3" and no UCA's

He just texted me back,he's in the field til this weekend.

 

Haha, you're a good sport.

If he's your buddy I'm sure he's going to say it drives straight as a freight train and handles like an Enzo.

It's your truck and it looks bitchin so if you're happy with it than fuck it.

 

What size tires are you running?how much lift ECT?if these get good numbers in alignment I might go with them,still have not decided on a lift 4 the new truck but want a 3 inch lift on this truck as well.

 

LMFAO

 

This is what I did. I don't plan to have any more than 2" lift, but the UCAs were pretty much a must with the extended travel Kings I have.

Now back you your regularly scheduled grumpy old man pissing match.

 

Maybe start recruiting at UTI or other tech institutes instead of prisons, lol. Or pay better.

Times are changing. The world is moving to a more tech based economy, where everything is computerized now. Mechanical/hands-on is getting to be a much more specialized industry, much like computers used to be. Back then you could walk down any street corner and find a kid who could wrench, but if you needed programming skills, you basically had to go directly to the colleges who taught it.

Now the roles have essentially reversed. Now days you can't swing a dead cat and not hit a kid with coding/software development skills, but you have to look a little harder for those with hands-on skills.

 

Man this thread is money.

The reason why trade jobs are dying is because its low skill work that everyone can do. I've seen a lot of talk on the younger generations and the reality is, these younger generations can do these trade jobs by watching youtube. Why work at JiffyLube when I can work a cushy office job and change my own oil...

I am that younger generation, my wife and I literally remodeled our kitchen, laid tile, built cabinets, installed new ceiling lights, ran new wire for double ovens, plumbed in new drains and water lines for the sinks. We installed all new hardwood floors through the whole house by ourselves. All the work I do on my truck is done by myself. I literally learned it all in a few minutes on youtube....Why overpay for crap labor when I will do a quality job for free and learn while I do it.

So we can all try to pull the blue collar hero bullshit but the reality is trade jobs are nothing but convenience shops for those who don't want to, not that they can't

 

that's a good looking truck op

 

That's not necessarily true. Yes, on basic level things you can do by watching YouTube. I know how to fell trees. I know how to install a wood stove.

I don't and wont do these things to and around my home because I'm not licensed, bonded an insured. Tree falls on my house, I'm fucked.
Those a big deals when you talk about a home, and for businesses that serve customers. EVERYTHING is insurance based. I mean everything. If you feel comfortable changing your own brakes, good for you. But for a fleet cab company, you change your own breaks, you get in an accident, now you get sued.

Can you run electric line? from the power box? Are you a certified electrician? I'm not, and that's why I wont fuck with the electrical in my house. Because it has to be done to CODE. Trade jobs are necessary for infrastructure. Without those Journeymen, and Master electricians, lineman, pipefitters, welders, and machinist, you wouldn't have any of your techy bullshit.

 

Or if you know the code yourself. Granted Im sort of the odd end of this as I design facilities with code compliance and stuff in mind, but most guys at my work do their own reno on their house. Its as simple as just creating your build plan, documenting a solid pathway with proper dimensions and precautions that the residential code calls for. There are many good folks who appreciate this approach and will even offer assistance when getting your permit to what your build plan might be lacking to get the go a head. Not to say that this is a 5 min youtube learning experience, but if you do things one at a time, you would be surprised.

The difference is the trade guy already knows what the basic standard recommendations are and what he has learned in the field that might be worth investing more in for the long run. Its def not a science and these publications can be found online just by searching "international Plumbing code, Mechanical code," etc.

Where the current trade guys are getting fucked from a job site perspective is since its not as technical and as other training platforms (youtube) have made it available to some regular folks to get the info they need, the demand isn't as strong for trades outside of big design build jobs. Because of this, they get treated most of the time like shit. They have die hard schedules where either you deal with it, or someone else will come in. The supers a lot of the time only care about time, and with so many workers many don't have time to develop a team amongst their guys. At the end of the job, the trades normally disperse and the hustle starts all over again. The backbone and longevity of being a trade to some extent is over as its more competitive to constantly cycle teams instead of having them around and get raises and shit. Its a cut throat lifestyle for sure, but what isn't anymore? As I said before, engineers already jump ship normally if they don't get an advancement within the first 2-3 years after they have enough experience to leave their first company.

