Mobile Heavy Equipment Text Books

[C.Tremblay]

Hi, I'm looking for a good learning resource relating to modern mobile heavy equipment. Currently I am doing my ITA Lvl1 heavy equipment technician (BC, Canada) with that we are using the CDX "medium/heavy duty commercial vehicle systems" text books. They combine commercial transport and heavy equipment for the first 3 years, and since commercial transport has higher safety implications, they drastically weigh towards that trade and skimp on heavy equipment. Therefore the information is limited with relation the off highway heavy equipment, and I would prefer to get as much understanding as I possibly can.

I went and got "Hydraulic Systems for Mobile Equipment" by Dell, Timothy W. And I am so far very pleased with how much more content it has compared to the CDX Textbooks that are used in my course.

I have the "Audel Millwrights and Mechanics Guide" ordered, but have not received it yet. I am under the impression it is supposed to be more of a field reference book, rather than a learning book.

I have been focusing on hydraulics so far and with that I have been watching Jim Pytel's youtube channel and his "bigbadtech" lectures. They have been very good so far, however they are based more on fixed systems (wind turbines), however the information is still relevant and extremely informative. I have watched a couple of the lunchbox sessions videos and I am pleased with them as well. I also have been reading the insane hydraulics blog, which is a good read, and points out a lot of real world information.

I would like to find a heavy equipment centered textbook outlining heavy equipment systems in more depth such as engines, hydro static transmissions, pumps, actuators, motors, valving, electrical systems, final drives, house, tracks, etc. Preferably more from a service/repair perspective.

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[Welder Dave]

I would think one or more of the major manufactures like Cat would have something but it's going to be pricey. Probably different manuals for different systems. Most manufacturers offer factory training so they must have reference books.

 

[92U 3406]

Alberta's got some good books for its apprenticeship program. Even BC used Alberta's books for their pre-app program when I went through it. They aren't too expensive. IIRC I paid about $150 for the books per year. They're just a bunch of paperback books that are about 40ish pages long each.

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ILMOrder/listall.asp

 

[YukonJeff]

I did my apprenticeship in BC, the curriculum has always been way too heavily set towards Commercial Transport.


John Deere FOS (fundamentals of service) books are excellent for the basic hydraulic/hydrostatic systems, they're not up to date, but the basics are still the same and that's the most important stuff to understand. Every manufacturer takes the basics and gives it their own twist.

I keep a Vickers hydraulic book in my service truck, comes in handy every once in a while for more complicated valves. I'll grab the title tomorrow....it's -25C out right now....I'm not going outside.

Thing I've found with Cat manuals / system descriptions is they like to use their own terminology which gets really confusing when working on anything else. Now of course the Cat guys will eat me alive for saying that..... On the flip side their entire machine electrical schematics are awesome.

For modern hydrostatic system descriptions look for John Deere J series Dozers or 300 series Skid Steer "Theory of Operation"
Hydraulic system descriptions, Volvo does a pretty good job at explaining their Excavator hydraulic systems.

Keep in mind that current hydraulic/hydrostatic systems....any system for that matter, are heavily electronically controlled and the mechanical system is only half of what you need to know. Having a strong understanding of computer operations and electronic systems is very valuable.

 

[f311fr1]

Look up the International Fluid Power Socitey. They have the hydraulic side covered with a full list of courses and certifications. I can speak from personal experiance that the certification will go a long way toward your future.

 

[GaryHoff]

+1 on the John Deere FOS books

None of the trade schools spend too much time on hydraulics. I think its because of the large variations and combinations of hydraulic circuits. My advice would be to learn the basic principles of hydraulics, then study the models that you will be working on. Follow their schematics, and make sure you understand how it works.

I really enjoy this website, it combines humor with hydraulic repairs.
http://www.insanehydraulics.com/

Make sure you take the test:
http://www.insanehydraulics.com/test.html

 

[mikebramel]

Shame he doesn't post anymore

 

[92U 3406]

I did my apprenticeship in BC, the curriculum has always been way too heavily set towards Commercial Transport.


John Deere FOS (fundamentals of service) books are excellent for the basic hydraulic/hydrostatic systems, they're not up to date, but the basics are still the same and that's the most important stuff to understand. Every manufacturer takes the basics and gives it their own twist.

I keep a Vickers hydraulic book in my service truck, comes in handy every once in a while for more complicated valves. I'll grab the title tomorrow....it's -25C out right now....I'm not going outside.

Thing I've found with Cat manuals / system descriptions is they like to use their own terminology which gets really confusing when working on anything else. Now of course the Cat guys will eat me alive for saying that..... On the flip side their entire machine electrical schematics are awesome.

