Despite current market conditions, Mustard continues to run a stable family truck repair business, one that his father, Richard Mustard, founded in 1969.

"The problem is that the housing and construction industry is down," Mitch Mustard said.  Many of the trucks that typically have been servicing that industry hauling dirt and concrete are logging fewer miles these days, he said, adding that some companies don't have enough capital to weather the dry spell. 

 
"Diesel fuel prices have always affected things," Mustard said. "It puts a damper on anybody who services them.

The shop focuses on clutch, transmission, and differential rebuilding and repair, and diagnosing driveline vibrations and angles for "big, dirty rigs," Mustard said.  The trucks they work on are typically from the concrete, construction, and oil and gas industries, he added.

"We've always emphasized good, quality units that don't fail," Mustard said, which continues to draw customers.  "We're not the cheapest in town, but we do the job once."

"Mitch will fix things right the first time, which others won't," Whitney said.  "That's the difference."

"When you pull a transmission out, there are other things that need fixing," Mustard said.  Those ancillary items include U-joints or a shifter or even loose pedal linkage.  "Sometimes it's a simple $100 part to replace a shift lever; a bad one can indirectly wear out the gears.  After a job, the biggest compliment is when they say it drives like a new truck."

In the same vein, he said, "If the clutch linkage is worn out, the clutch will invariably not work right."  A comeback on a truck can cost a customer anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 if the rig is down for a day, he said, adding that they strive for same-day service.

Doing the job right with no comebacks is what makes the shop shine, Mustard said. In order to conduct same-day service that includes a thorough repair, many parts must be on hand, he said.

"If it turns three times a year, we'll stock it," Mustard said.  "I should have that part."  The majority of clutches the shop installs are Spicer and Eaton, he said, which are OE on Peterbilt, Kenworth, International, Ford, Mack, and Volvo. 

Many of those parts are obtained through local franchise truck dealers as well as national vendors, Mustard said, which include Boyer Truck Parts in Minneapolis and PAI Industries in Atlanta.

The shop's rebuilt transmissions come with a one-year/100,000-mile warranty, Mustard said, adding that the shop stands behind its work with a no-charge fix if a unit fails. 

When looking at all repairs, the most significant area of growth is diagnosing and repairing driveline vibration, Mustard said.
"A driveline vibration will eventually break a transmission," he said, adding that he has been diagnosing and fixing that problem for 20 years.  "If a driver lowers the air suspension on a truck, it affects the driveline angle," he said.  Profit margins are greater with this type of work because its all labor and no parts are involved, he said.

"Driveline angles are critical because of low-torque motors," Richard Mustard said, adding that fixing them is more important today than it was 20 years ago.

"The customer leaves and tells someone else," Mitch Mustard said of driveline vibration diagnosis work.  "It's a chain reaction."  The job is difficult, and many shops won't do it, he added.

After a job is complete, either Mustard or General Manager Casey Fraizer drive the truck to make sure its operating properly, he said.  Once the truck has been driven for 1,000 miles, he said he asks that the truck return to the shop for a checkup.

"The reason we do that is we want to make sure they're happy," Mustard said.  "It's free of charge, and they're usually happy to do it."

The three-bay shop is equipped with two sets of WE-18 Wheel Engaging Mobile Lifts from ALM Corp. of Streator, Ill., Mustard said.  "You can do better diagnostics when the truck is in the air."  Four of the individual lifts will hold a truck up to 72,000 pounds.