luck.

 

[MMiller]

Reading your comments is a little funny to me, in an ironic sort of way. I spend every day swinging wrenches, making customers happy, tweaking, tuning, repairing, straightening, the list goes on. Yep, I'm a rented wrench ape... ... ... then I come home and think about all the repairs I need to do on my junk, and how cool it would be to fix up my truck like some of my TDR buddies, then when it comes down to it I'm too smart for my own good... ... . I fix it good enough to get it down the road some more, and say to myself, "I'll fix it better later, right now its got to go. " Most times, later never comes. Its about time for me to get out of the wrenching business, then I know my vehicles will be maintained better, because it will be fun again.



Michael

 

[DogDiesel]

Priority Maintenance

In the last near 30 years, the only jobs I have not done myself is transmission rebuild. Could, but specialized equipment too costly and takes up space. I hopefully move for the last time this fall. Maybe then.

If is is zero dollars, like a torque wrench, I do it. If it is a cosmetic part, I may let it wait. Like others have said, I am a tightwad.

I feel a paing of jealousy (very small one) when I see a nice new truck, then get into mine, but my last payment was in the mid-1980s. I save and buy cash used vehicles and upgrade them.

Three of my vehicles are re-powered with bigger/different/better engines.

My goal is to retire with zero payments beyond mortgage at less than age fifty .

Anyway, I am a mechanic, and I take it as a personal pridepoint to try to keep my equipment maintained. Everything I own is ready for the next 5K one way trip.



And lately, they have been getting those miles often. I have 2 cars with 350K each, and 3 other vehicles with 200+k EACH.



Its rough always being the not norm on the TDR because I do not own a Dodge; I have a Cummins repowered Chevy and Ford. :-{}



Wayne











Wayne

 

[Grey Wolf]

Its rough always being the not norm on the TDR because I do not own a Dodge; I have a Cummins repowered Chevy and Ford. :-{}



Wayne



Nothing wrong with that

 

[MEby]

I'm sure many here would agree that ford and chevy arent nessarily that bad except for there powertrains.

 

[12V Ford]

Reading your comments is a little funny to me, in an ironic sort of way. I spend every day swinging wrenches, making customers happy, tweaking, tuning, repairing, straightening, the list goes on. Yep, I'm a rented wrench ape... ... ... then I come home and think about all the repairs I need to do on my junk, and how cool it would be to fix up my truck like some of my TDR buddies, then when it comes down to it I'm too smart for my own good... ... . I fix it good enough to get it down the road some more, and say to myself, "I'll fix it better later, right now its got to go. " Most times, later never comes. Its about time for me to get out of the wrenching business, then I know my vehicles will be maintained better, because it will be fun again.



Michael

You know what they say, "Mechanic always have the worst vehicles". To busy fixing up other people's vehicles I guess and when they get home, who wants to do what they've been doing all day.



I do all my own work also, except for the machining or transmission rebuilds.

 

[JFlagg]

I would have to agree, short of their powertrains, nothing wrong with a Chevy or Ford. At the risk of being lynched, I would almost rather have a Fummins that rode like a GMC:-laf I like the way the Fords look, like the power of a Dodge and love the way my uncle's Chevy rides, guess we can't have everything... . :{

 

[Grizzly]

Its rough always being the not norm on the TDR because I do not own a Dodge; I have a Cummins repowered Chevy and Ford. :-{}

Wayne

Nothing wrong with that

Not a thing wrong with a Cummins powered Chevy or Ford if it works for you. It would never work for me because I have never had a Chevy or Ford that I thought was any good.



I too have always done most of my own mechanic work because when I do it, I know it's done right. I'll admit, I draw the line when it comes to rebuilding an automatic transmission, a power steering pump and wheel alignments. What kills me is when some of my friends take their car or truck to the dealer to replace the disk brake pads. The hardest thing about a brake job is to lift the truck and pull the wheels off.

 

[JFlagg]

What about oil changes? I think they are even easier than brake changes.