What are your thoughts about the UAW striking? Come September 14th, if a new contract isn't agreed upon the members of the United Auto Workers have taken a vote to authorize a strike! And while not all the votes have been counted, I'm pretty sure they will pass the authorization... so far the UAW says they are VERY far apart, while the Big Three seem unwilling to agree to the new terms.
It's not enough that Yellow went out of business, or that UPS avoided a strike by giving more money over the span of 5 years -- but we also got Hollywood on strike too! That is a lot of striking for one summer!
Somehow I don't think the Hollywood strike is going to cause the level of disruption that the UAW and Big Three will, but a UAW strike come the 14th of next month would for sure overshadow the efforts in Hollywood and probably get the lions share of attention in the headlines, not to menting ding the economy much worse... especially here in the Motor City Capital of the World.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
No idea, hopefully they reach an equitable agreement. While I'm not in the market for a new car, I still need parts to do my job and this could be yet another disruption as far as that goes.
Don't know. The kid I took in, 32 now works Sumitomo last 5 years. They make the PC boards and stuff for all lines. He's on Toy mostly, some Chrysler, and word there is Chry is going to strike as of a week ago.
I'll be frank, I hope all the people that are on strike get what they are looking for, or at least close to it! I just raised our labor rate from $100 to $150 per hour! Got no choice! Can't keep up with the work! I had to do something! Currently local repair shops are charging on the order of $175 to $200 per hour, and the dealerships are anywhere between $200-250 per hour. At $100 per hour I just can't keep up with the demand! To help my customers offset this labor I have lowerd my markup cost on parts (brand new parts)... I feel lucky I didn't have to stike for months on end to do that, but honestly it's one of the rare times it's been nice to be a business owner... most any other situation it's been pretty tough! Still, for being Master Certified I'm one of the best values in town! But not if I can't keep up and get bogged down. This could also go a long way in my hiring someone now, because I have $50 per hour that I could pay them with that I didn't have before! Of course they would have to be certified and as good or better than me to get that kind of money... basiclly I would just be throwing them red meat -- or per job contractor work... I'd really have to trust someone for per job contractor work since I put a 1 year or 12,000 mile parts and labor warranty on most all my work (except parts purchased online, used or parts with shorter warranties)...
I know the MSM is trying to say inflation is down, but that doesn't seem to be the case when everyone is going on strike! It doesn't seem to be the case when everything is more expensive! There are still a lot of people who just don't want to do this kind of work, as it's very hard... ask Rastus, he tried if for awhile and found out it's not easy. But if you're good at fixing cars it's hard to get out of the trade once you get a taste of that money!
So I hope everyone striking holds out for that super deal - lord knows we could all use some extra money right now! Cost $14 to eat a Taco Bell, and any time you go to the store it's like $100! And that is without kids now! I would have to imagine shopping trips if both the kids were living here would be in the $300 range -- maybe $500 if it was a week where we ate a lot of good meat and bought lots of snaks to take us a week or more.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
I'll be frank, I hope all the people that are on strike get what they are looking for, or at least close to it! I just raised our labor rate from $100 to $150 per hour! Got no choice! Can't keep up with the work! I had to do something! Currently local repair shops are charging on the order of $175 to $200 per hour, and the dealerships are anywhere between $200-250 per hour. At $100 per hour I just can't keep up with the demand! To help my customers offset this labor I have lowerd my markup cost on parts (brand new parts)... I feel lucky I didn't have to stike for months on end to do that, but honestly it's one of the rare times it's been nice to be a business owner... most any other situation it's been pretty tough! Still, for being Master Certified I'm one of the best values in town! But not if I can't keep up and get bogged down. This could also go a long way in my hiring someone now, because I have $50 per hour that I could pay them with that I didn't have before! Of course they would have to be certified and as good or better than me to get that kind of money... basiclly I would just be throwing them red meat -- or per job contractor work... I'd really have to trust someone for per job contractor work since I put a 1 year or 12,000 mile parts and labor warranty on most all my work (except parts purchased online, used or parts with shorter warranties)...
I know the MSM is trying to say inflation is down, but that doesn't seem to be the case when everyone is going on strike! It doesn't seem to be the case when everything is more expensive! There are still a lot of people who just don't want to do this kind of work, as it's very hard... ask Rastus, he tried if for awhile and found out it's not easy. But if you're good at fixing cars it's hard to get out of the trade once you get a taste of that money!
