Tool Truck guys answers needed....

[TheGrooveking]

This may be an old topic but figured I want to know and the search feature didn't produce what I wanted to know:

Tool Truck guys, when your truck goes in for servicing do you take all of your tools off? The reason I ask this is there is a shop not to far from my home that I passed a few times that I noticed they have Snap On and a few other brand tool trucks parked there. I commented on this to my wife and she said "oh that is where they get their servicing done", besides being shocked that she knew this tidbit of info I think she was right.

This made me think, what if the service tech has to get inside of these trucks (some were the older type of truck where the driver's area is inside the truck, like a Gruman) and this lead me to the process of letting the wolf into the hen house, the kid in the candy store, TheGrooveking in the Hustler photo studios...

So is it just a matter of trust, or how do you guys handle the servicing of your trucks, when they are new there must be warranty issues from time to time.

TheGrooveking

 

[SouthCoastMudder]

A buddy of mine owns a mechanic shop out in the middle of nowhere and services a few different SO trucks and they are always still full of tools. I think it is a trust thing with him.

 

[mkdive]

Is the world getting truly that bad??? <sigh>

 

[Goinlow]

Is the world getting truly that bad??? <sigh>

No but I mean it'd be if you left your friend who loves food the keys to your bakery to sweep up after hours. He'd probably eat something.

 

[Wesley B]

No but I mean it'd be if you left your friend who loves food the keys to your bakery to sweep up after hours. He'd probably eat something.

Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaaahahahhahah

 

[00S4Boy]

I'm sure there is a written contract that the repair shop has to sign, in which any violation can result in thousands of dollars of fines blah blah blah misc. Sure they could get away with nabbing something small but usually a good truck guy will know if something on his truck is out of order. Plus if there is a written contract is it really worth the risk, since your helping your so guy out he probably helps them out in return.

 

[RLRRLRLL]

if it were me..i wouldent steal anything...id go back there and drool at the stuff....and fantasize about it....

 

[TheGrooveking]

I'm not saying that the service guy steals, but he at least might borrow a speciality tool if its needed for the repair.

TheGrooveking

 

[hammergodthor]

If I were a Mac dealer, I wouldn't mind letting a few of you guys who don't like Mac work on my truck, all my tools would still be there!

 

[Az Scooter]

I am not a tool truck guy, but I would be willing to bet that it is far more valuable to not take tools off of a truck than it would be to borrow one tool, even for a minute. Why? First, it would make it highly unlikely that there would be a return trip for any kind of service work. Second, when someone asks a Snap On or Mac guy where they get their work done, it would be really bad if he said, "I take it to Sam's but he steals"
Just not smart business. If I was a shop owner, and caught one of my guys even looking lustfully at a tool truck, he would probably be fired.

 

[Vinko]

I Second, when someone asks a Snap On or Mac guy where they get their work done,

The SO guy in my area, who's been working it for 30+ years, knows all the shops, which are good, which are bad. Which mechanics are good at what things. He's a useful resource for that type of thing.

 

[35mastr]

Most trucks these days have pocket doors that close off the rear of the truck just behind the driver. I have also seen guys make up 1" plywood covers that go over the door with eye bolts that they put 4-6 pad locks on the older trucks. Mine had the pocket doors.

 

[Merkava_4]

You're a mechanic working at the shop and in your past life you were a master locksmith...

And your employer doesn't know about it because you conveniently left it out of your work history...

 

[Brookesy]

Occasionally we use to work on our Snap On dealers truck as we had a long pit ideal for working on bus's etc etc.

He would either hang around in the workshop chatting with us if it wasn't a long job or leave it with us for the day. All the tools would still be on there & nobody would mess around in truck he usually sorted out the mechanic with a discount on something or chuck him a new tool as a thank you.

Its all comes down to trust.

 

[mrshaun]

Our insurance has coverage for things like that, also the shop insurance would cover the theft in some cases. Also we just do not let anyone work on our trucks. if it has to stay overnight I go and set the alarm before the end of their day and then go back and turn it off in the AM. the matco guy had his truck at freightliner for 3 weeks. It was under warranty still so the warranty company kept dicking them around about what was covered. he didnt lose anything at that shop because they all hate him.
the shop that does our work is one of my uncles customers ( he is a dealer as well ).
anytime we have a problem we get to cut in line and get back on the road asap.
usually we do hang around while they get the job done..

 

[mrshaun]

after 8 year we have never had a problem.

 

[Merkava_4]

The only thing you'd have missing are some 80's ... that's it.

And maybe some extra long combos ... that's it.

 

[Fubar]

I did work on my SO dealers previous (Gas) truck. Every time it was overnight, the truck was inside (shop was alarmed, and in a low-risk area) He trusted us and knew we'd never take anything from him (this guys been on the route for thirty years) he was a friend too.