 

Lol, I always love the guys that come in thinking they're fabricators cause they built something in their garage, they usually only last a week before they realise just how little they know. I would imagine it's the same in the other lowly trades. It's one thing doing stuff for yourself it's a whole other ball game in the real world.

 

I don't think he was suggesting he was a "fabricator," but rather a guy who can supplement some of the trade work himself like guys who choose to build and reno their own houses and such.

My definition of a real "fabricator" is someone who is strong with welding and items like that which require extensive hand work with the torch and a good understanding of strong framework for metal structures. I would assume that guy likely isn't ready for something like that and I didn't take it as he was claiming that he was, but who knows.

 

I think @JoeCOVA is overestimating the amount of time people have. I'm lucky to have 5 hours a week where I'm not busy with work or kids. I'm pretty sure most people who have kids are in this same boat.

Also, just because I can figure out how to do certain things doesn't mean it's the right decision to do it myself. A professional will do it quicker. An honest, hardworking professional will do it less sloppy, because the first time you do something is often sloppy. There's a chance you can make more money in that time you spent extra doing that work than you would spend on professional labor. And in cases where safety is paramount, it can be best to stick with a professional, e.g. better to hire an electrician for a major job than cause a fire.

 

There is always two sides to that coin though. My old man was civil so we always handled shit ourselves, but man I cant tell you the amount of times when we owned a house and shit was actually installed with proper reinforcement instead of some glued up bullshit. Sad part is you cant always just start tearing shit apart in a house walk through before pulling the trigger. At this point, I have become skeptical to a degree as I am familiar with what should be installed vs what you get if you turn a blind eye.

Not to say that honest quality trades don't exist, but the bullshitters are there just as well.

 

So my home inspector has 35 years on the job, and is also a builder.

When it comes to experience, you either have it or don't. it doesn't matter if you have YouTube.

Bullshitters exist in just about every facet of life.

 

Do what you want...just saying this from a guy who exercises the other end of your perspective which is def not outside the realm of the standard human. Not that youtube is the only training tool, but if you actually research what you are doing, you will find public items available as the folks who distribute the code want others to know about it at a minimum and have it available instead of creating hazards and possibly injuring them and their community. Again though, I come from the other side of the fence where if you don't know it, you contact your buddy who does and learn the info and move on.

That being said, I try to work on my truck within my ability. I don't have a welder, nor do I have the experience so to me that's where the threshold currently resides with my truck of where I seek others for assistance. Placement of equipment in a residential arena can stem from all sorts of fasteners and the like. The difference in the housing place is there is ALOT of items available to make the job done quick and fast. Not the same with our trucks our else I would be able to bolt on my rear long travel instead of having to weld all sorts of shit together that the truck wasn't designed to even entertain.

 

I'm not saying that you cannot learn to do it. I am definitely NOT saying you should ever stop learning. I'm also not saying that you cannot get a buddy to help you.

The biggest issue I had with the original post was the dripping elitism that I got from the dude putting down blue collar workers. I don't like absolutes. "blue collar hero bullshit" was the term.
I know plenty of dudes who do HARD work. These same dudes are good people, and lets be honest here, they physically work harder than most "white collar" workers.

I absolutely despise people that put others down for having pride in their job.

 

Ah I can totally respect that man, blue collar guys do some of the hardest and technical jobs out there depending on the exact trade skill. I know Im a designer by trade, but I have yet to be on a job where an experienced super hasn't taught me something I don't know and then some. My experience in the field is only so much for the guys who have to wrench it day in and day out. It is foolish to simply disregard these folks as the world would not be advancing at all at the rate it is without them. I try to keep up a daily routine although I fly a desk, but just the physical side of things that they do is def undercompensated for what they should be getting.

 

Man I know contract electricians that make 60 an hour, with 60 hours per week, anything over 40 is time and a half. Journeyman.

dude is 27 and makes more a year than most white collar workers that I know.