So I hope everyone striking holds out for that super deal - lord knows we could all use some extra money right now! Cost $14 to eat a Taco Bell, and any time you go to the store it's like $100! And that is without kids now! I would have to imagine shopping trips if both the kids were living here would be in the $300 range -- maybe $500 if it was a week where we ate a lot of good meat and bought lots of snaks to take us a week or more.
Raising is sometimes funny. A fellow knifemaker, very famous for his damascus did a knife show. Priced them around $900 each, had 3. Others charging much more so he figured they must think his are inferior? So doubled his price and sold all 3.
MSM is nothing but lies. We are already above 10% , believe I saw 14 a while back. Over 10% is depression.
Have faith though, Military put MSM on notice. Clean it up, tell the truth, no fake news or they will come in. And why not, MSM is Cia run and has been. Year ago or so Trump told CNN he could make them the best again. Just saw something on it again.
To put things in perspective, I don't think there has ever been a time in recent history that ALL THREE of the BIG THREE have gone on strike at the same time!
I'm not sure what to think, but something is going to have to give... that's like over 1/2 MILLION people out of work!
Am I missing anything here?
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
And don't you think for one minute the UAW isn't slow rolling this strike for any other reason as to prevent the kind of immediate shock and awe that would see the Government get involved and make them sign another shitty contract like happend the last time under Obama.
I should also add this is the first time in history that the UAW has struck against ALL THREE at the same time.
But yeah, a lot of people act like it's not a big deal...
Is inflation coming down if we have these kinds of massive strikes going on this year? Yellow, UPS, Hollywood, Detroit... who's next?
The Government cannot strike... the best they can do is a shut-down.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
That's not good going into the Holidays! It would seem that this wouldn't have even made it to day six if they were serious about making a deal...
Seeing a lot of reports about companies laying people off -- and they are for sure slow rolling it! But once it reaches a tipping point, I fear they are going to try and kill the traditional ICE auto-makers... things just started to get better in the new and used car market -- now there is uncertainty... although 6,000 GM workers made a deal in Canada! Makes you wonder, will they use the strike to re-tool or restructure?
It's for sure got legs!
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
And that is exactly right Shawnee! Ask any line mechanic -- you might be able to run a heater on busting book time for more hours than you worked -- but it always seems to balance out when you get a few shit jobs, or unfolders. There is also fatigue to contend with as the mechanic gets up there in years. Although dealerships are usually pretty good about weeding out the shit by pricing it out of practicality, there is still more than enough shit jobs to go around at the dealership. Jobs that just linger waiting for parts, some that have more shit wrong with them once they are opened up and yet others you just can't find the damn part!
I'd imagine a lot of the dealership guys aren't liking the "just can't find the damn part!" one because since they work on mostly NEW vehicles (or very close to it) these Union suppliers fill their parts department with all them brand new parts on the ready. I heard on Friday the UAW is going to strike a lot of these parts plants. Could get ugly, quick!
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
My youngest Son has been driving Grandma's old 2013 Focus to college... the transmission is shuddering more and it's even starting to make that classic axle joint click (which is actually in the transmission).
No doubt I will have to repair it myself... my Mom has considered trading it in but I know she will just get ripped off since the car has a bad wrap and no dealership would probably want to buy it anyway. It's a shame because the body is in excellent condition, along with the interior! It still has well under 40,000 miles! But I wonder if this year Focus has the bad engines that have problem? Are you able to check? If it doesn't have the bad engine I'd prolly just fix the damn thing once I get the Lincoln back on the road this fall... just have to install a bumper cover and the new headlights I got and it should be pretty good for winter use to college.
I recently had to buy a new Transmission jack because I am doing a trans replacement on a 2013 Ford F150... the transmission was a little bigger than I thought would be in an F150 and while I have a nice full size SnapOn transmission jack -- my hoist does not go all the way up due to the engineered design of the roof truss system. Stung like a bitch having to come off with that money for the smaller version of the transmission jack but I just didn't have any choice as nobody would wrestle the transmission in there with me... I made sure to get the biggest and heaviest duty one they had (rated at 2,000 lbs)
After buying it I felt like I should have just bought the damn thing right off the rip! It for sure gets that needed 45 degree angle and I don't have to worry about it dumping the converter out! The jack weighs almost 180 lbs itself so it holds the transmission steady. Of course, the SnapOn unit I have is real nice, but I'll have to save that for when I get my garage next door set up and I have a hoist that goes all the way up.
