…see no particular reason why I should be learning how to write a paper in order to get a job turning wrenches. Plus I don’t have a strong academic background so all this college stuff is above my head (the regular classes, not the technical ones), so it’s like I don’t belong there.
This is exactly why you need to stay. You don’t know what your future will hold. You can only imagine turning wrenches now, but your life will be long and I guarantee you you will be doing other things in the rest of your life. If you have an education, and if you can write papers (which is really teaching you how to think and express yourself quickly and clearly), you will get better opportunities in the rest of your life.
You don’t have a strong academic background, which means you are further behind than most people and you need to get a college education even more than most people. Belonging there is in your own head. You belong there because you are paying for it. The professors serve you. You are the boss. But, of course, you don’t want to be boss, so you’re going to quit.
Honestly, you don’t know what you will face in life, so it is pretty foolish to say college won’t prepare you for anything. You are thinking very narrowly and really not looking at the future in an open-minded way.
I think there are some things you will have to take on faith. You don’t have the life experience to understand this now. Years from now, you will probably be glad you finished. College is going to add $10k per year to your salary. Maybe not immediately, but it will.
Good luck. Whatever you do. Good luck.