Never delete this from your channel. When the truck fails your documentation will be invaluable for the accident investigators and attorneys for civil or criminal proceedings
Better yet, this is the sort of thing that needs to be saved to a flash drive or otherwise locally archived; never trust evidence like this to someone else's computer - and UA-cam videos are, quite literally, video files saved to "someone else's computer".
But now that he's made the video and he himself knows it's unsafe if he drives it and has an accident isn't he also liable for knowing the work was not done right and still driving it?
My welding instructors at trade school in the 80's had a very detailed lesson on liability. Don't attach your name to anything that could get someone hurt or killed and never fix someone else screwup unless you plan to take it all the way back to the beginning and start from scratch otherwise you are attaching your name and credibility to someone else substandard work and are now liable. Good call J.C.
I am not a certifided welder but i fix others my friend said it was good all day long... ive never had a major fail... because ive said oh hell NO... the frames cracked and twisted.. you broke it last time....and blamed the last repair guy... I can see a patern
Just chain the tank to the trucks chassis and drag it on down the road sparks flying and sheeit. Best practices for hauling fuel. 👍 Kinda thing they do in all third world countries all the time. Git er done!!!
The amount of potential energy sitting on that charged lift axle @125psi...plus all of that shoddy work, I was nervous watching you standing next to it let alone thinking of it rolling down the road with 4,000 gallons of some unknown liquid in the tank. Well done.
I once knew a guy who was a mechanic and made the 16" tire on a 16.5" rim mistake. He had little use of his left arm as it was almost completely torn from his body and reattached. Story goes that the blast came from an indicated 60psi, threw him in the air and return him home with a new handicap. Dynamite explodes at 170ish psi at 1m and 40 or so at 2m....if I recall. Stand to be corrected on that...
There is a ‘not too politically correct’ term for this jackassery that is not suitable for polite or mixed company. In all my years of turning wrenches and breaking stuff I believe this is the most FUBAR engineering contraption I believe I have ever seen.
I don’t know why this video was recommended by YT. I’m just a retired old lady. However, my dad and both my brothers were welders, worked the Alaska pipeline. My brother was a welding inspector for a while. I know next to nothing about welding. However, even I can see those welds are, or should be, an embarrassment to whoever did that shoddy work. Good video. Good on you. I’m staying out of Ohio for fear his path will cross mine.
This is a nightmare lol more than just bad welds it's the entire approach they took to "mounting" it to the frame lol. Michelle I hope you have a good day, ma'am, and may God bless you and your family this new year!
I too inspect welds and I sat here with my mouth agape at what I was seeing. Doubly worse is that I grew up in a trucking family and so this is even more personal. So scary!
Unfortunately so many trucks are built by ppl who lack the knowledge or skills to properly unfit the bodies on the frame with a design that will hold up to 25 yrs plus abuse .
Given the level of care the owner seemed to have I have my doubts about his trying to get around the DOT inspectors.....until a roving inspector stops him.
You were 100 percent right to walk away from that truck. First time DOT does an inspection on it, they are going to hang everyone involved in putting it together. I have been watching you for a couple of years now, and I know you take pride in everything you do. Keep up the great work.
Nope, DOT will issue tickets to the DRIVER of the vehicle. PERIOD. If you actually drove Commercial vehicles and had gone through SEVERAL DOT inspections, you'd know this. The DRIVER holds SOLE responsibility for the vehicle they're operating. That being said, a LAWYER for the family of the person who is injured or killed because of that crappy work would have a FIELD DAY with everyone involved. They'd break down every bit of work ever done, and prove who was ultimately involved in the point of failure that caused the injury or death.
@@shuntawolf The way justice is handed out these days, if you knew about it and said nothing, the lawyers will probably come after you also. Bad news with this truck all around!
I have lots of respect for you for not working on a total death trap like this pile of scrap metal. The idea of something like this fully loaded going down the road, maybe even next to YOU, is nothing short of terrifying 😬😬
@@j.c.smithprojects I couldn't agree more. I can't believe anyone thought that horrible hack job was safe. Not to mention the rotted through and cracked suspension parts you showed
we can agree that this work was less than stellar but there is no need so bash someone with name calling. calling someone "inbred" really only hurts you and makes you look bad. do me a favor and edit your comment. you can get your point across with a little more class.
I totally disagree with you saying “I thought I was gonna bring you a good video.” Dude, you brought a freakin fantastic video to us! People will get innocent people killed with shotty craftsmanship and parts like this! Thanks for sharing! Definitely one of my favorite channels!
I saw those and thought about my dad teaching me how to do things right. I would have had him yelling at me to use a smaller bolt. He always said if your not going tovdo it right DONT.
I used to work for a guy here in NZ that imported 1970s bikes and cars from the U.S, mainly early Kawasaki Z900s and H1/H2 two stroke triples, and Impalas, Galaxies, that sort of thing. The most common bodge we found was wood screws used as fasteners, hose clips holding the front sprocket on was also popular🤣 but some were real bad, and dangerous. If you want to check out the stuff mechanics see all the time check out the channel "Just rolled in" its hilarious.
WOOWWW!!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! I don’t know if there are local commercial vehicle inspectors in your area, but if they would’ve encountered this thing before it was brought to you, you might never have seen it. For all of us in the motoring public, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.
I watch another channel called "Just rolled in" and the amount of completely dangerous, botched up and rusted piles of crap that are on the roads in the U.S is astounding. From what i can gather, some states have no compulsory, yearly inspections, so vehicles can still be on the road in appalling states of disrepair, or dangerously messed with like this truck.
Well most in the US rural areas can't always afford to pay 100's or 1000's In "simple" repairs so thy stake it out till either income tax or three months of check saving to get said repairs not to mention the lack of proper motor teachings which I believe is a massive contributor, also US even suffers from greedy mechanics (not all though), yet funny enough these are the type of ppl to drive most common trucks/cars like a 2017 toyota camry, Nissan, exct,
There are many, many trucks out there that are not safe to be on the road. The truck inspection process just doesn’t work. Too much of this gets by. I would have no problem reporting to DOT the person or shop that did the work. You know there must be other trucks that were done the same way.
JC, thank you for being man enough to stand up against running a shoddy POS that might just come down the road and kill somebody's family when it comes apart. There are far too many hacks out there in the world that think it's okay to do that kind of work or risk others by operating on the same roads as innocent families and children. My respects to you sir.
Looks like the kids in the kindergarten sand box mounted that tank and the dumbest kid did the welding. Welding looks like someone threw molten metal at it with a spoon
@Trebor Nirtus Actually, the wood sandwich has been a traditional standard component. (Not sure if it continues today) It allows for a small amount of cushion and isolation between the tank and frame. Think of it as a gasket. Usually, it's a good quality treated hardwood.
I only worked on semi tractor trailers, never a liquid hauler, but that freaks me out. You covered everything else in detail, but I just want to throw this out there about the bolts. We had a fairly serious issue getting genuine grade 8 bolts for a while, so much so that my boss had to put a concerted effort into finding certified grade 8 bolts that weren't cheap Chinese knock offs. Even so I've seen bolts shear under a hell of a lot less stress than those would be put under. That thing was a rolling nightmare waiting to happen. Great work my man, that's what you're supposed to do. I can only imagine what his wiring job for the lights is going to look like.
Fastenal can get you certified bolts. I use to work for a fabrication shop and they had to use certified fasteners that came with a test data sheet to meet the spec a job. Also has to use USA made steel. That went for the fasteners too.
Holy crap you are brave crawling around those air bag bombs lol.... As for the work done, I kept looking for something acceptable and got nothing...smh. A fella should at least use sufficient materials even if he can't weld. A great video pointing out what not to do which can be just as educational as showing how to properly do it ! Now we wait for the redo video !!
he was angry at first. thought i was just being over dramatic. he has realized that i am only looking out for him. now he wants me to fix it the way i think it should be done.
@@j.c.smithprojects well, if you do choose that... he has "neither the time, energy or money to do that" and unfortunately "That" is what needs to be done.
@@j.c.smithprojects that’s what a good friend and customer should do. The life he saves may be his own. Whether he gets injured or that truck injured or kills somebody else and his life is over for it. Can’t wait to see it done right.
There are large spring brackets needed to counter force of the moving liquid side to side and front and back. This type of retrofit is a whole different ballgame. Even a modest sized tank has forces well beyond the mere weight involved.
Wow!!! I’ve seen some sub standard work before but this one takes the cake! An absolute safety hazard!! This kind of work on big trucks gives the trucking community as a whole a really bad reputation to the general public when they see a wreck caused by something failing. That truck is just waiting to come apart and hopefully no one is nearby when it does! Good for you on staying away, even if it was a friend. You don’t want your name attached anywhere near this truck. Keep up the good work!
I was a mechanical design engineer for Caterpillar for 17 years...I'm completely with you on your deductions. You did and said the right thing to protect yourself and other road users, if the owner and guy who done the work put it on the road shame on them!