On a related note, just recently he had a stop on the route where a new shop owner (a 25 yr old kid that the parents bought the place for him) was stealing items off the truck. He watched him like a hawk, and even caught him walking off palming a small item (the kids excuse was he "Forgot" to put it back). After leaving his stop (I'm the next) the dealer kept repeating "I know he took something, I just can't put my finger on what". After a few more stops (the same day) he found out what: a 1/2 inch soft handle semi-long ratchet. The next week he walked into the kids shop (kid was out on a test ride), opened his box, and low and behold there was the ratchet. He told the parents (who work there) that the kid has been stealing, and he's not allowed on the truck (he couldn't give up the stop totally because there is EC money involved). Bottom line is that I don't think there's a dealer around who doesn't know down to the small items what they have on their trucks, and wouldn't know what disappeared and where... He's told me that was only the second time that that's happened, and never with anything that big. He also said that if we did have other tool dealers in the area he would have no problem stopping them and telling them about the kid......

 

[mrshaun]

I knew a tool disappeared off the truck at a shop, so I told the boss man everyone in the shop had that much added to their tickets until the tool returned. The next week it was sitting on the boss' desk. I had an idea who did it, but no one would ever tell.
the mac guy used ot get hit for a grand a week at one shop until someone started telling other people about it. they got the rumor wrong and said it was my truck, the mac guy laughed at me, until he realized it was him. the pair of theives had been doing that to him for about 6 weeks straight. he was a company man so he didnt care what happened to his tools.

 

[chadster1]

In my old truck, the few times I had to leave it for service the doors were locked while I wasnt there or I stayed with it. I did have to leave it one time to get a new transmission and the service manager kept the keys at all times except when they needed to get to the doghouse in the truck. I went by the shop one time unannounced and found the truck 6' up in the air on the lift where no one could get into it. I was satisified that they were taking care of my tools.

With my current truck, I can secure the box seperate from the cab and it will not be an issue.

 

[mepilotunot]

I am able to secure mine and keep the back secured. I trust the shop I have service it but you just never know. Plus they may park it outside after the service and depending on location this could be bad. Even the stepvans with the doghouse can be set up with pocket doors as mentioned above. If anything comes up missing we pay some hefty insurance and the shop is insured also. I also have a secure DVR camera set up that I can access from home through the web and watch if I really wanted to. I have a seperate computer hidden and secured in a locked case to cover my security. Three cameras on the truck and one outside. I also have cameras on my property that monitor the truck when parked. I consider security a hobby of mine and love to play around with it.

 

[Mike83]

I'm sure there is a written contract that the repair shop has to sign, in which any violation can result in thousands of dollars of fines blah blah blah misc. Sure they could get away with nabbing something small but usually a good truck guy will know if something on his truck is out of order. Plus if there is a written contract is it really worth the risk, since your helping your so guy out he probably helps them out in return.

Actually there is a written thing called the law and that says that if you tale something that is not yours without the permission of the owner you will be charged with theft and possibly go to jail. No contract needed!

 

[MrBubbly]

I used to work on all the tool trucks that catered to us. I guess the guy's believed if I didn't pay for it, I didn't want it. It was never in question. Sometimes a guy would wait, and other times they took the day off.

 

[minitruck_freq]

i would probably just get naked and touch everything.


but that's just me.

 

[chadster1]

i would probably just get naked and touch everything.


but that's just me.

What shop do you work at so I can pass the warning along.

 

[Hi_Psi]

the couple of times ive seen the snap on truck getting serviced at my shop the guy has been inside the truck. its not only a trust issue, its just the guy has had a few rough patches and rather be safe than sorry. imo i am with him all the way

 

[quattrojon]

I am fortunate that a good friend of mine is a truck mechanic, and so i don't have to worry.

 

[arkangel06]

I am able to secure mine and keep the back secured. I trust the shop I have service it but you just never know. Plus they may park it outside after the service and depending on location this could be bad. Even the stepvans with the doghouse can be set up with pocket doors as mentioned above. If anything comes up missing we pay some hefty insurance and the shop is insured also. I also have a secure DVR camera set up that I can access from home through the web and watch if I really wanted to. I have a seperate computer hidden and secured in a locked case to cover my security. Three cameras on the truck and one outside. I also have cameras on my property that monitor the truck when parked. I consider security a hobby of mine and love to play around with it.

A new dealer eh?

What do you deal???

 

[mepilotunot]

Cornwell Tool Dealer

 

[TheGrooveking]

Cornwell Tool Dealer

Does such a think exist in the Chicago area?

TheGrooveking

 

[mepilotunot]

There was one! He may have retired.

 

[arkangel06]

Cornwell Tool Dealer

Awesome!!!!!!!

We need a cornwell dealer on here.

Welcome

 

[chadster1]

Cornwell Tool Dealer

I'm sorry.

Just kidding. Welcome to the forum. Hang out and stay awhile. You just might get some business from here.

 

[mrshaun]

welcome to the forums...

 

[quattrojon]

Welcome to the board. We have a good mix of dealers on here.

 

[gregrobbins]

I leave all the tools on the truck. I only will allow someone I trust to service her, so no worries.