I think the only reason the purcase stung is because I already had one that was much better... so that is why I was sure to get the 2,000 capacity unit so I'd have my bases covered if something even bigger ever came in... not that I would want it to! But you just never know!
I also picked up some other items that were much needed...
A new 1500 Ft. Lb lug nut and caliper braket impact... My old one is pushing six years, and it's getting a little soft around the belly. LOL
I also got some new floor tools since winter is coming on
The flake on that candy red metallic paint job is so pretty I don't want to get it dirty! LOL, but next to that is my trusty old jack that is also about six years old, the new transmission jack and my new creeper... guess my fat ass was just too much for them 200lb capacity parts store creepers as the wheels would fall off, frame would bend or the wood backing would break... sometimes all three! I went thru a few of them over the years, got my ponytail stuck in the wheel of the last creeper and lets just say that creeper is no longer with us anymore. The new one has nice big wheels and is very sturdy! It will be VERY nice in the winter when the floor is cold and wet!
So basically I plan on using this new transmission jack once more with Grandma's Focus... Any tips you can give me besides RUN?
Even if you have the special tools to do the clutch, there is a scan tool touch point relearn procedure that MUST be done otherwise the new clutch won't engage properly and will burn up very quickly. Your snap on brick won't do it.
But I wonder if this year Focus has the bad engines that have problem? Are you able to check?
It has the 2.0 which we have seen in other applications have coolant burning issues, but the Focus isn't listed in TSB 22-2229 so I dunno.
So basically I plan on using this new transmission jack once more with Grandma's Focus... Any tips you can give me besides RUN?
I repeat, RUN. This is a really bad idea.
-- Edited by PowerStroker on Monday 25th of September 2023 07:17:50 AM
And that is exactly right Shawnee! Ask any line mechanic -- you might be able to run a heater on busting book time for more hours than you worked -- but it always seems to balance out when you get a few shit jobs, or unfolders. There is also fatigue to contend with as the mechanic gets up there in years. Although dealerships are usually pretty good about weeding out the shit by pricing it out of practicality, there is still more than enough shit jobs to go around at the dealership. Jobs that just linger waiting for parts, some that have more shit wrong with them once they are opened up and yet others you just can't find the damn part!
I'd imagine a lot of the dealership guys aren't liking the "just can't find the damn part!" one because since they work on mostly NEW vehicles (or very close to it) these Union suppliers fill their parts department with all them brand new parts on the ready. I heard on Friday the UAW is going to strike a lot of these parts plants. Could get ugly, quick!
Cool, see, even backyard mechanics sometimes know! One of my BMW motorci needed a clutch. Book said 5 hrs. BMW won't sell you the needed tools, you need to be certified and buy the entire set. I had a tool and die maker in the navy yard on graveyard make them :) Cost me a 20# can of navy coffee the sailors gave me for putting some lights up they wanted but weren't on the work order. Anyway, replaced the clutch in 4hrs, beating the book! Was a 71 r50/5 toaster tank. With the shaft drive and all was much like a car. 4 bolt trannie, pressure plate, clutch and throwout!
Find a part? it's worse! Had a lemon Probe around 93. Bad or no check valve for the gas line, fuel ran back. Crank the engine minutes before it would cough. Told the Ford dealer it's the check valve. "we don't have a procedure for checking that". I was torqued. Told them undo the line, blow in it, hear bubbles in the tank it's bad. Never did get a check valve but with 30 problems in 2 months Ford sends a letter. "we will credit you on the vehicle of your choice, minus so much a mile on the car" OK fine. Took the letter to a ford dealer. "I'm not going to honor that shit" Traded it in on an Izuzu, Rodeo think it was. Fukin retards.
A few years after the Ford Probe's came out they were known in the mechanic and dealer world as "Probe-lems".
They were fun cars, as most Ford cars are! But boy do they build some shit! My Mustang is only reliable and still on the road because the drivetrain and suspension has been 100% rebuilt or upgraded.
