Best Practices For Choosing A Repair Shop For 18 Wheeler Axle Repairs

Some of the most commonly used heavy-duty trucks on the road include 18-wheelers. Some reports state that more than two million of these trucks are on the roads of the United States, often carrying produce and other products from one location to another. There are several troubles that these trucks can face, especially with consistent and long-term usage. Sometimes, the axle runs into problems, and you’ll need to address these problems as early as possible. We’ll help you identify the main factors to consider when choosing a repair shop for your 18-wheeler’s axle.

Understanding Service Quality And Productivity

You don’t want to end up sending your 18-wheeler truck to a repair shop only to find that you have to wait several days or even weeks to get it properly fixed. When productivity is poor within a repair shop, it’s going to have a negative impact on your business and fleet in the process. After all, when managing a fleet, downtime equals losses.

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This is why you have to determine the productivity and service quality that each repair shop in your local area offers. This can be difficult to understand without sending your truck in for an actual repair, but there are a few things you can take into consideration.

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Start by looking at the testimonials and reviews that previous customers have provided on official pages that represent each of these businesses. Take a look at TrustedReviews, Google Business, and other similar websites that allow people to express their opinion about businesses. This is a good starting point, but it’s also useful to ask locals about which shops they would recommend working on 18-wheeler heavy-duty trucks.

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Once you have a list of worthy options that you can turn to, it’s important to give each of them a call. This can help you get an overview of the customer service you should expect from each of these repair shops. Remember that first impressions last - so take note of the very first phone call you make to each shop. When you are not satisfied with the customer service, then move on to the next company. Even if service quality is appropriate, poor customer service can also cause many problems for you down the line.

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You can also decide to visit the local workshop to see how they run the business and what equipment or machinery they have at their disposal. This would give you the ability to better understand the capabilities of the workshop and determine if they would be suitable for working on your 18-wheeler.

Asking For An Official Quotation

The previous step should allow you to narrow down to only a couple of local repair shops that are suitable for your requirements. Now, the next step is to consider asking for official quotations. It’s not just about the price, but this particular step lets you see how fast the company is and get a better view of the professionalism they express in the way they do business. Remember that you are likely looking for a repair shop that you can work with in the long run.

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Ask for the same quotation from three different repair shops. When you have three quotations to compare, it gives you more data to work with.

Use Of Parts

While it’s important to consider service quality, another thing that you also have to keep in mind is the specific parts that these repair shops use. Some companies may turn to off-brand parts that do not provide the same quality as branded ones - and this could spell trouble for you in the future, including the possibility of breakdowns due to poor-quality parts.

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When you contact each of these repair shops, make sure you ask them about the parts they use. If the representatives at the receptionist know that the company is proud of the quality they offer, then they won’t have a problem providing you with details about whether they use branded or off-brand parts. In case they do admit to using off-brand parts, ask them if it is possible to get branded parts for your truck repairs, if this is something that you prefer. Some people do not think that the original parts tend to work better than those that are constructed to be more universal.

Test The Repair Shops

Now, when it comes to “testing” these shops, don’t expect free services - but it often takes some experimenting and using different service providers to find the one that you want to trust with your fleet. You could schedule regular maintenance, for example. If your truck has existing problems with its axle, then make an appointment at a repair shop and have them do the repairs.

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This will give you more first-hand experience as to what you can expect from each shop. If the experience is pleasant, then you could consider using the repair shop for future needs too. On the other hand, when you have an unpleasant experience and run into hurdles during the repair process, then it’s important to consider the other options you have identified.

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It’s important to provide feedback too - just like you are searching for a good repair shop, there will be others in the future. Thus, consider sharing your experience on a platform like Google Business, if the specific repair shop has a profile there. Provide details about why you are so satisfied or dissatisfied with the services provided. The repair shop will also likely appreciate you taking the time to leave them a review for their services.

Conclusion

Breakages in your 18-wheeler axle can lead to downtime and a loss of profit, while also being costly when not addressed early. Bus & Truck Chicago specializes in the repair of axles in heavy-duty trucks and also has the equipment needed for other repairs. We have experts on our team that work hard to provide a high-quality and efficient service to every customer who requires 18-wheeler axle repairs. Get in touch with us for more information.