"Cheap as possible." That's the magic phrase. Never mind the fact that such shoddy work can get someone killed, or cause millions of dollars in property damage. It gives new meaning to dirty deeds done dirt cheap. No mechanic worth his salt would allow this on the road. You did the right thing by walking away. Don't compromise your values for a few extra dollars in your pocket. We need more guys like you around because you do honest, quality work. And I ended up learning that a add on tag or pusher axle needs a dedicated air tank. My daughter wants to get a CDL, and what I learn from you I pass on to her. This video should be as a teaching tool on how not to build a tanker, or any kind of HD truck.
Integrity is everything. I drill into my guys that everything that comes through the door is done to our standard before rolling back out, if we can't do that or the owner won't allow it we won't touch it
It’s not worth putting your livelihood and freedom on the line by getting drug into a lawsuit or investigation because someone got killed by that hacked junk. The best thing you can do is give a tip to the local DOT officer and hopefully get it OOS before it hits the road. Looks to me like the truck and the tank Both are passed there use-full life.The hack also didn’t help that out either
Makes sense. @1:25 Yikes, how can anyone do that and think "yeah good enough"? I do some welding for hobby projects every now and then, I've no formal education, 100% self taught, and even my welds are not that sketchy. That unfinished and untreated metal also looks like it will corrode like anything, in no time at all.
I’m really proud of you for taking a stand for safety, it’s not easy to put your foot down with someone you know. Excellent job and nice explanation of the problems. You can sleep with a good conscience.
Two things... @ 24:23 you said " I thought I was going to bring you a good video" Well I think you brought us a GREAT video ! And secondly, I was thinking the same thing, that he had more money in washers, than just buying the right bolts. What a hack job. I would have walked too.
Not compromising your integrity. Good for you sir, you're a good man to be concerned about safety on so many levels. It's often difficult to say what you need to. I admire you. Thanks for setting the bar high. Happy new year.
Time to send this back and notify DOT that an inspection is needed. Your addition of lights would make you liable for too many things. Glad your conscience doesn't allow you to let this slip. Thanks for sharing.
I’m a welder I done a lot of work on these trucks I want to say everything you said is absolutely correct. Fact is that all these companies run these unsafe trucks like this all the time and when someone like me comes along wanting to do the job right they actually fire that guy for it ! They want bozo low skill low wage order followers to obey and not question anything ! Sad but true . By the way you didn’t even mention the welds on that truck lol , I can say that not one of them were good for many reasons !
I have just tenth grade welding knowledge, but I have 26 years experience in trucking 18 wheelers (my own business) and Gigantic Earth Movers working with old school companies, I'm 53 years old... While you were talking and looking, I was too.. I go with you!!! Logic, duty, professionalism, empathy, care, honor, respect goes a long way!!! Salute Sir!!!
Hell yeah. Way to take a stand and hold the line on quality and a job well done. I’m sick of being disappointed every time I have someone else do something.
I think this is an excellent video. More mechanics, and fabricators...ect , should think safety first. The life they save, could be a friend or a relative. Thank you for doing the right thing
Fascinating video! I’m not a truck guy or a welder. But I can tell you that whom ever made those welds, has no idea what he was doing. Good call on pushing back. Everything you highlighted is a legit concern. Your friend said he didn’t have the “time or money…”. I imagine that’s exactly why he paid the hack that fabricated everything. He didn’t know what he was doing and he knew that, so he charged less to do it and your friend decided he could afford it. Kudos
Your friend used the term "think" & you should have told him how "think was wrong",& that you "know" all the substandard issues are of liability & not if,but when,it will either catastrophically fail or be put "out of service" @ Ohio DOT inspection station,& they can be real strident in how they roll once they get a candidate that's got their special attentions.(you "think"...I can't even).All those dirty welds, parts play w/daylight visible gaps & over stressed lines; It's like something out of a horror movie.
I don’t think I’m the only one who appreciates the integrity you have. Trying to make a couple bucks isn’t more important than safety and reputation. I don’t blame you for kicking the truck down the road and not wanting anything to do with it. I’ve never wrenched on a semi so I’m one to talk, but if anything this video was a prime example of what not to do. On a lighter note though I hope you guys have a happy New Year. Take care👍
Just found your channel. Great videos. No need to apologize for thinking you didn’t post an important or educational video, because you absolutely did. I did a short stint in a Kenworth repair shop (about 2 years) and then I worked at a construction company for a year as a fleet mechanic. At Kenworth I assisted in the body shop occasionally. If this truck came to us for any repairs, the shop owner would have had us refuse to even bring it inside the shop. I have a little bit of experience with welding, but even with my limited knowledge, I could see so many issues with those welds. I’ve repaired a few frames. I’ve extended some frames. I have never seen anything as bad as this, and I have seen a lot of wrecked semis. The worst was a fully loaded cement mixer (single seat style) that rolled off a 150’ cliff. It took 6 months, but we were able to get it road worthy. Mad respect to you Sir to not only refuse to work on this, but to also inform your friend and the guy who did the work. Stay safe out there.
Don't walk away from that job. RUN!! That is probably the most dangerous rig I've ever seen. I, myself, would not get behind the wheel of that. You have more balls than I do to even get that close to that tag axle with those over inflated bags. That whole thing is spooky as hell.
I honestly can't imagine that a shop of any caliber would consider that safe or right, for that matter. I am in COMPLETE agreement with you on this decision and shame on the guy who did this and thought it was ok. I can only wish that more shops and mechanics would have your attention to right and safe than they do nowadays. Please keep up your great work ethics J.C. it's very admirable and awesome.
I have fixed a lot of others " Deficient Repairs " on motor vehicles, but this is beyond the pale, especially considering the fact that it is a commercial vehicle. You were very right and proper in refusing this repair, even for just the lights !!! Because at some later date you could be held accountable by an injured third party. I would occasionally encounter vehicle brake rotors that were worn clear through to the venting on commercial vehicles ( church busses ), and I refused to release them. I called the California Highway patrol, but they said there was nothing I could do. I simply told them to come and arrest me, because I refused to release any vehicle in that unsafe condition. The CHP operator, and her supervisor said they would be right over and arrest me for grand theft, They never came !!! The Sheriff sent a deputy, and he was foolish enough to " Accept " the vehicle, and did so in writing, so I was rather perfect absolved of any wrong doing. I couldn't believe the stupidity of the Deputy, nor the lack of concern from the Highway patrol in this matter. Had one of their safety officers stopped me on the road with my commercial vehicle, I would have been RED TAGGED immediately, and ticketed for the violation, and probably had my rig impounded. You did GOOD !!! Protected yourself and others. I would recommend a careful examination of your friendship with this individual. Tim
Good for you for standing your ground, it is what I would do if doing repairs for a friend. We need more people like you doing their part to stop vehicles like this from being on the road.
you sir are a good man. I agree 100% with you. that work was shitty at best, those welds didn't look like they even had penetration, all the weld material was on the surface by looks of it. i saw the bolts you mentioned on an angle. when you knocked on those air bags on the lift axle i actually flinched lol. You're a good man, i have tons of respect for you
Being a terrible welder myself I have people who know what they are doing when it comes to gas welding plate like this. I tried welding a support for a winch on my race car trailer and the first time I used it it fell off! I asked my friend, who went to welding school to weld it back on and he did so, making beautiful beads with full penetration. It's important to know one's limitations. I'd be surprised if most of the welds on this piece of junk had any penetration at all! -dave
You’re spot on. That’s not an easy conversation to have with your friend. Hopefully and the end of the day, he realizes that your looking out for his safety. With a little luck, the guy that put it together will too.
it was easy for me because i do care about him and all the people around him. he was angry at first. mostly because it took the guy 7 months to do this work and he needed the truck months ago. only to find out that it is all worthless and needs to be taken all apart and start over. he thought i was being overly dramatic and thinks i over do everything. maybe i do, maybe i dont.....but at least i never have to do it twice.
You said you wanted to make a good video. Well, you made an excellent video. It was quite the bummer but it was excellent video. With professionalism, you made a priceless guide for pre work inspection. That piece of equipment is a death trap. I am in awe of how much what's wrong there. You were calm and thorough. I imagine if you weren't making a video you probably still talk to yourself like that when you are working on similar project. I do. I think you explained everything you were seeing more than adequately and expressed your concern for safety and liability. It sucks your buddy put you in that kind of a spot and I think the other fabricator- mechanic, was just plain full of it and was completely liable no matter what he was told to do. I am glad you washed your hands of the whole situation. Around where I am from when we run into trash like that we've been known to make sure it will never make it on the road. I hope you're able to have a good rest of your day and sleep well knowing you do good work and you make the right calls. Great video on how not to do something and when to stay away from something.
This is the first time I've come across your channel. And I truly appreciate when a man knows what the hell he is talking about. You can hear the years of experience coming thru. Hard thing to find nowadays
WOW! The welds, fitment, design, set-up . . . everything, just WOW. That's some MadMax dystopian nightmare. As you said the more you look the worse it gets. Definitely put as much distance between yourself and that disaster ASAP, especially if you see that rig coming down the road towards you!
It goes to say just cause you can doesn't mean you should. Great call on this issue. They did all that work to the frame I was surprised to see the air bag supports I wouldn't even drive thar on my farm let alone a public road. It takes a real man to stand up and say something when people think terrible stuff is ok
I started welding a couple of years ago. My first hobby project was stick welding a new grate for my BBQ pit. My beads were horrible and I had gobs of welds instead of smooth trails. The welds on this truck look a lot like my 1st student project. Good for you not wanting any part of it.
