- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
-
Replies
-
Well that depends more on you and what you want to be working on. Successful diesel techs make more money than auto techs like me. I’m sure I could/would like to be a successful diesel tech but I hate working on domestic vehicles and trucks, plain and simple. If diesels came in cars the way they do in Europe, I’d be all over it.
I am a big rig tech. I went to school for both. I can tell you that being a diesel tech in a car dealership can make you a rare commodity though it is no guarantee. As a big rig tech our job is a lot more physically demanding and a little less technically demanding but, only slightly. Big rigs have a lot of standards that you do not have in the auto industry.
Things like controllers and the names for devices are all standardized for the electronic and sensor side. When they first come out the names will be whatever but, after 5 yrs it normally gets a standard name. We have electronic control units same as cars the difference is its mandated so a transmission controller controls the transmission. We also use a single serial bus for the main controllers and a secondary for secondary controllers aka less wires and communication between all devices is possible.
Big rigs are like ordering from amazon you get to pick and choose who makes what. So say you want a Cummins with an Allison transmission they can do that or you want a Detroit with a Eaton transmission they can do that as well. Some manufacturers don’t allow certain brand but, for the most part you can pick between Cummins, Detroit, and the manufacturer brand engine. Pick between Eaton or Allison for transmissions btw both brands make automatic and manual.Pick between Bendix and Meritor for brakes. There are more brand options these are just the major ones I can remember off my head. This goes the same for audio systems and the thickness of paint on the frame. There is something like 37,000 selectable features. This makes it a pain in the butt when doing diag at independent shops hence why there are not that many of them. It also is why there are so many standards because you can pick and choose. It is not like the car world where you get all the same thing every time for every brake controller, caliper, etc on a vehicle.
The physicality of diesel mechanics kind of forces you to have to be a big strong person. Simple example our brake drums on a normal over the road highway tractor is 65-85lbs min. Wheel (Steel) and tire together weigh approx 300lbs not really any lifting that by hand you use a prybar which on hub piloted that is rusted is always fun. If you are thinking power regeneration best way is cummins and ya you still need to torque head bolts to hundreds of foot lbs an ISX is 150ft lbs then to 300ft lbs and then an additional 90 Degrees. Ya its head bolts so you need to torque them so aka no using an impact. Also depending on the space given you probably aren’t going to be using a 6′ long ratchet. In some cases you are stuck with a 2 ft ratchet and using your legs and arms. That is on an engine btw and it is something used in large diesel power generators as well as big rigs. Another possibility is marine. Once again you are limited by space. So it is a very labor intensive job that is very physically demanding. Btw, batteries weigh in excess of 50lbs all the way up to 150lbs. Everything is heavy.
If you choose big rigs be warned 85-90% of drivers use piss jugs. Statistically I have noticed about the same percentage with piss absorbed into the floor foam which regularly has to be removed to remove engine covers, etc. Also big rigs haul all kinds of things from propane, nerve gas (phosgene gas), to garbage trucks, to sulfur mines, etc. So you will be around all kinds of things that can kill you all the time and all it takes is one screw up not even by you. Then there is the fact you work on School Buses. Yeah you want to talk about not screwing something up yet adhering to book times. Along with that more and more of the industry is switching to flat rate. Which means you are going to be doing that excessively hard work at a furious speed around tons more stuff that can kill you then automotive.
Tools you need better quality and stronger tools. You need 3/4″ drive tools at least hand ones and in most places impacts. You need large wrenches we are talking1 1/16″ up to 2″ and matched with at least hand tool sockets. Almost everything you buy will need to be impact grade for sockets and extensions because chrome just doesn’t cut it unless its Snap-On and even they break often.
The pros are that mainly tried and true methods are used for the most part. The mechanics is normally a lot simpler in design. If you are like me and have 13in forearms you can actually reach into places where I swear even someone doing coke on the daily can’t fit into most cars tight spots without removing everything in the world. You are almost always the strongest person where ever you go. You will have the same knowledge as most auto techs with less of the computer and electrical nightmares. You normally get paid more and it is normally a significant amount more on avg at least $2 difference over automotive. You will job security pretty much guaranteed if you can last and it is not effected as much by the economy. There are major fleets where you can make some really good money. There is government and transportation authority jobs with good benefits and decent pay. You can go pretty much anywhere in the world and because of the standards set by the manufacturers you will be able to work on their trucks as well. You will almost always be right near major interstates if you live close tow ork so getting places is normally fast as hell.
There’s quite a demand for diesel mechanics around here with the oil field, farming and ranching, etc. It’s not my cup of tea because of the size and weight of some of that stuff you have to move around. I’m an import car guy so my diesel experience has been limited mostly to VW and a few others. I enjoyed working on diesels because I considered them easier and more of a money-maker.
An old man I knew who is now deceased was rich due to building his trucking company up from nothing. Even with his money he wore old overalls every day and could be found working on an old semi. He would come out of there absolutely black from wrestling cylinder liners out of a 2 million miles diesel or putting a clutch in. Gritty old guy who enjoyed grease under the nails and could outwork most people half his age, including me, any day of the week.
I would think that you would have to obtain your CDL also but MDK22 could probably speak for that better than I could.
Most places require a CDL theory being if you have one you can test drive the truck. though they normally give you like 6 months to get one. They also normally know where to get it cheap. Btw, you will also need to learn once there how to drive a forklift as dead truck generally can’t be pulled by anything less then one or another truck. Also when you do that you need to air up air tanks to release brakes. Also if you thought turning a car wheel was hard without power steering try a truck lol.
Many years ago I had to remove a couple of flat tires from some 40 foot trailers and had to do it by hand. I decided then and there I wanted no part of it……
The son of one of my best friends was working for a trucking company and got killed instantly when a tire blew up on him; and he was using the safety cage. Pretty sad because I knew him from the time he was a baby and he was a good young man at the time of his passing.
Yep. Those tires are freaking dangerous. Anytime it is below 80 psi I refuse to fill the tire. I have no idea how long it has been that way and anything below that when you refill it you take a serious chance on killing yourself. Not to mention split rims. Those things will cut you clean in half. Being a Big Rig Technician is far far more dangerous then cars.
These are split rims exploding:
Regular Semi Tire exploding with zipping sound audible:
^ This video you can see the force the force alone can kill you. Also sometimes it is not that slow they are more then likely filling the tire at a slow rate due to the fact they knew it was going to blow.
Case in point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC7qRC8AYK8Another reason why I don’t trust tires on big rigs:
^This cannot be good for the tire. I have heard of and seen drivers do this on the side of the road when stranded.
What is actually happening:
I am not trying to talk you out of it. I am just giving you the reality of the job.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.