Tools that allow you to beat book time (or work faster)

[Hiball]

Multiple ratchets, each set up with a different socket size you are using. I even do this at home to make things easier.

I to do this, It always used to make me chuckle when i was laying under a Vehicle switching sockets and while there could be one right next to my arm 1 minute it would completely gone the Next time i needed it. I used to get so i would crawl out from under the vehicle and ****!! it was right there next to me.

 

[warmpancakes]

crows feet on a 3/8 speeder great for fuel lines at the fire wall on s-series 4.3 trucks

 

[mrholeshot]

I to do this, It always used to make me chuckle when i was laying under a Vehicle switching sockets and while there could be one right next to my arm 1 minute it would completely gone the Next time i needed it. I used to get so i would crawl out from under the vehicle and ****!! it was right there next to me.

For me Less is more. Most minor jobs only require 3-4 sockets. If I have a bunch of say 15mm bolts, 13s, 10 and 17 I try to knock out all of one size first then move to another size keep my tools to a min amount because of having keep up with them. I can chang a socket as fast as picking up anther ratchet. If I had to lay on my back it may make a differance. But then again the less I have around me the less I have to keep up with

 

[jymmiejamz]

The best way to beat book times is to stay clear of any manufacturer warranty.

But seriously, my biggest time saver recently has been my cooling system vacuum filler.

 

[illmatyk]

Knowledge is your greatest tool. To beat book time or slaughter it it not about what tool make the job faster but learning the thing you don't have to remove to get the job done. Thst the key to killing flat rate. It's not about what you do but more about what not to do.

Experience and repetition and the two biggest aids to beating warranty time. Of couse, using cordless or pneumatic tools and eliminating wated movement also help. having two carts (one with tools, one for parts) close to the vehicle helps to cut down on steps. Just simply walking to a bench or your main tool box eats up a lot of time and don't even think about drinking a coke, bullshiting with your bud, or using cell phone/texting.

Speed comes with experiance, better to focus on accuracy first. Nobody likes to see one of their jobs come back on the hook. and while it burns up a few minutes alway test drive your work. better to take a drive and find a small problem and take care of it than to spend 20 minutes listening to customer explain to you how he saw a drop of coolant in his driveway. Anytime I did anything to a cooling system I always pressure tested the system before starting the car.

i agree with these!

also, for me, organization is also a key factor. nothing ***** more than starting a job and can't find a specific sized socket or a certain tool for the job.

oh and another thing, the book isn't always right. about 2 weeks ago, i had to replace an alternator they don't say anything about removing the a/c compressor but thats the only way to get the alternator.

 

[sporkedtospec]

Not a time saver up front, but I always hand thread bolts back into their holes when possible. I do all of my work in the drive way and this makes reassembling way easier and the little ones have a harder time rolling bolts down the driveway or into the grass.

 

[regguy1]

Jet Washer, best money I ever spent.
Cleans case and internal transmission parts fast.

Saved me more labor than I can ever imagine.

I agree with "organization" for me it's more about how you lay out parts for assembly so not to make redundant moves and also you see that nothing is missing, and minimizes your chance of making mistakes.

 

[rayzor32]

Learning how to pace yourself is a good way to make better time. If you get in a super big hurry things tend to get disoragnized. Start the job and keep it at a managable pace. Some of my guys wondered how I looked like I was moving slower and could knock out the job faster than they could. If you take your time and don't drop things, put things back together in the same order as they come apart, don't stop to get something to drink or shoot the breeze (sometimes hands stop moving when mouths open) as this can cause distration and mistakes. Finish at the same pace you start. Clean up and put tools away and get ready for the next job. Working smart is your best asset. I wouldn't even answer the phone in a job that took two hours or less when I was in the shop. Another thing is don't be afraid to ask for assistance or advice. Two techs working side by side that arn't afraid to lend the other a hand can make more money than two so hard headed and egotistical that they are a 100% one man show. You have to be willing to help out as well as receive help. When I had my shop, I wrote my own paycheck based of 50% of the labor I turned that week in my own shop. The same as my other two master technicians. Even running my business my check was nearly as much as theirs and sometimes more. Experiance helps a lot. back when I worked for a dealership I tuned about 70-80 hours a week. Nobody else wanted to do TSB's but I didn't mind. You do 2-3 of the same repair and the other 100 or so go by really fast. My Service writer use to hand me a stack of TSBs for things like a Bad brake light switch, Cruise clip ,TVS and I would take the tickets, go to parts with a box and bill out 20 parts, grab the Tools I needed and headed out to the parking lot. not having to pull the car in and out and being able to do the same job over and over. I once has a recall for a cruise control clip that was recalled for throttle sticking on 83(?) oldsmobiles.Nothing gets people in faster than a throttle sticking and the only fix was replce the clip holding the cruise linkage to the carb. Nobody else want them because they only paid .3 hours each. I grabbed a box of 100 of the clips and and as people were lined up around the block I would have the owners stay in there car and pop the hood. I would remove the air cleaner Just enough to get to the clip and replace the clip, put the recall tag on and shut the hood. Took all of about 2 minutes per car. I did them all day long for 3 days and turned about 160 hours in 5 days.