I started a few years ago too, got a couple structural certs with stick and dual shield before. I can't believe they plain old mig welded it. A grinder and paint makes me the welder I aint. Take your time and get good with a grinder, but never use it as a crutch
Nothing to worry about, that rig wouldn’t/shouldn’t pass the state inspection anyway, and shame on anyone that does pass it. Risking life and limb for the sake of cost, is insane. Good call on you to stay away from that mess.
That truck is a death trap! I, as a tanker driver wouldn't think of driving it any farther than the local DoT for a thorough inspection, BEFORE I ever loaded it. We already have enough headaches on the road and trucking without allowing junk like that there too. You did bring a good video. Keep 'em coming.
I have a great respect for you and I feel the same way about what had been scabbed together. I am appalled by the welding and seeing the bent brackets. What I am seeing is there is NO pride being taken in fabrication and NOT adhering to any standard what so ever!!
Stand your ground. About 20 years ago a good friend wanted me to go through the brakes and hydraulic clutch on a hot rod his son built in the '60s, so he could sell it. After looking at the way the rear axle was mounted and how badly damaged the frame was, I told him I wouldn't be party to making the car drivable because it wasn't safe. Cost me the friendship, but like you I refused to put my name on the job.
I feel bad for for your friend there but l also feel bad for you having to be the one to have to tell him but thank god you had the integrity, professionalism and strength of character to do what was right. Respect from the north west of England and god bless you and yours Happy new year Jay 🙏🏻🏴❤️🇺🇸
@@frazerguest2864 I'm going to assume VOSA is like the American DOT since all I got off Google was a brand of liquor. But trucks like this are what gives those guys justification to be bastards. "You think we're dicks. Let's show you this tank truck the owner thought was acceptable!"
@@Allurade : Yes, VOSA is like the DoT in the USA. And I didn’t disagree or even slightly condone the absolute dangerousness of the truck in this video. It was so bad, the best thing for it would be to scrap it.
@@frazerguest2864 Oh no, I agree with you. Truck is a dangerous mess, I'm just saying people who try and pass stuff like that off as roadworthy are why the rest of us have to suffer with the DoT
Someone definitely didn't know what they were doing. Glad you're showing this. I've phoned DOT before to come see trucks I was working on in the shop and they took it off the road. I don't a want anything unsafe driving around on the road around me or my family. There's enough scary stuff on the road without helping add to it
I am Boilermaker/Welder by trade, and most of the welds on that tank assembly were sub standard to say the least. Who ever done that work I would not let weld up a barbecue let alone do any work on vehicles. In my 25 years of welding I never ever had a job come back due to poor welds cracking, I would on many occasions have to fix other so called welders F ups. Your a smart man by not accepting to put your name on that truck or helping it get back on the road.
Looking at that mess I'm not sure it's worth the effort or cost. J.C. you are absolutely doing the right thing for yourself, your friend, and anyone on the same road.
1st. time watching your video J.C. & I''m really impressed with you 👏 and how experienced & professional you are ! You analyzed the previous dudes workmanship to a (T) "pun intended" ! You were right about everything ! Must be around $20,000 worth of corrections to complete that job thoroughly ! I'd also say there needs to be highly experienced, heavy truck Fabricator & Welder inspectors, who along with insurance adjusters , that would inspect & confirm major jobs & frame mods ! That way no bad workmanship would tolerated !
I’m not in the trucking industry… never have been. I did body work for a while, so I have “some” experience in welding and such. So with that said, I watched your video in almost total disbelief that the owner of the truck and then the “fleet mechanic” who put this thing together thought it was “good enough” to be used. I as a common commuter want to Thank You for this video and your honesty. If you lost a friend over this video and/or refusing to work on his truck, then the friend doesn’t realize the value of your friendship. Keep up the good work.
Good job, I actually am glad you made this video to show what not to do. I turn work down all the time because of clients not wanting to do things right, I refuse to put my name on crap work.
UPDATE! this truck is now coming to me to have every single bit of work that has been done by the previous guy removed. i am taking this truck down to what it was before he touched it. first, i will make the necessary repairs to the truck, frame, air system, suspension and lift axle. after that is completed i will build my own tank mounts to secure the tank. these mounts will include compression springs to accommodate the flex that is needed for the tank. im sure it will be a multipart video series.
I would like to see a detailed review of this truck and what you find and have to repair. And for us guys watching not in the know about this stuff, point out all that is bad as you get to it and what you have to do to fix it. My big question is, is this frame even sound enough to even begin to repair it or will you just be transferring everything to another frame in sound condition? It looks like this is going to be multiple 10’s of thousands of dollars to do this truck. And months of labor.
@@americanrambler4972 It is illegal to do any welds or drill any hole into the frame of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV). Under Part 49 of the C.F.R's It must be done to a specific standard by the manufacturer or their appointed shop. Any unapproved weld; which none of these where clearly approved, result in an automatic out of service violation (OOS) huge fines and possible jail time not to mention this hack job would be enough to have their Authority Revoked if found to be on the road
not true at all. read the fmcsa a little closer. if that was the case you could never bolt anything to a truck frame. many people think that it is illegal to weld to ALL truck frame it certainly isnt the case. trucks frames are cut and stretched all the time. very common in heavy haul trucks. the part you are missing is that none of these brackets and steel plates are welded to the truck frame. they are welded to an ADDITIONAL pice of frame that is bolted to the original. im not arduing that this work is awful but its not quite what you are quoting. the article states: § 393.201 Frames. (a) The frame or chassis of each commercial motor vehicle shall not be cracked, loose, sagging or broken. (b) Bolts or brackets securing the cab or the body of the vehicle to the frame must not be loose, broken, or missing. (c) The frame rail flanges between the axles shall not be bent, cut or notched, except as specified by the manufacturer. (d) Parts and accessories shall not be welded to the frame or chassis of a commercial motor vehicle except in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Any welded repair of the frame must also be in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. (e) No holes shall be drilled in the top or bottom rail flanges, except as specified by the manufacturer.
YOU did what was right by NOT making it possible for that truck to be on the road!!! ANY sort of inspection would have it 'red tagged' and like you mentioned, it COULD (and more than likely WOULD) come back on you. YOU (at least for the time being) kept an unsafe vehicle from the roads, and for that, I thank you.
I would have just laughed til I was crying 🤣😂🤣😂 good luck with that bucket of bolts. The force of moving product is crazy! I drive a 7000 gallon tanker.
Great call on your part! I can’t believe how many people I run into that do things deliberately 1/2 way and offer excuses. If the knowledge is not there, then you cant blame them because they are still learning. However if they know what’s right and are told what to do and fail to do so, then that’s just being wrong and ignorant. I’m glad that you pointed out all of the needed changes from a professional and safety point of view. Sad to hear all that was given back to you was excuses not a thank you for the help. Always a great video, I commend you on your hard work.
It's like house floppers. You wouldn't believe what gets found in these "entrepreneur investor" homes. Health and safety code violations right and left, no permits, improper installations, crooked lines, leaks, paint-overs.
What was these people thinking, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Apparently the builder has no idea what they are doing, and I agree that this should be redone completely. Take everything back off and inspect the condition prior to rebuilding. I can't imagine how bad the fleet trucks are...JC I just wanna tell you that I appreciate your morals and values, I have the upmost respect for you brutha
You're absolutely correct. If you lay a hand on it in any way you are in the loop of liability. Smart decision and I hope to hell this truck owner took this back to the Fabricator that did the work and welds. They're horrible!
JCS, Those ugly welds looked sketchy to me along with the gaps everywhere. I was wondering what would happen if that truck got spot checked by the DOT? Those air lines stretched out were another red flag because they will snap or leak in a short time. Glad you backed off and at least warned the guy. Thanks for the video!
I'm not even in trucking and at first glance I wouldn't have touched that truck. Common sense will tell you that's crap work. But that was all explained so well that even I understood the level of neglect from the owner and overall lack of understanding of how to do the job on that workers part. Good on you, that was a dang good video. Thanks!
Retired NYSP DOT Inspector. That's a nightmare. Give it 25 loaded miles and start counting the cracked welds, loose bolts, etc. I think you are 100% right. And the worst part is your friend paid good money in good faith. Shameful.
WOW!!! From what I've seen in the video I wouldn't trust that truck to haul sailboat fuel let alone 34000lbs.of liquids. You made the right call J.C... just WOW!!!
Wow. That is a shame. It’s a shame that somebody rolled that out of their shop, sent it down the road and collected payment for their hack job. Unbelievable
That was my first thought as well, like how can you even allow that rig to be driven... It's people like that, that should stop working in this line of business. Maybe go retire and save lives as this is the worst work ethic I have seen.
when i see stuff like this i always think, "they should go work with first responders where a truck has lost its load" then they could see how easily things fail and when they do how quickly it comes apart. maybe that would change their perspective on what is acceptable.