I don't mind when people say "backyard mechanic" because on the wall is a State Certification certificate that says "Master Certified" and next to it a certificate that says "Registered Facility"... although I would like to find a super deal on a building like I did with my house when the market crashed in 2008! But if not, I'm just as content building out at my house and working until the day they roll me in the ground.
You should also know that in "the book" they have a special category called "warranty time"... which on your BMW clutch would probably have been about 2.3 to 2.5 hours. But you know them backyard mechanics trading beer for work... after enough beers 8 hours feels like only 4!
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Seems odd that Fords has all these problem children vehicles and yet the UAW is letting them off easier than the other two car makers... The UAW claims it's because Ford has been making meaningful negotiations, and I'd imagine the reason they get away with making Probe-lems with 30 problems, or new vehicles with engines that leak cooland before 70k miles or transmissions that need clutches every 10,000 miles -- I bet they make meaningful contributions to the right State and Federal agencies and congressmen/women.
Part of me feels like they are just trying to kill off traditional ICE vehicle makers... I just don't know who is going to pay 40 hours for 32 hours of work... call me crazy -- and you wouldn't be the first! LOL
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Even if you have the special tools to do the clutch, there is a scan tool touch point relearn procedure that MUST be done otherwise the new clutch won't engage properly and will burn up very quickly. Your snap on brick won't do it.
But I wonder if this year Focus has the bad engines that have problem? Are you able to check?
It has the 2.0 which we have seen in other applications have coolant burning issues, but the Focus isn't listed in TSB 22-2229 so I dunno.
So basically I plan on using this new transmission jack once more with Grandma's Focus... Any tips you can give me besides RUN?
I repeat, RUN. This is a really bad idea.
Grandma has deep pockets, I'm not sure of this scan tool that you speak of -- but the last clutch didn't even last 10,000 miles so maybe this re-learn procedure isn't really good for anything but wearing them out faster to hide the rough engagement of a dry clutch? That's my thoughts!
I did a little poking around, and thanks for taking a look on that for me too! But I think because Grandmas car is not turbocharged, or the smaller engine, it doesn't have that problem... but I could be wrong, we're talking about Ford's here!
There is no-where for me to run PowerStroker!
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
The clutch forks are internal to the trans, and operated entirely by the TCM. The TCM needs to know EXACTLY where the forks are positioned when the clutch is disengaged, fully engaged, and barely touching. If the TCM is working with incorrect information here it's a recipe for disaster. The Ford scan tool has the touch point relearn procedure, and there are probably aftermarket scan tools that also do. If you don't have access to one that has this function you shouldn't even attempt replacing the clutch because the result will be worse than what you have now.
As far as the 2.0 naturally aspirated engine, those have been ok.
If Grandma has deep pockets, why the hell did she buy a Focus?
And according to her, back before my time -- Democrats were Red and Republicans were Blue...
Guess we would have to know an old timer to get confirmation on this.
Doesn't change the fact that I'm still interested to get a look at this DPS6 clutch setup... I'm sure this isn't the last that I will see of the DPS6, or the other Fords with leaky cylinder heads... So I can't shy away from it.
Smashed my finger yesterday with an 8inch 4X4 block of wood I set up on the crossmember to put the engine at a 45 degree angle... I set it up there just for a second and when I instinctively turned to grab my light it rolled off the crossmember and NAILED me perfectly on the tip of my ring finger from about 4 foot in the air! It pulled the nail back from under the cuticle -- the whole thing! I'm for sure going to lose the nail itself, but until then I'm fighting my body trying to grow skin over it to seal up the wound... it really sucks! I got careless, it happens -- but man did put a dent in my productivity since then! I had just assumed it wasn't that heavy -- like a smal chunk of 2X4 you would use around the shop... but them 4X4 wood blocks come down with some serious force! Here is a photo of my finger right after it happened.
It looks much worse today -- black and blue, skin trying to grow into the old skin still attached to the nail after it ripped it out.. I have to carve that stuff away after I'm done out in the garage today...
One step forward, two steps back it feels like.
It's a dangerous job we have... made more dangerous by trying to be in a hurry, and of course I've only got myself to blame -- but it goes with the job.
Yeah it's really sucked! I've lost a few too, but none like this... starting to worry it's trying to grow it back in! It should have turned purple by now!
Turns out it was a twelve inch chunk of 4X4! That extra four inches makes all the difference in the world!
It was like the hammer of God coming down on my ring finger!
