Mcmoney is crazy. Calgary is close, my local dodge shop is $125 hr. Lucky they do some dealing for us little guys. They are hurting to, lots of inventory, no buyers. Maybe we will get some decent servicing of our rigs without the warranty mummbling on the diesels. Out East, they have tons of labor available. Their pockets can't afford anything new or even old. Kinda like the old days all over again back when I got out of secondary school.

 

lol ya the east there is money but not much . the money that is there is old money , and hard to find a good job . i am licence auto tech in ontario and i still had a hard time getting a job , so i am here ,

 

And for your $125, or god help you, $200/hr, you invariably get an apprentice to work on your truck. Everyone's gotta start somewhere-but you shouldn't have to pay full shop rate for someone other than a journeyman doing the work....and along that line, I know lots of journeymen mechanics that are less capable than I am. I'll keep sticking the money that I would pay for repairs into more tools!

Jason

 

I hear ya Jason. Depends on what you're comfortable level is. Some people are at different levels, and having the right tools is all part of being able do the right fix. You just have to get over the fear factor. I never ripped out the front axle out of rig prior, but I can do it pretty easily now. If it had been a simple rebuild but I had to hang some aftermarket stuff on the rig. There's abit more trial and fitting to do. Same goes for twins building. I find it relaxing after work to tweak and have a beer to see what I need to adjust next. Its never done enough...

 

guys the way to look at ITS JUST NUTZ AND BOLTS . not much to any thing . from doing brake to rebuilding a trany

 

For me its time and space. I don't get scared of tackling these projects, its just that I usually don't have the time to get too involved. Got a business to run too. I feel sheepish, but I got the local shop to do my front brakes/rotor and u joints cuz I just don't have the shop or time.

 

Decent shop manual and good instructions go along way. I like to visualize how things come apart, and spend some time at prepping. Most parts on you're truck are designed to come apart with simple hand tools and can be repaired in the field. Just like dodge/cummins designed it to. Once you get familar with what you're doing, you can take stuff off (nuts and bolts, the dodge parts) without taking the entire truck apart. Saving time and money.

 

I still get a little fear when I tear into something I never have before. Usually I make sure I have the manual for it first and see what I'm getting into and what I'm going to need to get into it-then decide whether or not I'm comfortable with it. Couple of years ago, I never would have tried my hand at gear setup. Done a few sets now with no big problems-just had to get over the initial fear. I'm gonna try my hand at an automatic one of these days for funsies. Wish we had a bigger and better shop-this one is very primitive...but it gets the job done.

Jason

 

Im still a little apprenhensive to do gears.... I want to put 3 42s in my truck,,, but not sure if I will do it myself or not

Kevin

 

I've yet to do an AAM diff-so I'm not sure what's required for tools etc. to do one. Had to invest in a few tools out of the gate to do the first one. I already had the dial indicator and base to measure backlash, the inch pound torque wrench to measure pinion rotating torque and a dial caliper and/or micrometer for measuring shims-but I needed a good bearing splitter and a press to pull and install bearings. Made myself setup bearings as well for D60/70s so far-as I require different ones I'll make them too. I still need to make a Dana housing spreader to make my life easier-and a carrier bearing puller would be nice-as would a pinion depth gauge-but so far I haven't absolutely needed them. It's monotonous and repetitive work trying to get the perfect pattern, but as long as a guy stays patient, it's doable for sure. Not sure that it's cost-effective for a guy to buy all the special tools to do one or two-I knew going in that I was going to have quite a few coming up that needed bearing replacement at a minimum.

Jason

 

Yeah ,, I doubt i will do any after I get this one done.. I might even just truck it to GP and have my buddy do it

Kevin

 

i guess me being mechanic , changes the way i look at stuff lol ,, i have most tools . do diff is cake walk ,but i have done 100 of them so that would be why i guess , i don't use a bearing spiter too slow , i touch them off but . there again need the tools ...., u don't did a dail indicator . no can use plastic gauge for checking engine bearings and its 25cents a stick ...

 

Great to have you on board. You gonna come out to any of our gatherings? We need all the help we can get We might need ya bud to fix a few rides for us. I'm thinking about twin turbin my 300c, its must be the weather lately.

 

ya i will come out to some if i no about them ... hey are u on abdiesel.com

 

nope just here and the 300c forum. I already have too much going on right now and this is just a release from my crazy work stuff. I saw two garrett 3071R that would work nice for my car. I was checking out how the motor comes out. The motor has to come out the bottom or the end front end sheet metal has to come off. Who design this stuff these days...