@@j.c.smithprojects exactly, that's a perfect example. I watched in horror, because I have witnessed several big equipment accidents up here in mountains. Our little hospital isn't equipped to handle some of accidents, so they life-flight a lot. All of a sudden out of nowhere, you hear the helicopters coming in. So I turn on my ham radio and scanner. Thanks for the Video's JC I really appreciate what you are doing. Sending out positive thoughts and prayers for you and your family for the great new year. I hope everything is going well with the property in WV.
Yup. Especially if the guy that built it is running a shop for a large transport company. Time for DOT to start pulling over ALL the trucks of that company! Phone call to DOT is in order. Andrew
I think the "mechanic" who rigged this up did this job on the side in his back yard or home shop. No company would let this kind of work go on in the company shop. If they saw this kind of work the "mechanic" did he would be fired..
Wow! I've fixed other guys mistakes... and for similar reasons as yours I've declined fixing others mistakes or crappy work. I also know when I'm not the guy for a job and I'll send the customer to someone that is. I've seen plenty of garbage work, this has to be the worst considering the high potential of it causing death and destruction. Kudos for turning it away, and documenting it👍
I'm upset when I can't get even a supplemental air line into an existing loom to make a long run much less this stuff. When I install HD wrecker bodies, dump boxes, flatbeds or tags etc, I need it to look factory. My OCD kicked in huge at this video. You made the right call, this is insane.
Years ago I worked with someone who used to fabricate stuff like this at a new shop. He used an acetylene torch to cut everything, filled gaps in with bad welds, and used whatever bolts he had laying around. Yet at the end of the day he would tell you how he was the best welder/fabricator on the face of the earth despite his welds always failing inspection and customers rejecting nearly everything he did because it looked like garbage. I'm glad nothing like this ever rolled in because I am certain it would have fallen apart as it went down the road. I got out of there pretty quickly and the company ultimately ended up going under.
Not to mention the way I see most water tanks attached, there are heavy duty springs on those bolts in between the brackets that you compress as the bolt tightens, they help reduce fatigue on the tank itself
yes sir. i have a several tank trucks of my own. i have looked at many others for this reason. many mounts with multiple spring tensioned bolts that allow for flex of the tank from the truck frame.
Id say that's the quality of 80% of truck stop repair shops. I've rewired trailers with rats nests of wiring where you can see different eras of bad repair work that were done by "professional" shops.
Your buddy got exactly what he paid for!! Crap! My god that is totally unexceptionable work. I don't blame you for not wanting nothing to do with a time bomb.
Guy was a fleet maintenance guy alright, he forgot to add he's in his first year apprentice and just took a 3 week introductory welding course at the community center in town and welds with coat hangers.
As an AWS certified welder, I'm usually not given to comparing my own ability to any other welder's work. With that said, however, I'd never call the guy responsible for that tragedy a welder, so I don't feel too bad saying: Holy damn! I had better technique when I was 12yo.
Can't blame you for not wanting any part of that truck. That's a mess and going to be a lengthy project. Seen stuff like this on the farmers field trucks. Great video Thanks
I agree with you 100%. I've been in the service part of motorcycles since 1979 and now in parts, accessories and service and people don't understand when we tell them we won't work on their bike for what they want repaired when there are many other repairs needed that they don't what repaired and are a safety issue. Many times they need both tires replaced because they're worn out, but they only want one replaced and they don't understand why we won't replace just one tire because the other worn out tire is a liability for us if we let them ride away plus it's a Liability for them. One other thing is they want us to replace a tire or tires and one if the brakes doesn't work, they don't understand why we won't touch the bike if they don't gave us repair the brakes at the same time. Sometimes they want a different size tire than the bike came with when new, but we only install the original size(s) because of liability. If he/she gets into an accident and lawyers are involved and they find out the incorrect size tire(s) have been installed, they will try and prove that had something to do with the cause of the accident, whether It did or not and include the shop who installed them in the lawsuit.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain what was wrong with the truck, I completely agree with your decision on not touching it. Been there on light duty applications and I've had to explain what was wrong and why I wouldn't touch it. CDL stuff is outside what i touch but I always appreciate learning about it from you. Someday I will jump up to bigger trucks I'm just not there yet.
Unfortunately your friendship may not survive this. But you're right that doesn't belong on the road. I've been watching enough of your work to see that and I've seen enough of others work in person myself. It's your livelihood versus this workmanship. Liability.... now you need to go grab that young lady that seems to like you a lot and bakes you all them cookies and together you need to go share a couple of cold snacks together chill out watch a comedy movie or something.
he was pretty mad at me at first. its his welfare and the ones around him that i am looking out for. now that he has had time to think about it. he agrees.
Funny part is that you probably would have been happy to consult with your friend before and during the build. I've been called in after the fact to fix multiple screw-ups where the budget was already spent and I ended up being viewed as the bad guy each time.
I fully agree. That is an accident waiting to happen. There’s no way it should ever pass a DOT inspection. The welding is amount the worst I’ve seen anywhere. I’d take lots of photos just to protect yourself. The commercial vehicle inspection process simply doesn’t work. Incompetence goes unnoticed and shady owners get by.
It’s actually really good of you to go through his truck like that and actually start listing some of the seriously unsafe problems with that truck everybody I know would’ve bent at the waist seen the first weld and said get this POS the hell off my property
In the UK any chassis modifications have to be a) approved before installation and b) inspected at an MoT station after conversion. That would never be approved here and I cannot see it would be approved in the USA if put into a test. You made an excellent and responsible decision both for your own credibility and the safety of road users.
That 1/2 a double frame piece he added on made me think. With the big gaps it had between the add-on frame rail and the original one, it looks like it was a piece of used frame that was repurposed. It looks like it was cut lengthwise (ripped in woodworking terms) because the flanges were different sizes. When I have cut pieces like that (long continuous cuts), it has always made them warp and twist as the plasma cutter put heat into the metal. I suspect that was the case with these frame pieces, amongst the many other things.
it was a piece of old truck frame. nothing wrong with that in itself. its thick enough that torch cutting wasnt going to warp it terrible. what you are seeing is the tank mounting bolts and brackets pulling the outer frame away from the main because it does not have any mechanical fasteners to hold the two frames together as one.
Never delete this from your channel. When the truck fails your documentation will be invaluable for the accident investigators and attorneys for civil or criminal proceedings
Better yet, this is the sort of thing that needs to be saved to a flash drive or otherwise locally archived; never trust evidence like this to someone else's computer - and UA-cam videos are, quite literally, video files saved to "someone else's computer".
The amount of truth in this comment is off the charts
Exactly. And if you didnt do this, and just trusted the guy to do the right thing, he would drive it until it kills someone.
But now that he's made the video and he himself knows it's unsafe if he drives it and has an accident isn't he also liable for knowing the work was not done right and still driving it?
@@chancellorgowron8992 I doubt VERY MUCH that THIS is the truck he was driving at the end of the video
My welding instructors at trade school in the 80's had a very detailed lesson on liability. Don't attach your name to anything that could get someone hurt or killed and never fix someone else screwup unless you plan to take it all the way back to the beginning and start from scratch otherwise you are attaching your name and credibility to someone else substandard work and are now liable. Good call J.C.
Bingo!!
I am not a certifided welder but i fix others my friend said it was good all day long... ive never had a major fail... because ive said oh hell NO... the frames cracked and twisted.. you broke it last time....and blamed the last repair guy... I can see a patern
Exactly how I am as well!
I hope you got his tag number and called DOT when left 😏
@@warrengatwood6316 I would've called the d.o.t while the truck was still at the shop
You did that guy a favor whether he understands that or not. Good job JC
As well as the motoring public.
The truck owner obviously is ignorant enough to drive it anyway
@@gregsmht40 yep!!! First thing I was thinking
Just chain the tank to the trucks chassis and drag it on down the road sparks flying and sheeit. Best practices for hauling fuel. 👍
Kinda thing they do in all third world countries all the time.
Git er done!!!
I’m a fleet mechanic for a large corporation and these are not my standards
The amount of potential energy sitting on that charged lift axle @125psi...plus all of that shoddy work, I was nervous watching you standing next to it let alone thinking of it rolling down the road with 4,000 gallons of some unknown liquid in the tank. Well done.
I was thinking the same thing!!!! I was yelling at him to get the F away from those airbags!!! LOL!!!
When J.C bumped the way over extended air bag, I flinched. He’s 1 very brave, smart and crazy man! 25:34
I once knew a guy who was a mechanic and made the 16" tire on a 16.5" rim mistake.
He had little use of his left arm as it was almost completely torn from his body and reattached.
Story goes that the blast came from an indicated 60psi, threw him in the air and return him home with a new handicap. Dynamite explodes at 170ish psi at 1m and 40 or so at 2m....if I recall. Stand to be corrected on that...
When JC tapped that airbag, it sounded like a basketball. I kinda winced, that sound only means one thing. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE
There is a ‘not too politically correct’ term for this jackassery that is not suitable for polite or mixed company. In all my years of turning wrenches and breaking stuff I believe this is the most FUBAR engineering contraption I believe I have ever seen.
I don’t know why this video was recommended by YT. I’m just a retired old lady. However, my dad and both my brothers were welders, worked the Alaska pipeline. My brother was a welding inspector for a while. I know next to nothing about welding. However, even I can see those welds are, or should be, an embarrassment to whoever did that shoddy work. Good video. Good on you. I’m staying out of Ohio for fear his path will cross mine.