Guess the UAW is still duking it out and will be applying more pain this Friday... Fords has put on hold building it's battery factory here in Michigan...
Biden was even on the picket line down the road here in Michigan the day before yesterday --- and Trump was here yesterday.
I think a lot of people don't realize how big this UAW thing could get... it's so ugly that even Hollywood appears to want to get their stuff in order before the wake of this mess hits.
Thanks Shawnee! Makes me feel a lot better hearing that -- really!
In other news, I am hearing that the UAW has cut new replacement parts deliveres to Dealerships -- and that unless it's on the truck in route, there will be no more new replacement part deliveries!
How are things looking at your dealership, PowerStroker? And signs of the strike in your parts department? Of course we already know the DPS6 module has been on back-order since WELL BEFORE this whole strike business -- but I think that is more or less by design if you ask me... If you ask me, Ford is just waiting out time limits before they tell all the DPS6 transmission owners to get bent...
How about all them people with their 1.5's, 1.6's and 2.0 liter engines that have bad deck designs? How does that work if a strike happens and it draws delivery of the part out past the warranty period? Is the customer just SOL?
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Parts have been increasingly difficult to get for a while now, at least some of the more specialized things. Also there has been a backlog for major assemblies like engines and transmissions. Tomomrrow I start on an F150 engine replacement that we have been waiting months for. Our parts department employees are dealership employees and Teamsters like myself so we aren't on strike right now. But like all Ford dealerships, we receive a daily delivery from the regional Ford parts warehouse, and I think they guys there ARE UAW and might be going on strike soon, if they haven't already. If they do, that would pretty much bring things to a screeching halt for warranty work, which can only be reimbursed if OE parts are used. This could get really interesting. I did hear that Ford corporate management employees are being trained in how to use a forklift, so they may be planning to use management as scabs, we'll see.
You know I read about them using salary workers to opperate the fork lifts... but I'm not sure how well that is going to go over!
I know a guy who runs the fork lifts for Fords, and let's just say he's a little more adventurous than your average suit and tie salary worker. Honestly we both know the UAW could cripple the big three at any moment, but doing that would only bring about the Government intervention. It's a balancing act really... I think that a lot of the companies are trying to go the UPS route, with progressive increases that peek towards the end of the contract. That way they can feel things out and make changes by the time the next contract rolls around. Makes sense, let's just hope they can get there before any serious carnage... coming off COVID restrictions for years, it's not like much was going on when they had everyone staying home!
Having raised my hourly rate without any kind of fight (other than this ring finger getting smashed) -- I have told myseld I will support the workers in their plight for higher pay!
But as you know, being a Teamster -- things in the logistic and automotive world can get REALLY intense... Take for example Jimmy Hoffa! Some are saying this new Shawn Fain is the Jimmy Hoffa of the 2020's! That's pretty impressive unless your name is Shawn Fain!
Welp... it looks like Ford's and Stellantis have reached tentative agreements to end their strikes!
Looks like the UAW is just trying to drive GM into the ditch, because GM was always considered "Generous Motors" by many working and retiring from the company.
I understand that inflation has taken hold, and that people need to keep up with inflation on their wages -- but what if things take a crap and their is a major correction? Couldn't these contracts bankrupt a lot of our industry?
Most of them are three to five years! We could be in a full blown recession by next year! I'm just say'n...
But I'm glad to hear people are getting satisfactory contracts at Ford and Stellantis! Hope that GM will come around soon and get everyone back to making money again!
Recently the Detroit Three Casinos have gone on strike... I haven't been down there since the strike -- but I though about dressing up as a scab and going there for Halloween, except I'm worried the strikers will "pick" at me.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
They got that done pretty quick! Unlike Hollywood which still has one of their three unions on strike... which basically prevents the other two from doing anything until the SAG has a contract.
Glad to hear the auto workers were able to get a deal they were happy with. I knew the UAW strike could not go on for very long, or the Government would have stepped in.
It's a good thing everyone is back to work, because the way things are going they might have to start making tanks and bombs!
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Getting word that a few plants have resisted, not sure what that means? But it does appear that many are back to work!
UAW says they are going after Tesla, Toyota and some other car manufactures. Some non-union plants got raises as a result of these strikes -- but this was probably only done to thwart a union drive in an otherwise non-union plant.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
