What's going on?

[spasm3]

I'm glad you are getting business!! I still regret not sending my 4l60e to you for a rebuild. I've had no issues with mine.

If the shop I used for removal had not balked at the shipping time,. I'd have had you do it.

Best of luck.

Maybe you can hire a wrench turner , and you still do the diagnostic/technical stuff and the transmissions.

Good to hear your reputation is spreading!!!

 

[02SE]

In any business, your reputation is everything. If you know what you're doing, and are ethical in your dealings, word gets around, and you will be in demand.

 

[SubLGT]

Have Ford engineers made it quick and easy to raise the cab on the Superduty pickups?

 

[john_pifer]

This is great to hear. Not surprising - you know your stuff and you're honest!

Happy for you!

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by SubLGT
Have Ford engineers made it quick and easy to raise the cab on the Superduty pickups?

It's a common practice to raise the cab on Ford trucks - dunno about the Super Duty but starting with the 2004 non-Heritage F-150 the fenders aren't held on by the core support and side aprons, the front end is car like in construction.

If I ever lived in TX, I'd have clinebarger work on my cars besides things I can do myself. He's a artisan, not a "mechanic" like so many.

 

[Chris142]

Check out powerstrokehelp on YouTube. He only works on them. He is done with the 6.4's. he says they can't be fixed. I would post it here but some of the language in that particular video goes against bitog rules.

 

[mehullica]

Good help is hard to find. You'll always have business.

 

[P10crew]

CLine please don't take this as ford bashing. On the crew that I oversee I have (6) 1ton or larger trucks with service bodies. We don't have full time mechanics on duty. When one of them goes belly up I'm in an immediate bind. These days it's really tough because it's very near 100% the same 3 trucks. And to make things even worse is that it often times takes 10 days to even get them in. I am just as frustrated as you with this even though my situation is 180 degrees out of phase from yours. We have no say over what brand they buy but I can tell you that we work them very hard and that are all heavy. The Dmax's are holding up very very well and the rest are just a crap shoot. Not ford bashing just giving perspective from a realist trying to keep the lights on.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
Originally Posted by demarpaint
The word of someone who does good work spreads fast. That is exactly what is happening to you! My suggestion is start looking for a good tech to work for you, even if it is just for part time work. From the sound of it you're going to need help. Turning work away, work that you would normally do because you're too busy so something people don't forget either. Long wait times is a turn off to customers too unfortunately. Don't get me wrong having a heavy work load is a good problem to have. Just make sure if you do hire someone his work gets your stamp of approval before anything he does leaves the shop. I went through those growing pains too. I wish you continued success!!!


Spoken with a business owner's perspective. Those of us who own/operate our own biz know that service is the key. Demarpaint knows when you turn some folks away because you're booked out two or more weeks they will find someone else. There may even be resentment, too.



I don't have the room for another mechanic, I make sure potential & current clients understand this.
Expanding my shop is in the works but I need to keep those costs in front of me....I refuse to be buried in debt over this!

As a "newbie" business owner.....I appreciate the wisdom you guys share!

 

[Nick1994]

Something a friend of mine does who opened his own shop a couple years ago did, is once he got so busy, he hired a desk girl who takes the phone calls, books the appointments, and calls and orders the parts. That leaves him more time wrenching and less time checking out customers who want to chat.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by nthach
Originally Posted by SubLGT
Have Ford engineers made it quick and easy to raise the cab on the Superduty pickups?

It's a common practice to raise the cab on Ford trucks - dunno about the Super Duty but starting with the 2004 non-Heritage F-150 the fenders aren't held on by the core support and side aprons, the front end is car like in construction.


Actually.....You can lift the cab for service on '97-'04 "Heritage" F150 trucks as they have a similar "Unibody" front clip design to the '04 & up trucks.
Now....It's not as easy because you have to pull some carpet up to access the body mount bolts & the Trans cooler lines don't have a central disconnects.

I've only done one so far....A 2003 F150 Crewcab with a locked up 2V 5.4L, Not much room the pull the torque converter with the engine! So I lifted the cab.
I split the 4 aluminum crimps at the cooler lines with a cut-off wheel & replaced the hoses with some Gates trans cooler hose along with some stainless Oetiker clamps.....The original hoses were beginning to sweat ATF anyway. This allowed the Fan Shroud to say in place.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by Nick1994
Something a friend of mine does who opened his own shop a couple years ago did, is once he got so busy, he hired a desk girl who takes the phone calls, books the appointments, and calls and orders the parts. That leaves him more time wrenching and less time checking out customers who want to chat.


This is critical information.

I hate to be rude, but you do have to assert that your time is money and you need to keep working.