This is a nightmare lol more than just bad welds it's the entire approach they took to "mounting" it to the frame lol. Michelle I hope you have a good day, ma'am, and may God bless you and your family this new year!
@@UrMomGoes2College thank you! The same to you!
I too inspect welds and I sat here with my mouth agape at what I was seeing.
Doubly worse is that I grew up in a trucking family and so this is even more personal.
So scary!
I can’t imagine that truck would pass any level of DOT inspection.
It would be put out of service immediately and would be required to be towed to the repair shop.
That truck would keep the inspector busy for months just writing up the violations
Unfortunately so many trucks are built by ppl who lack the knowledge or skills to properly unfit the bodies on the frame with a design that will hold up to 25 yrs plus abuse .
Given the level of care the owner seemed to have I have my doubts about his trying to get around the DOT inspectors.....until a roving inspector stops him.
That was my first thought.
You were 100 percent right to walk away from that truck. First time DOT does an inspection on it, they are going to hang everyone involved in putting it together. I have been watching you for a couple of years now, and I know you take pride in everything you do. Keep up the great work.
Nope, DOT will issue tickets to the DRIVER of the vehicle. PERIOD. If you actually drove Commercial vehicles and had gone through SEVERAL DOT inspections, you'd know this. The DRIVER holds SOLE responsibility for the vehicle they're operating. That being said, a LAWYER for the family of the person who is injured or killed because of that crappy work would have a FIELD DAY with everyone involved. They'd break down every bit of work ever done, and prove who was ultimately involved in the point of failure that caused the injury or death.
@@shuntawolf pretty much. DOT or State Police can also issue citations to the owner or motor carrier for mechanical violations.
@@shuntawolf The way justice is handed out these days, if you knew about it and said nothing, the lawyers will probably come after you also. Bad news with this truck all around!
Yep
Actually many DOT are to stupid to know better, all they know is lights and brakes and paperwork
I have lots of respect for you for not working on a total death trap like this pile of scrap metal.
The idea of something like this fully loaded going down the road, maybe even next to YOU, is nothing short of terrifying 😬😬
it needs completely taken apart. start over from the beginning.
@@j.c.smithprojects I couldn't agree more. I can't believe anyone thought that horrible hack job was safe.
Not to mention the rotted through and cracked suspension parts you showed
we can agree that this work was less than stellar but there is no need so bash someone with name calling. calling someone "inbred" really only hurts you and makes you look bad. do me a favor and edit your comment. you can get your point across with a little more class.
@@j.c.smithprojects I'm surprised the truck isn't considered to be totaled.
Sad part is, he probably won’t get it fixed properly. He is only going to take it to a less contentious garage. Much respect for your decision.
I totally disagree with you saying “I thought I was gonna bring you a good video.” Dude, you brought a freakin fantastic video to us! People will get innocent people killed with shotty craftsmanship and parts like this! Thanks for sharing! Definitely one of my favorite channels!
This is actually seriously impressive! How is it possible to botch this so spectacularly?
Absolutely love the 17 washers on that bolt. Just a sign of pure quality 👍👍👍👍
What a face slap🤦. 😂
I saw those and thought about my dad teaching me how to do things right. I would have had him yelling at me to use a smaller bolt. He always said if your not going tovdo it right DONT.
Yes that is a TRUE CRAFTSMAN technique. And the bird poop looking welds were VERY nice.
I used to work for a guy here in NZ that imported 1970s bikes and cars from the U.S, mainly early Kawasaki Z900s and H1/H2 two stroke triples, and Impalas, Galaxies, that sort of thing. The most common bodge we found was wood screws used as fasteners, hose clips holding the front sprocket on was also popular🤣 but some were real bad, and dangerous. If you want to check out the stuff mechanics see all the time check out the channel "Just rolled in" its hilarious.
@@uhtred7860 Just rolled in is great. I love seeing the wild stuff they see.
WOOWWW!!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! I don’t know if there are local commercial vehicle inspectors in your area, but if they would’ve encountered this thing before it was brought to you, you might never have seen it. For all of us in the motoring public, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.
I watch another channel called "Just rolled in" and the amount of completely dangerous, botched up and rusted piles of crap that are on the roads in the U.S is astounding. From what i can gather, some states have no compulsory, yearly inspections, so vehicles can still be on the road in appalling states of disrepair, or dangerously messed with like this truck.
@@uhtred7860 it's enough to make you reluctant to go out on the highway
Well most in the US rural areas can't always afford to pay 100's or 1000's In "simple" repairs so thy stake it out till either income tax or three months of check saving to get said repairs not to mention the lack of proper motor teachings which I believe is a massive contributor, also US even suffers from greedy mechanics (not all though), yet funny enough these are the type of ppl to drive most common trucks/cars like a 2017 toyota camry, Nissan, exct,
Karren?
There are many, many trucks out there that are not safe to be on the road. The truck inspection process just doesn’t work. Too much of this gets by.
I would have no problem reporting to DOT the person or shop that did the work. You know there must be other trucks that were done the same way.
JC, thank you for being man enough to stand up against running a shoddy POS that might just come down the road and kill somebody's family when it comes apart. There are far too many hacks out there in the world that think it's okay to do that kind of work or risk others by operating on the same roads as innocent families and children. My respects to you sir.
Looks like the kids in the kindergarten sand box mounted that tank and the dumbest kid did the welding. Welding looks like someone threw molten metal at it with a spoon
Wow some people that own welders should really take lessons on how it’s done 😮and why wood once it rots it’s done
The welds are disgusting old bolts and the threads aren’t even sticking out of the nut this is a insane hack job forsure a diy
@Trebor Nirtus Actually, the wood sandwich has been a traditional standard component. (Not sure if it continues today) It allows for a small amount of cushion and isolation between the tank and frame. Think of it as a gasket. Usually, it's a good quality treated hardwood.
@@Sals_Special_Solutions Yes they still use wood but see mostly on dry van boxes. They also use plastic composite and have seen thick rubber too.
I only worked on semi tractor trailers, never a liquid hauler, but that freaks me out. You covered everything else in detail, but I just want to throw this out there about the bolts. We had a fairly serious issue getting genuine grade 8 bolts for a while, so much so that my boss had to put a concerted effort into finding certified grade 8 bolts that weren't cheap Chinese knock offs. Even so I've seen bolts shear under a hell of a lot less stress than those would be put under. That thing was a rolling nightmare waiting to happen. Great work my man, that's what you're supposed to do. I can only imagine what his wiring job for the lights is going to look like.
Fastenal can get you certified bolts. I use to work for a fabrication shop and they had to use certified fasteners that came with a test data sheet to meet the spec a job. Also has to use USA made steel. That went for the fasteners too.
Shocking welding, good on you for holding your standpoint and upholding standards and basic safety
Holy crap you are brave crawling around those air bag bombs lol.... As for the work done, I kept looking for something acceptable and got nothing...smh. A fella should at least use sufficient materials even if he can't weld. A great video pointing out what not to do which can be just as educational as showing how to properly do it ! Now we wait for the redo video !!
George is said to not be willing to start from scratch. It's his loss. He may think he's dollar wise, but he's very much safety foolish.
I don’t even think any of those welds had sufficient penetration.
Right? That's what I was thinking, ticking time 💣
@@robertdurst745 my fuck!n heart stopped when those bags came into view
😂😭😭😭
your friend might get mad at you but you might simply be saving his life and thats what a true friend would do.
The owner is your friend but you need to be his friend and stick to your guns
he was angry at first. thought i was just being over dramatic. he has realized that i am only looking out for him. now he wants me to fix it the way i think it should be done.
@@j.c.smithprojects well, if you do choose that... he has "neither the time, energy or money to do that" and unfortunately "That" is what needs to be done.
@@j.c.smithprojects that’s what a good friend and customer should do. The life he saves may be his own. Whether he gets injured or that truck injured or kills somebody else and his life is over for it. Can’t wait to see it done right.
There are large spring brackets needed to counter force of the moving liquid side to side and front and back. This type of retrofit is a whole different ballgame. Even a modest sized tank has forces well beyond the mere weight involved.
Wow!!! I’ve seen some sub standard work before but this one takes the cake! An absolute safety hazard!! This kind of work on big trucks gives the trucking community as a whole a really bad reputation to the general public when they see a wreck caused by something failing. That truck is just waiting to come apart and hopefully no one is nearby when it does! Good for you on staying away, even if it was a friend. You don’t want your name attached anywhere near this truck. Keep up the good work!
I was a mechanical design engineer for Caterpillar for 17 years...I'm completely with you on your deductions. You did and said the right thing to protect yourself and other road users, if the owner and guy who done the work put it on the road shame on them!
"Cheap as possible." That's the magic phrase. Never mind the fact that such shoddy work can get someone killed, or cause millions of dollars in property damage. It gives new meaning to dirty deeds done dirt cheap. No mechanic worth his salt would allow this on the road. You did the right thing by walking away. Don't compromise your values for a few extra dollars in your pocket. We need more guys like you around because you do honest, quality work. And I ended up learning that a add on tag or pusher axle needs a dedicated air tank. My daughter wants to get a CDL, and what I learn from you I pass on to her. This video should be as a teaching tool on how not to build a tanker, or any kind of HD truck.
