Mark T

360 😳

(lol) Yes, we're very good at growing national debt, and selling education for Lord knows what.... lawyers to sue for whatever they can get their hooks into. Doctors who can prescribe a pill for anything. This has been going on for decades. Now ? You have to be huge or almost nothing. That in between is a non stop rat race. The government was never supposed to be such a big employer. IDK maybe it's just me who doesn't see the big picture. Certainly seems like in my lifetime though there were more rewards for working hard .

You're correct. Employees turn out to be your biggest expence that you have the least control over. All this translates into higher costs. Let's face it, most of us here know trucks more than anything. Just seems like if all these agencies and government genius' could find some more realistic approaches to other things than a bigger DOC or .0000002% less wind drag maybe in the trucking industry that could translate into higher wages to employees and attract better employees in turn making things a little better as opposed to worse in reality. This nonsense goes on in everything.....then they wonder why it's cheaper to import where countries don't have all that going on.

Wages are unrealistic. As an employer, even if you want to pay an employee a fair wage for the task they're hired for it doesn't end there. The rediculous amount it costs to insure that employee between workman's comp and some form of health insurance (lol) adds easily a third more on top of the wage. Usually all this added cost makes an employee a really lousy investment as it's virtually impossible for many to pay a fair wage and get enough production to pay added costs there's no return for. Unless you're a huge company making a fortune, you can't afford it. Then there's the matching withholding, that's not too crazy. It also adds to costs though. Then paid time off, HR costs the list goes on and on and on. This isn't going away any time soon.

Tip fan shouldn't be "LOUD" you can hear it when the engine starts to labor, but it's not supposeed to be crazy loud. Can't really see how they have fresh air going to it ??? or is the inlet T ed from the Farr ? I'd take a good look for leaks after the turbo. Yes, the fan can seize too, easy enough to see if it turns freely. Some had a little trap door that worked with a Jake if it had one (SOME not all) . All places to leak manifold pressure (noise you may be hearing). That picture you posted for the temperature gauge sorta looks like a capillary type. If it is, there's no repairing the capillary (what would be the wire) If I remember correctly, that can be changed depending on the gauge make. They're usually way too long and you'd just need to lose the extra as opposed to shortening it. Another thing to think about in the front of it is some kinda screen in front of the radiator. I'd imagine with what you're using it for, the radiator could get clogged up fast, as the fan is always turning. That is a nice old truck, I love seeing them still working.

That broad makes her case quite a lot like when I was 12 trying to convince my parents why I needed that YZ 125.

That could quite possibly be used to induce seizures . Nowhere near the quality entertainment as WAP. And here I was picturing you (Jojo) rock'n out with that in the background torque'n a head on an engine 🤪

Most products used are at a point where their level of development has been the same for years. China just reverse engineeres these products and has hardly anything into R & D. Then they have cheap labor. So it would seem like so many products have improved from China. Factor in market share.... yeah, Chinese stuff is cheaper. Truth is , there's no way anyone could support a household on much less than $20.00 per hour for a forty hour week. That's barely surviving. Gonna be very difficult to break this cycle.

Almost looks like a shrink wrapped engine and transmission up front on the trailer.

$200,000.00 + and figure another $25,000.00 besides that before it's cycled (5 years ?) due to after treatment. That's not even scratch'n the surface of new stuff on them to idiot proof them. That's all yet to be seen to some degree....and it ain't gonna be cost effective.

Trucks are way overpriced. Might not be so bad if you didn't have to deal with all the headaches that come with them now too. Even warranty doesn't help cause no one is really good at fixing them (or if there is a good mechanic he's so overwhelmed it's pathetic) New trucks aren't such a good investment right now, too much lined up against whoever is buying them. Let alone that changes by the week anymore.

I had several of those over the years. I often thought they were never appreciated as much as they should have been. 😏your's is just right to pull a bucket

How'd ya guess

Thanks. 18th.....like you

Those trucks might be better off with an automatic for the application they're in. ( like Paul just said )