Truck Repair
Peterbilt and Kenworth: The Problems We See Most
The faults that actually put Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks in our schedule, what causes them, and which ones you can catch before they strand a load.
Read the truck repair guide →Home / Blog
The Shop Floor
Straight-talk guides on heavy equipment, diesel repair and California compliance, from the people who actually turn the wrenches. No fluff, no filler, just what helps you keep your iron running and out of the shop.
Engine
Injector and Fuel System Problems: Reading the Symptoms
Rough running, hard starting, smoke and knock all point at the fuel system. Here is how to tell injectors from supply problems before you buy a set.
Read the engine guide →
Powertrain
Clutch and Transmission Trouble on Heavy Trucks
Slipping, hard shifting and driveline vibration all have cheap stages and expensive ones. Here is how to tell which you are in before the truck stops.
Read the powertrain guide →
Compliance
Getting a Truck Mechanically Ready for a Terminal Inspection
What an inspector finds first, in the order they find it, and how a California fleet gets through a terminal inspection without losing units to it.
Read the compliance guide →Compliance
The Inspection Items That Actually Put Trucks Out of Service
Brakes, tires, lights and securement account for most out-of-service orders. Here is what inspectors look at and how to clear it in your own yard first.
Read the compliance guide →
Engine
Turbo Failure: The Symptoms, the Real Causes, and What Not to Do
A failed turbo is almost always a symptom of something else. Replace it without finding the cause and the new one fails the same way.
Read the engine guide →
Engine
Rebuild or Replace? How to Decide on a Tired Diesel Engine
In frame, out of frame, reman or used. The honest framework for deciding what to do with a worn diesel engine, and the findings that settle it.
Read the engine guide →
Undercarriage
Undercarriage Is Half Your Operating Cost. Here Is How to Protect It
Track tension, operating habits and daily cleaning decide how long an undercarriage lasts. Most of what wears it out is free to fix.
Read the undercarriage guide →Hydraulics
Hydraulics Slow or Weak? Field Troubleshooting for Dozers, Loaders & Excavators
Weak or slow hydraulics usually aren't a blown pump. The order to check things on a dozer, loader or excavator before you approve a big repair.
Read the hydraulics guide →
Emissions
Why Your Truck Keeps Derating: DPF, DEF and Regen Problems Explained
Derates, failed regens and DEF faults cost California fleets serious downtime. What's actually failing, and how to break the cycle for good.
Read the emissions guide →Operations
Mobile Mechanic vs. Dealer Shop: What Heavy Equipment Repair Really Costs
The hourly rate is the smallest number in the equation. An honest cost comparison of mobile repair and dealer shops for Bay Area equipment owners.
Read the cost breakdown →Powertrain
Final Drive & Travel Motor Failure: Catching It Before It Grenades
Final drives warn you long before they fail. The signs, the oil check that predicts it, and what ignoring them costs on a dozer or excavator.
Read the powertrain guide →Diagnostics
Diesel Running Hot? The Overheating Causes We Find Most Often
Overheating on equipment and trucks is usually airflow or coolant flow, not a head gasket. How to narrow it down before it becomes engine damage.
Read the diagnostic guide →Buying Guide
Buying Used Heavy Equipment? Inspect These Things Before You Pay
Auction and private-sale machines hide expensive problems in predictable places. The pre-purchase inspection that pays for itself on deal one.
Read the buying guide →Compliance
CARB Clean Truck Check: Deadlines, Fines & How to Stay Compliant in 2026
What every California fleet needs to know about Clean Truck Check deadlines, the testing schedule, and the $10,000/day penalty for getting it wrong.
Read the compliance guide →Operations
The Real Cost of Heavy Equipment Downtime (And Why Fast Repair Pays for Itself)
When a machine is down with a load on the line, the repair bill is the cheapest part of the equation. Here's the math fleet owners need to see.
Read the breakdown →Diagnostics
Diesel Won't Start? A Field Checklist Before You Call a Mechanic
Five things to check on a no-start diesel before it turns into a tow bill, and the signs that mean you need a mobile mechanic now.
Read the checklist →Maintenance
Heavy Equipment Preventative Maintenance: A Simple Checklist That Saves Thousands
The PM items that quietly prevent the big-ticket failures. A practical checklist for keeping your iron running and out of the shop.
Read the PM checklist →FAQ
About The Shop Floor
What is this blog for?
Straight-talk guides on heavy equipment, diesel repair and California compliance. Practical stuff that helps you keep your iron running and out of the shop, no fluff.
Who writes it?
The people who turn the wrenches. We're dealer-trained with a Caterpillar background and 20+ years combined experience, so what you read here comes off the shop floor, not a marketing desk.
What topics do you cover?
Diesel diagnostics, heavy equipment repair, preventative maintenance, the cost of downtime, and CARB Clean Truck Check compliance for California fleets.
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