10-4 Magazine October 2021

38 10-4 Magazine / October 2021 shoes makes for great saving when you have them on hand. I just had to use my standby set of 4707q shoes when I had a brake pad separate from the base. Not something we see often, but it does happen. I am questioning if it’s due to poor quality replacement materials and workmanship. Unfortunately, as usual, it happened at a very inappropriate time, about one mile into a long construction zone where I could not stop. By the time I got to a safe place to stop, the damage was done. The shoe itself separated from the base and lodged between the leading pad and the brake drum. This caused the wheel to lock up and slide the tires. It was one of those times where, in the name of safety, I knowingly destroyed two almost new tires. $1,200 and two hours later, the guys at Love’s saved my day. Knowing I had a critical time allotment to keep my customer satisfied, I did what I had to do to keep going. Had I stopped in the construction area it could have endangered both me and the tire repair man. Timothy, in the Love’s Tire Service Center in Waterloo, Iowa, got me fixed up and back on the road quickly. I’m sorry he had to work in the rain, and I do wish you drivers would slow down when these technicians are performing along the side of the road. Drivers, this isn’t a game, and if you hit or run over someone there’s no reset button to start over. Move to the next lane and SLOW DOWN! Yes, I have spare tires at my shop, but they didn’t do me any good that far from home. Plus, I needed to remove the rims and brake drum to extract the jammed shoe. The fact that I had those extra shoes made my weekend far more productive. First thing Sunday morning, having only spent an hours worth of labor, and I was back in business – and my delivery was done on time. Now, when I get back home again, I will be contacting my supplier and replacing that set with some new ones for my inventory – at their expense, of course! I have also already decided if there are any more issues, I will be replacing all of those shoes with brand new ones, since the rebuilders can’t (or won’t) guarantee the quality of the materials they use for their rebuilds. Never mind the difference in cost. I just spent $1,200 trying to “save” money. I was listening to a program earlier today when the speaker proclaimed it doesn’t matter how much money you make each year, what really matters is how much you are able to keep. Gross revenue less expenses equal profits (or lack thereof). That’s a simple fact, but how we get to the final equation is dependent on your actions. It really doesn’t matter if you are running a shoe store or a large trucking company, the basic rules of supply and demand still apply. If you can’t step up to the plate and provide a service that is equivalent to your customer’s need, they will use someone else. I keep that in mind when I’m ordering parts and booking loads. It makes a big difference if you are armed with information and can find the best buy for your needs. When buying “cheap” parts, it has been said that the sweetness of the savings will be lost by the sour taste of poor quality. On a brighter note, no one was hurt or lost their job, and it only cost $1,200 so I guess we will live to fight another day. Besides, I would probably lose the money to taxes anyway. Just doing my part to stimulate the economy, right? Stay safe out there, drivers, and spend a couple extra minutes looking at your equipment. None of us wants to see it run over the hill and become part of the scenery. And remember to live by that golden rule, 10-4! n