I'm thinking a pressure regulator should be installed somewhere in the air system feeding those load bags for the tag axle.
Integrity is everything. I drill into my guys that everything that comes through the door is done to our standard before rolling back out, if we can't do that or the owner won't allow it we won't touch it
no matter how big or how small every detail is important.
It’s not worth putting your livelihood and freedom on the line by getting drug into a lawsuit or investigation because someone got killed by that hacked junk. The best thing you can do is give a tip to the local DOT officer and hopefully get it OOS before it hits the road. Looks to me like the truck and the tank Both are passed there use-full life.The hack also didn’t help that out either
oit was never registered, plated or on the road. it is waiting to be completely redone from the start.
@@chebyshortbox65by getting dragged into a lawsuit. Not drug!
Makes sense. @1:25 Yikes, how can anyone do that and think "yeah good enough"? I do some welding for hobby projects every now and then, I've no formal education, 100% self taught, and even my welds are not that sketchy. That unfinished and untreated metal also looks like it will corrode like anything, in no time at all.
I’m really proud of you for taking a stand for safety, it’s not easy to put your foot down with someone you know. Excellent job and nice explanation of the problems. You can sleep with a good conscience.
Two things... @ 24:23 you said " I thought I was going to bring you a good video" Well I think you brought us a GREAT video ! And secondly, I was thinking the same thing, that he had more money in washers, than just buying the right bolts. What a hack job. I would have walked too.
Well done, Sir. You made the right decision.
Not compromising your integrity. Good for you sir, you're a good man to be concerned about safety on so many levels. It's often difficult to say what you need to. I admire you. Thanks for setting the bar high. Happy new year.
Time to send this back and notify DOT that an inspection is needed.
Your addition of lights would make you liable for too many things.
Glad your conscience doesn't allow you to let this slip.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m a welder I done a lot of work on these trucks I want to say everything you said is absolutely correct. Fact is that all these companies run these unsafe trucks like this all the time and when someone like me comes along wanting to do the job right they actually fire that guy for it ! They want bozo low skill low wage order followers to obey and not question anything ! Sad but true . By the way you didn’t even mention the welds on that truck lol , I can say that not one of them were good for many reasons !
My wife who has never seen a welder before could tell that it didn't look right. 😆
@@johnbispo4262
perhaps she has slept with a welder
My god, those were a nightmare, weren't they?
I can barely weld personally, but seeing those "welds" still made my stomach churn.
Stevie Wonder could weld better.
I'm just a hobbyists welder and even I cringed looking at those.
I have just tenth grade welding knowledge, but I have 26 years experience in trucking 18 wheelers (my own business) and Gigantic Earth Movers working with old school companies, I'm 53 years old...
While you were talking and looking, I was too..
I go with you!!!
Logic, duty, professionalism, empathy, care, honor, respect goes a long way!!!
Salute Sir!!!
Hell yeah. Way to take a stand and hold the line on quality and a job well done. I’m sick of being disappointed every time I have someone else do something.
I think this is an excellent video. More mechanics, and fabricators...ect , should think safety first. The life they save, could be a friend or a relative. Thank you for doing the right thing
Fascinating video! I’m not a truck guy or a welder. But I can tell you that whom ever made those welds, has no idea what he was doing. Good call on pushing back. Everything you highlighted is a legit concern. Your friend said he didn’t have the “time or money…”. I imagine that’s exactly why he paid the hack that fabricated everything. He didn’t know what he was doing and he knew that, so he charged less to do it and your friend decided he could afford it. Kudos
Your friend used the term "think" & you should have told him how "think was wrong",& that you "know" all the substandard issues are of liability & not if,but when,it will either catastrophically fail or be put "out of service"
@ Ohio DOT inspection station,& they can be real strident in how they roll once they get a candidate that's got their special attentions.(you "think"...I can't even).All those dirty welds, parts play w/daylight visible gaps & over stressed lines;
It's like something out of a horror movie.
I don’t think I’m the only one who appreciates the integrity you have. Trying to make a couple bucks isn’t more important than safety and reputation. I don’t blame you for kicking the truck down the road and not wanting anything to do with it. I’ve never wrenched on a semi so I’m one to talk, but if anything this video was a prime example of what not to do.
On a lighter note though I hope you guys have a happy New Year. Take care👍
Just found your channel. Great videos. No need to apologize for thinking you didn’t post an important or educational video, because you absolutely did.
I did a short stint in a Kenworth repair shop (about 2 years) and then I worked at a construction company for a year as a fleet mechanic. At Kenworth I assisted in the body shop occasionally.
If this truck came to us for any repairs, the shop owner would have had us refuse to even bring it inside the shop.
I have a little bit of experience with welding, but even with my limited knowledge, I could see so many issues with those welds.
I’ve repaired a few frames. I’ve extended some frames. I have never seen anything as bad as this, and I have seen a lot of wrecked semis. The worst was a fully loaded cement mixer (single seat style) that rolled off a 150’ cliff. It took 6 months, but we were able to get it road worthy.
Mad respect to you Sir to not only refuse to work on this, but to also inform your friend and the guy who did the work.
Stay safe out there.
Got to be the change we want to see. Kudos to you for standing your ground.
Don't walk away from that job. RUN!! That is probably the most dangerous rig I've ever seen. I, myself, would not get behind the wheel of that. You have more balls than I do to even get that close to that tag axle with those over inflated bags. That whole thing is spooky as hell.
Much respect, sir. That POS could be rolling down the road towards my wife or kids, and your "friend" needs a sanity check, IMO.
I honestly can't imagine that a shop of any caliber would consider that safe or right, for that matter.
I am in COMPLETE agreement with you on this decision and shame on the guy who did this and thought it was ok.
I can only wish that more shops and mechanics would have your attention to right and safe than they do nowadays.
Please keep up your great work ethics J.C. it's very admirable and awesome.
I have fixed a lot of others " Deficient Repairs " on motor vehicles, but this is beyond the pale, especially considering the fact that it is a commercial vehicle.
You were very right and proper in refusing this repair, even for just the lights !!! Because at some later date you could be held accountable by an injured third party.
I would occasionally encounter vehicle brake rotors that were worn clear through to the venting on commercial vehicles ( church busses ), and I refused to release them.
I called the California Highway patrol, but they said there was nothing I could do.
I simply told them to come and arrest me, because I refused to release any vehicle in that unsafe condition.
The CHP operator, and her supervisor said they would be right over and arrest me for grand theft, They never came !!!
The Sheriff sent a deputy, and he was foolish enough to " Accept " the vehicle, and did so in writing, so I was rather perfect absolved of any wrong doing. I couldn't believe the stupidity of the Deputy, nor the lack of concern from the Highway patrol in this matter. Had one of their safety officers stopped me on the road with my commercial vehicle, I would have been RED TAGGED immediately, and ticketed for the violation, and probably had my rig impounded.
You did GOOD !!! Protected yourself and others. I would recommend a careful examination of your friendship with this individual.
Tim
Good for you for standing your ground, it is what I would do if doing repairs for a friend. We need more people like you doing their part to stop vehicles like this from being on the road.
you sir are a good man. I agree 100% with you. that work was shitty at best, those welds didn't look like they even had penetration, all the weld material was on the surface by looks of it. i saw the bolts you mentioned on an angle. when you knocked on those air bags on the lift axle i actually flinched lol. You're a good man, i have tons of respect for you
Being a terrible welder myself I have people who know what they are doing when it comes to gas welding plate like this. I tried welding a support for a winch on my race car trailer and the first time I used it it fell off! I asked my friend, who went to welding school to weld it back on and he did so, making beautiful beads with full penetration. It's important to know one's limitations. I'd be surprised if most of the welds on this piece of junk had any penetration at all!
-dave
Also, welded on rust I'm sure.
You’re spot on. That’s not an easy conversation to have with your friend. Hopefully and the end of the day, he realizes that your looking out for his safety. With a little luck, the guy that put it together will too.
Good job JC let it go
safety first
it was easy for me because i do care about him and all the people around him. he was angry at first. mostly because it took the guy 7 months to do this work and he needed the truck months ago. only to find out that it is all worthless and needs to be taken all apart and start over. he thought i was being overly dramatic and thinks i over do everything. maybe i do, maybe i dont.....but at least i never have to do it twice.
You said you wanted to make a good video. Well, you made an excellent video. It was quite the bummer but it was excellent video. With professionalism, you made a priceless guide for pre work inspection. That piece of equipment is a death trap. I am in awe of how much what's wrong there. You were calm and thorough. I imagine if you weren't making a video you probably still talk to yourself like that when you are working on similar project. I do. I think you explained everything you were seeing more than adequately and expressed your concern for safety and liability. It sucks your buddy put you in that kind of a spot and I think the other fabricator- mechanic, was just plain full of it and was completely liable no matter what he was told to do. I am glad you washed your hands of the whole situation. Around where I am from when we run into trash like that we've been known to make sure it will never make it on the road. I hope you're able to have a good rest of your day and sleep well knowing you do good work and you make the right calls. Great video on how not to do something and when to stay away from something.