Each one of my Techs had a lift bay and a Flat bay with a drive over brake lift. I had my own as well. I would work on 4-5 cars at the same time. While waiting on parts for one go to another. When doing front brakes I had a system. I would pull the wheel , caliper and rotor on one side. I would put the rotor on the lathe on fast cut. I would run over and pull the wheel, caliper and rotor off the other side. take the second rotor and lay it at the lathe and put the lathe on finish cut. As that rotor cut I would grab my 2 caliper presses, lock one side and compress the other then load that caliper lube the slides then move over and load the other. By that time the first caliper was finished. I put my second rotor on the lathe and went back and wire brushed the hubs and put a ittle anti seize on the hubs and lug studs. I would go set the lathe for final cut and then assemble one side, install the wheel check over everything and move tools to the other side. Grab my torque wrench, set the torque and get my second rotor off the lathe, Install caliper, wheel and then lowered the car torqued the wheels and test drove the car. Total time about 20 minutes on a a hubless rotor car. Some of my guys would stand around while the rotors cut and it took them about 45 minutes.

Make every step count.

Best advice in the whole thread

 

[Bran Diezel]

hmmm, what works for me is:

2 boxes loaded to the gills to fix just about anything
2 carts to get the tools to the cars
and done enough vehicles from each manufacturer to know how it works to diagnose and fix faster

but i guess you are asking for tools.

well when i started out and even sometimes still i will go scope out google for what i'm about to do. most of the time you can find some guy on a forum that has taken step by step pics on how to do something. use your discretion though, alot of these shade tree guys miss important steps or are too lazy to type them out.

knowing how to tighten different size nuts and bolts by feel is also a major thing in not breaking bolts or under torquing them.

speaking of a great time saver is having several ratchets, stubby, short, long and x-long as well as sockets in each size.

good air ratchets are a must, a long 1/2" breaker bar, a snap on air hammer, a 16oz ball peen, a 3lb sledge, a snap on brake spoon B3404B (my fave multi purpose tool of all time), Snap on brake bleeder B1467A also great for removing the 5/16 bolt in diffs, swivel sockets, gearwrench gearboxes (0 degree http://www.tooltopia.com/gearwrench-85988.aspx), a good beench, vise, welder

i am thinking when i get a hammerhead itll be on the list.

and most of important a local parts supplier with a knowledgeable rep, & a fast driver. my garage is only a 3 bay but me and my other 3 guys do almost double what all other garages and dealerships are putting out.

 

[Dust]

Indeed. When I was starting out my partner always said "Work at a pace you don't get comebacks, time be damned."

I still subscribe to that. I'm still hourly, but even if I was flat rate I'd rather flag a steady 35-40 hours a week and not have anything come back, than flag 60-70 and have three rechecks a week.

 

[jymmiejamz]

I still subscribe to that. I'm still hourly, but even if I was flat rate I'd rather flag a steady 35-40 hours a week and not have anything come back, than flag 60-70 and have three rechecks a week.

No one likes come backs, but I'll take a couple of come backs with a 60-70 hour week over having a 35 hour week any day.

 

[Mustangmike]

Indeed. When I was starting out my partner always said "Work at a pace you don't get comebacks, time be damned."

I still subscribe to that. I'm still hourly, but even if I was flat rate I'd rather flag a steady 35-40 hours a week and not have anything come back, than flag 60-70 and have three rechecks a week.

slow and steady...

 

[Goinlow]

Great posts guys. This is what I was hoping for when I posted here a nice discussion of tips on productivity. Keep em coming I'm learning a lot here.

 

[Simplespeed]

Stay on your service writers *** about your time without ******* him off. Alot of them dont know/care if your getting paid your correct time or not. Keep up with your stuff. Keep a log of every ticket number and flag time for each and compare it to the computer at the end of every day and week. Can make a big difference come pay day.

As far as tools. I just bought a 32mm cartridge filter socket for a chevy cobalt off of a general service guy at work for 20 bucks. He was hurtin for cash so i took advantage. I did 2 cobalt oil changes that day and it was much easier than fumbling around with the crecent wrench that i bragged about doing the same job for the past year or so.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Dont get me started on service writers. I think the Mechanic should interface with the customer at least for a minute before he works on the car, because currently he is only getting second hand information on what is wrong with the car, and if he has a bad service writer, he may be getting the wrong information.

Chris

 

[mrholeshot]

Dont get me started on service writers. I think the Mechanic should interface with the customer at least for a minute before he works on the car, because currently he is only getting second hand information on what is wrong with the car, and if he has a bad service writer, he may be getting the wrong information.

Chris

#1 Key to auto repair CONFIRM THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT!!! When in doubt call the customer and have them explain. Service writers can be Heaven or Hell. many service writers are too lazy to look up related times while looking at labor operations. I had it set up in my shop where each guy had his own access to mitchell On Demand. Not only could they look up their own labor times but could access all the diagnostic info and operation info without having to leave their bay. They did have to furnish their own lap top if they wanted to use this feature. Of course you have to expect a little abuse of the system but most were looking to make money so never really became a big issue.