truck mechanic job : what do truck mechanics do; what is the job really like?

 I have seen the question posted: "how do I become a diesel or truck mechanic?" and most searches result in a list of schools. Schools are great, but before you jump into a decision like this, you need to know what the job will REALLY be like. The best way to do that is to talk to truck or diesel mechanics. You can post to diesel or truck mechanic discussion boards, mechanics are usually more than willing to talk about the work. You can also ask around and find someone a friend knows who is a mechanic. If you are a driver, it should be pretty easy to find someone.
  I will tell you a little about my experience. I have been a truck mechanic for over 20 years, and I have worked at truckstops, independent shops, dealers, and towing companies. I am an ASE master tech with experience in all areas of repair. I will give you my opinions, and the facts as I see them.

• First, do not get into this field if you think you are going to make lots of money doing it. You can make a decent wage, but it will take years of work to build up a reputation to demand much money, especially in today's market. Lots of your money will be spent on tools, especially for the first 10 years or so.
• Don't expect a pat on the back for doing a good job. Doing a good job is the expectation in this industry, and most of the time the work is not done fast enough, good enough, or in quite the right way.
• Don't expect to walk out of school and into an engine shop rebuilding engines. You will not be allowed to even TOUCH an engine for at least the first year, and maybe longer, until you prove yourself doing grunt work. Engine work is relatively rare, as a percentage of all work done, and it is not nearly as glamorous as you may believe. I frankly don't know why schools even teach it, except that it probably sells to students.
• Your first year or so will be spent doing services, brakes, and clutches. This work is hot, heavy, and very dirty.
• Expect to get dirty. I mean DIRTY. I don't care what you read or hear, much of this work is dirty, nasty, and smelly.
• It is not possible to stress strongly enough that whether you go to school or learn completely on the job, YOU MUST LEARN a set of basic skills. You must be able to use a multimeter effectively. You must be able to use Ohm's law. You must know at least the basics of electrical theory. You must know how to do brake adjustments on anything with wheels. You must be able to use a computer, and not for games. The more math, physics, and science you know, the better.
• Troubleshooting skills are built over a long period of time, so you must be able to ask for help.

  This is far from the comprehensive skillset needed for the job, I would call it the minimum you need to bring to an employer. It may sound as if I am trying to discourage you from the field, but I am not. It is a very interesting way to make a living, but the reality of the business just is not what it looks like from the outside. You need to be self-motivated and tough to survive, and by the time you do it for 20 years, you will hurt in more places than you thought you had places to hurt. Still, many of us find it very hard to leave.

  There are two paths to getting into the field, you can go to school or learn on the job. I did the latter, but school gets you going faster, and if you learn on the job, you need to apply yourself to learning everything you can as fast as you can. Going to school probably gives you a chance at a better starting wage, and you will have a starter set of tools bought inexpensively.

Heavy vs. Light: what are the differences between truck and light duty mechanics?

    I know quite a few mechanics, and many of the truck guys are at least passable light duty mechanics also. There seem to be far fewer car or pickup mechanics who can work on trucks. I don't believe this is a matter of ability, but rather of desire. Most light duty guys seem to have little interest in learning about working on trucks.
    I must say I find this kind of puzzling, as I find trucks as a whole much easier to work on. It seems as if every time I am forced to work on a light vehicle, the part I need to take off is buried behind three other parts. Heavy vehicles are also built to be taken apart and worn out parts replaced, while cars seem to be made to be used a few years, then thrown away.
    Parts are also much easier on trucks, as they use more generic parts that fit all (or most) brands. Brake chambers, shoes, airbrake valves, and driveline parts are common examples. Auto parts stores are forced to stock a dizzying array of parts for all brands, leading to inevitable problems with wrong parts and added cost. Of course, many truck parts are larger and heavier than the car counterpart, and there is more climbing to do when working on trucks.
    Truck or diesel mechanics may be slightly more highly paid than their light duty counterparts, but this may be partly offset by the larger tool expense most truck mechanics seem to have.
    Where both areas shine is in the software used in diagnosis. For the most part, both auto and truck diagnostic programs are straightforward and user friendly. I was very surprised when I started using a PC a lot and had to learn to use word processing and related programs, not to mention programs for drawing or picture modification. There seems to be a scheme to make software as opaque and complicated as possible. After easily learning to use diagnostic programs at several different mechanic jobs, I was surprised how long it took me to gain just a little proficiency with Windows or Microsoft office. Of course, when I was in high school computers were for sending guys to the moon, so the younger crowd who have grown up with them probably don't have the same problem.
 

vehicle lifts : working standing up

    Hi, everybody. I just thought I would write a paragraph about an experience I have had with vehicle lifts. I have worked at several different shops over the years, and have worked on light/medium duty vehicles on lifts, but for the past several weeks I have worked at a shop that has lifts for heavy trucks. My present employer works on everything, from cars to pickups to medium and heavy trucks. We have 2 drive-on light vehicle lifts, one heavy vehicle, in-floor hoist, and two sets of a lift I had no experience with. This setup is made by Stertil-Koni, but I am sure someone makes something similar. The system consists of 4 independent units to lift a vehicle by the wheels. Each unit can be wheeled into position and slid around a tire, then all 4 units lift as a team. The capacity of each unit is 13,000 lbs, so almost anything can be lifted. Additionally, the units can be operated in pairs or as singles. They lift as high as shop headroom will allow, so that you can walk right underneath and work without crouching.
  The first time I realized the worth of this system was when I helped do a clutch. Being able to reach the top of the transmission to unhook airlines and wire harnesses, without having to lie on a creeper and struggle, was a new experience. I found this way of working easier on the body and cleaner, as you are not rubbing your back on a creeper that is filthy from dirt falling off the vehicle. We unbuttoned everything but 2 bellhousing bolts, dropped the truck down, put the trans on the jack, undid the 2 bolts and pulled the trans. The vehicle could then be lifted back up to drop the clutch, flywheel, and do the crosshaft and input shaft. No more ramps in the way, no more jacking the truck up to get the trans out from under, no more stiff neck from creeper work. Never having worked this way before, I was skeptical when I first saw these lifts in operation, but now I am completely sold.

•  Access is easier - no ramps to get in the way of tranny jacks or other equipment.
• Work is much cleaner - dirt falls to the floor instead of your neck, face, or creeper. 
• No wasted time jacking and setting stands.
• One man setup - no one needed to guide you onto a ramp.

    Go to http://www.stertil-koni.com/en/products/mobile_column_lifts/st1060mobilelift/  to check it out