This is the first time I've come across your channel. And I truly appreciate when a man knows what the hell he is talking about. You can hear the years of experience coming thru. Hard thing to find nowadays
WOW! The welds, fitment, design, set-up . . . everything, just WOW. That's some MadMax dystopian nightmare. As you said the more you look the worse it gets. Definitely put as much distance between yourself and that disaster ASAP, especially if you see that rig coming down the road towards you!
I watched the entire video... and I agree with every word that came out of your mouth. That truck is scary. You did the right thing, JC. 👍
It goes to say just cause you can doesn't mean you should. Great call on this issue. They did all that work to the frame I was surprised to see the air bag supports I wouldn't even drive thar on my farm let alone a public road. It takes a real man to stand up and say something when people think terrible stuff is ok
I started welding a couple of years ago. My first hobby project was stick welding a new grate for my BBQ pit. My beads were horrible and I had gobs of welds instead of smooth trails. The welds on this truck look a lot like my 1st student project. Good for you not wanting any part of it.
I started a few years ago too, got a couple structural certs with stick and dual shield before. I can't believe they plain old mig welded it.
A grinder and paint makes me the welder I aint. Take your time and get good with a grinder, but never use it as a crutch
Nothing to worry about, that rig wouldn’t/shouldn’t pass the state inspection anyway, and shame on anyone that does pass it. Risking life and limb for the sake of cost, is insane. Good call on you to stay away from that mess.
I completely agree with you on your decision. I go through that everyday with customers and tell them all the time “I will do it right or not at all”.
that is how it went. i do it all over again or i do nothing. period. non negotiable
That truck is a death trap! I, as a tanker driver wouldn't think of driving it any farther than the local DoT for a thorough inspection, BEFORE I ever loaded it. We already have enough headaches on the road and trucking without allowing junk like that there too. You did bring a good video. Keep 'em coming.
I have a great respect for you and I feel the same way about what had been scabbed together. I am appalled by the welding and seeing the bent brackets. What I am seeing is there is NO pride being taken in fabrication and NOT adhering to any standard what so ever!!
Stand your ground. About 20 years ago a good friend wanted me to go through the brakes and hydraulic clutch on a hot rod his son built in the '60s, so he could sell it. After looking at the way the rear axle was mounted and how badly damaged the frame was, I told him I wouldn't be party to making the car drivable because it wasn't safe. Cost me the friendship, but like you I refused to put my name on the job.
If your friend is willing to give up his friendship because you're unwilling to work on breaks and a clutch they're not your friend...
I feel bad for for your friend there but l also feel bad for you having to be the one to have to tell him but thank god you had the integrity, professionalism and strength of character to do what was right.
Respect from the north west of England and god bless you and yours
Happy new year
Jay
🙏🏻🏴❤️🇺🇸
I wonder what a VOSA Inspector would have made of that death trap.
@frazerguest2864 Yeah mate vosa are total bastards, they would have thrown the book ar them
@@frazerguest2864 I'm going to assume VOSA is like the American DOT since all I got off Google was a brand of liquor. But trucks like this are what gives those guys justification to be bastards. "You think we're dicks. Let's show you this tank truck the owner thought was acceptable!"
@@Allurade : Yes, VOSA is like the DoT in the USA. And I didn’t disagree or even slightly condone the absolute dangerousness of the truck in this video.
It was so bad, the best thing for it would be to scrap it.
@@frazerguest2864 Oh no, I agree with you. Truck is a dangerous mess, I'm just saying people who try and pass stuff like that off as roadworthy are why the rest of us have to suffer with the DoT
Someone definitely didn't know what they were doing. Glad you're showing this.
I've phoned DOT before to come see trucks I was working on in the shop and they took it off the road.
I don't a want anything unsafe driving around on the road around me or my family. There's enough scary stuff on the road without helping add to it
I am Boilermaker/Welder by trade, and most of the welds on that tank assembly were sub standard to say the least. Who ever done that work I would not let weld up a barbecue let alone do any work on vehicles. In my 25 years of welding I never ever had a job come back due to poor welds cracking, I would on many occasions have to fix other so called welders F ups. Your a smart man by not accepting to put your name on that truck or helping it get back on the road.
When you said “there were more washers than actual bolts” I felt that. That trailer was put together by a child with a welder.
Looking at that mess I'm not sure it's worth the effort or cost. J.C. you are absolutely doing the right thing for yourself, your friend, and anyone on the same road.
JC, glad you walked away and washed your hands of that disaster of a truck. I agree with you 100 percent, do it right or don’t do it at all.
1st. time watching your video J.C. & I''m really impressed with you 👏 and how experienced & professional you are ! You analyzed the previous dudes workmanship to a (T) "pun intended" ! You were right about everything ! Must be around $20,000 worth of corrections to complete that job thoroughly ! I'd also say there needs to be highly experienced, heavy truck Fabricator & Welder inspectors, who along with insurance adjusters , that would inspect & confirm major jobs & frame mods ! That way no bad workmanship would tolerated !
I’m not in the trucking industry… never have been. I did body work for a while, so I have “some” experience in welding and such. So with that said, I watched your video in almost total disbelief that the owner of the truck and then the “fleet mechanic” who put this thing together thought it was “good enough” to be used. I as a common commuter want to Thank You for this video and your honesty. If you lost a friend over this video and/or refusing to work on his truck, then the friend doesn’t realize the value of your friendship. Keep up the good work.
Excellent lesson for us to absorb. Well done, sir!
Good job, I actually am glad you made this video to show what not to do. I turn work down all the time because of clients not wanting to do things right, I refuse to put my name on crap work.
UPDATE! this truck is now coming to me to have every single bit of work that has been done by the previous guy removed. i am taking this truck down to what it was before he touched it. first, i will make the necessary repairs to the truck, frame, air system, suspension and lift axle. after that is completed i will build my own tank mounts to secure the tank. these mounts will include compression springs to accommodate the flex that is needed for the tank. im sure it will be a multipart video series.
DONT TOUCH IT; YOU DONT WANT THAT LIBALITY!
I would like to see a detailed review of this truck and what you find and have to repair. And for us guys watching not in the know about this stuff, point out all that is bad as you get to it and what you have to do to fix it.
My big question is, is this frame even sound enough to even begin to repair it or will you just be transferring everything to another frame in sound condition?
It looks like this is going to be multiple 10’s of thousands of dollars to do this truck. And months of labor.
@@americanrambler4972 It is illegal to do any welds or drill any hole into the frame of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV). Under Part 49 of the C.F.R's It must be done to a specific standard by the manufacturer or their appointed shop.
Any unapproved weld; which none of these where clearly approved, result in an automatic out of service violation (OOS) huge fines and possible jail time not to mention this hack job would be enough to have their Authority Revoked if found to be on the road
@@BEARSMIX I have seen stickers on truck frames that say "Do Not Weld or Drill on Frame".
not true at all. read the fmcsa a little closer. if that was the case you could never bolt anything to a truck frame. many people think that it is illegal to weld to ALL truck frame it certainly isnt the case. trucks frames are cut and stretched all the time. very common in heavy haul trucks. the part you are missing is that none of these brackets and steel plates are welded to the truck frame. they are welded to an ADDITIONAL pice of frame that is bolted to the original. im not arduing that this work is awful but its not quite what you are quoting.
the article states:
§ 393.201 Frames.
(a) The frame or chassis of each commercial motor vehicle shall not be cracked, loose, sagging or broken.
(b) Bolts or brackets securing the cab or the body of the vehicle to the frame must not be loose, broken, or missing.
(c) The frame rail flanges between the axles shall not be bent, cut or notched, except as specified by the manufacturer.
(d) Parts and accessories shall not be welded to the frame or chassis of a commercial motor vehicle except in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Any welded repair of the frame must also be in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.
(e) No holes shall be drilled in the top or bottom rail flanges, except as specified by the manufacturer.
YOU did what was right by NOT making it possible for that truck to be on the road!!!
ANY sort of inspection would have it 'red tagged' and like you mentioned, it COULD (and more than likely WOULD) come back on you.
YOU (at least for the time being) kept an unsafe vehicle from the roads, and for that, I thank you.
I would have just laughed til I was crying 🤣😂🤣😂 good luck with that bucket of bolts. The force of moving product is crazy! I drive a 7000 gallon tanker.
Great call on your part! I can’t believe how many people I run into that do things deliberately 1/2 way and offer excuses. If the knowledge is not there, then you cant blame them because they are still learning. However if they know what’s right and are told what to do and fail to do so, then that’s just being wrong and ignorant. I’m glad that you pointed out all of the needed changes from a professional and safety point of view. Sad to hear all that was given back to you was excuses not a thank you for the help. Always a great video, I commend you on your hard work.
It's like house floppers. You wouldn't believe what gets found in these "entrepreneur investor" homes. Health and safety code violations right and left, no permits, improper installations, crooked lines, leaks, paint-overs.
What was these people thinking, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Apparently the builder has no idea what they are doing, and I agree that this should be redone completely. Take everything back off and inspect the condition prior to rebuilding.
I can't imagine how bad the fleet trucks are...JC I just wanna tell you that I appreciate your morals and values, I have the upmost respect for you brutha
You're correct in your thoughts, man. There's so much wrong with the way that's set up. Perhaps a little birdie should alert a DOT inspector.
Good Content and Great Decision Sir. Hello from Butler County Pa the Birth place of the Jeep.
you went above and beyond for these people, Hopefully this guy will be a better tech going forward
You're absolutely correct. If you lay a hand on it in any way you are in the loop of liability. Smart decision and I hope to hell this truck owner took this back to the Fabricator that did the work and welds. They're horrible!
JCS, Those ugly welds looked sketchy to me along with the gaps everywhere. I was wondering what would happen if that truck got spot checked by the DOT? Those air lines stretched out were another red flag because they will snap or leak in a short time. Glad you backed off and at least warned the guy. Thanks for the video!
Some of those welds look like they welded to the rust on the surface and not the metal underneath.
If DOT checked him the truck would be towed from the scale with a stack of tickets as thick as a metro phonebook.
Very sketchy! It won't take much for those welds to break. And the areas where they welded, probably wasn't cleaned
I'm not even in trucking and at first glance I wouldn't have touched that truck. Common sense will tell you that's crap work.
But that was all explained so well that even I understood the level of neglect from the owner and overall lack of understanding of how to do the job on that workers part.
Good on you, that was a dang good video. Thanks!
Retired NYSP DOT Inspector. That's a nightmare. Give it 25 loaded miles and start counting the cracked welds, loose bolts, etc. I think you are 100% right. And the worst part is your friend paid good money in good faith. Shameful.
And on #26 mile, that tag axle will let go, flipping that truck on its side likely injuring life and property
WOW!!! From what I've seen in the video I wouldn't trust that truck to haul sailboat fuel let alone 34000lbs.of liquids. You made the right call J.C... just WOW!!!
Sailboat fuel! Hilarious!
Wow. That is a shame. It’s a shame that somebody rolled that out of their shop, sent it down the road and collected payment for their hack job. Unbelievable
That was my first thought as well, like how can you even allow that rig to be driven... It's people like that, that should stop working in this line of business. Maybe go retire and save lives as this is the worst work ethic I have seen.
when i see stuff like this i always think, "they should go work with first responders where a truck has lost its load" then they could see how easily things fail and when they do how quickly it comes apart. maybe that would change their perspective on what is acceptable.
@@j.c.smithprojects exactly, that's a perfect example. I watched in horror, because I have witnessed several big equipment accidents up here in mountains. Our little hospital isn't equipped to handle some of accidents, so they life-flight a lot. All of a sudden out of nowhere, you hear the helicopters coming in. So I turn on my ham radio and scanner. Thanks for the Video's JC I really appreciate what you are doing. Sending out positive thoughts and prayers for you and your family for the great new year. I hope everything is going well with the property in WV.
That is appalling, that shop should be shut down or at the very least fined and cited. Reckless endangerment.
I agree 1000%
Yup. Especially if the guy that built it is running a shop for a large transport company. Time for DOT to start pulling over ALL the trucks of that company! Phone call to DOT is in order.
Andrew
I think the "mechanic" who rigged this up did this job on the side in his back yard or home shop. No company would let this kind of work go on in the company shop. If they saw this kind of work the "mechanic" did he would be fired..
Wow!
I've fixed other guys mistakes... and for similar reasons as yours I've declined fixing others mistakes or crappy work.
I also know when I'm not the guy for a job and I'll send the customer to someone that is.
I've seen plenty of garbage work, this has to be the worst considering the high potential of it causing death and destruction.
Kudos for turning it away, and documenting it👍
I'm upset when I can't get even a supplemental air line into an existing loom to make a long run much less this stuff. When I install HD wrecker bodies, dump boxes, flatbeds or tags etc, I need it to look factory. My OCD kicked in huge at this video. You made the right call, this is insane.
That is how i see it. if it doesnt loom like it came from the factory that way....it isnt the quality im after.
Years ago I worked with someone who used to fabricate stuff like this at a new shop. He used an acetylene torch to cut everything, filled gaps in with bad welds, and used whatever bolts he had laying around. Yet at the end of the day he would tell you how he was the best welder/fabricator on the face of the earth despite his welds always failing inspection and customers rejecting nearly everything he did because it looked like garbage. I'm glad nothing like this ever rolled in because I am certain it would have fallen apart as it went down the road.
I got out of there pretty quickly and the company ultimately ended up going under.
Not to mention the way I see most water tanks attached, there are heavy duty springs on those bolts in between the brackets that you compress as the bolt tightens, they help reduce fatigue on the tank itself
yes sir. i have a several tank trucks of my own. i have looked at many others for this reason. many mounts with multiple spring tensioned bolts that allow for flex of the tank from the truck frame.
I find it incredible that a professional mechanic would gauge his work on what somebody does their work
Id say that's the quality of 80% of truck stop repair shops. I've rewired trailers with rats nests of wiring where you can see different eras of bad repair work that were done by "professional" shops.
Your buddy got exactly what he paid for!! Crap! My god that is totally unexceptionable work. I don't blame you for not wanting nothing to do with a time bomb.
You did the right thing. Standing on principles matter.
Nice work Jc Smith looking at all the bad mistakes made
Guy was a fleet maintenance guy alright, he forgot to add he's in his first year apprentice and just took a 3 week introductory welding course at the community center in town and welds with coat hangers.
As an AWS certified welder, I'm usually not given to comparing my own ability to any other welder's work. With that said, however, I'd never call the guy responsible for that tragedy a welder, so I don't feel too bad saying: Holy damn! I had better technique when I was 12yo.
Can't blame you for not wanting any part of that truck. That's a mess and going to be a lengthy project. Seen stuff like this on the farmers field trucks. Great video Thanks
I agree with you 100%. I've been in the service part of motorcycles since 1979 and now in parts, accessories and service and people don't understand when we tell them we won't work on their bike for what they want repaired when there are many other repairs needed that they don't what repaired and are a safety issue. Many times they need both tires replaced because they're worn out, but they only want one replaced and they don't understand why we won't replace just one tire because the other worn out tire is a liability for us if we let them ride away plus it's a Liability for them. One other thing is they want us to replace a tire or tires and one if the brakes doesn't work, they don't understand why we won't touch the bike if they don't gave us repair the brakes at the same time. Sometimes they want a different size tire than the bike came with when new, but we only install the original size(s) because of liability. If he/she gets into an accident and lawyers are involved and they find out the incorrect size tire(s) have been installed, they will try and prove that had something to do with the cause of the accident, whether It did or not and include the shop who installed them in the lawsuit.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain what was wrong with the truck, I completely agree with your decision on not touching it. Been there on light duty applications and I've had to explain what was wrong and why I wouldn't touch it. CDL stuff is outside what i touch but I always appreciate learning about it from you. Someday I will jump up to bigger trucks I'm just not there yet.
Unfortunately your friendship may not survive this. But you're right that doesn't belong on the road. I've been watching enough of your work to see that and I've seen enough of others work in person myself. It's your livelihood versus this workmanship. Liability.... now you need to go grab that young lady that seems to like you a lot and bakes you all them cookies and together you need to go share a couple of cold snacks together chill out watch a comedy movie or something.
he was pretty mad at me at first. its his welfare and the ones around him that i am looking out for. now that he has had time to think about it. he agrees.
Funny part is that you probably would have been happy to consult with your friend before and during the build. I've been called in after the fact to fix multiple screw-ups where the budget was already spent and I ended up being viewed as the bad guy each time.
I just wanted to thank you for putting integrity before a payday. You're a good man.
Total respect for doing the right thing. We need more like you. Excellent video.
DOT would have a field day with that truck.
I fully agree. That is an accident waiting to happen. There’s no way it should ever pass a DOT inspection. The welding is amount the worst I’ve seen anywhere. I’d take lots of photos just to protect yourself. The commercial vehicle inspection process simply doesn’t work. Incompetence goes unnoticed and shady owners get by.
Don't look at my welding :) difference is I know my machine is my limitation and won't do anything critical
It can also end up being criminal, if by chance there's a accident and inspections are done things can be quite scary. Cheers Jc and wifey !
It’s actually really good of you to go through his truck like that and actually start listing some of the seriously unsafe problems with that truck everybody I know would’ve bent at the waist seen the first weld and said get this POS the hell off my property
In the UK any chassis modifications have to be a) approved before installation and b) inspected at an MoT station after conversion. That would never be approved here and I cannot see it would be approved in the USA if put into a test.
You made an excellent and responsible decision both for your own credibility and the safety of road users.
That 1/2 a double frame piece he added on made me think. With the big gaps it had between the add-on frame rail and the original one, it looks like it was a piece of used frame that was repurposed. It looks like it was cut lengthwise (ripped in woodworking terms) because the flanges were different sizes. When I have cut pieces like that (long continuous cuts), it has always made them warp and twist as the plasma cutter put heat into the metal.
I suspect that was the case with these frame pieces, amongst the many other things.
it was a piece of old truck frame. nothing wrong with that in itself. its thick enough that torch cutting wasnt going to warp it terrible. what you are seeing is the tank mounting bolts and brackets pulling the outer frame away from the main because it does not have any mechanical fasteners to hold the two frames together as one.