For modern hydrostatic system descriptions look for John Deere J series Dozers or 300 series Skid Steer "Theory of Operation"
Hydraulic system descriptions, Volvo does a pretty good job at explaining their Excavator hydraulic systems.

Keep in mind that current hydraulic/hydrostatic systems....any system for that matter, are heavily electronically controlled and the mechanical system is only half of what you need to know. Having a strong understanding of computer operations and electronic systems is very valuable.

I did my pre-app in BC but did the apprenticeship in AB. At the time of my pre-app they had it broken into 2 different programs: Heavy Duty and Commercial Transport. Everyone I spoke to said go with the HD program even if you plan to work on trucks since it apparently holds more weight.

 

[GaryHoff]

mikebramel,

He just started posting again after a 5 year hiatus. Here is his latest post:
http://www.insanehydraulics.com/letstalk/suction.html

 

[C.Tremblay]

I did my pre-app in BC but did the apprenticeship in AB. At the time of my pre-app they had it broken into 2 different programs: Heavy Duty and Commercial Transport. Everyone I spoke to said go with the HD program even if you plan to work on trucks since it apparently holds more weight.

ya I am doing HD. However what they are doing is combining the two courses up until the 3rd year. so essentially I am in a mixed class of Commercial transport and HD until my 4th year. the downside for the HD guys such as my self, is for the first 3 years the curriculum weighs heavily towards the commercial transport. then the 4th year is so short, you do not get enough time to get deep into anything. I am very displease with the system. However if I want my IP I have to go through it.

----

I do like the insane hydraulics blog.

I pre ordered "Modern Diesel Technology: Heavy Equipment Systems" Third Edition by Robert Huzij, Angelo Spano, and Sean Bennett. It is released January 1st. It sounds like it is what I am looking for.

CDX who makes the commercial transport book I am using as part of the course has a heavy duty book as well. I have tried to order it, however I keep getting my orders canceled "because I need to buy it through a course". Hopefully It will become available on Amazon again.

 

[DMiller]

OK let this sink in, I was a newly released US Army person in 1975, gained a spot at David Ranken Tech ST. Louis for the diesel gas engine tech course. 10 months later of the 33 that started 15 of us graduated, me number two in class. Did basic drive train, engines, fuel systems gas and diesel, major engine work, welding, hydraulics, power generation and suspension/brakes. Each month was a new subject so one could NOT fall behind and HAD to carry a B or better to advance. ALL generic but to the point, first job as of graduation, line mechanic truck shop on flat rate. Thrown from the frying pan into the fire.

 

[f311fr1]

Look at the Womack Fluid Power books. Also Eaton has hydraulic texts.

 

[92U 3406]

ya I am doing HD. However what they are doing is combining the two courses up until the 3rd year. so essentially I am in a mixed class of Commercial transport and HD until my 4th year. the downside for the HD guys such as my self, is for the first 3 years the curriculum weighs heavily towards the commercial transport. then the 4th year is so short, you do not get enough time to get deep into anything. I am very displease with the system. However if I want my IP I have to go through it.

Alberta does something similar. On Road or Off Road are both 3 year apprenticeships. For On Road you do years 1, 2 and 4. Off Road is years 1, 2 and 3. If you do all 4 years (the full program) They issue you 4 tickets (Red Seal On Road, Red Seal Off Road, Alberta Transport Trailer and Alberta Heavy Equipment Technician)

 

[C.Tremblay]

OK let this sink in, I was a newly released US Army person in 1975, gained a spot at David Ranken Tech ST. Louis for the diesel gas engine tech course. 10 months later of the 33 that started 15 of us graduated, me number two in class. Did basic drive train, engines, fuel systems gas and diesel, major engine work, welding, hydraulics, power generation and suspension/brakes. Each month was a new subject so one could NOT fall behind and HAD to carry a B or better to advance. ALL generic but to the point, first job as of graduation, line mechanic truck shop on flat rate. Thrown from the frying pan into the fire.

I see your point and it is potential that I may get hired at a truck shop out of school since I am staying south and not heading back up north to my old HD mechanic job. Truck shops hire 20+ mechanics, HD Service hires 2 or 3. However I have Heavy duty experience (around 2000 hours) plus I have my Journeyman welding and about 1000 hours of Millwright experience. I am going for heavy duty mechanics, and with my current experience I am more than likely to get a heavy duty job. I dont care if a truck shop hires me, a pay check is a pay check lol, but I want to learn and prepare for the trade I want to go into. I am happy learning air brakes, because I likely will use that skill; in fact at my old job I did constantly fix air brakes in the bush, when the logging trucks had issues. However I want to spend 3 days on air brakes and a week and a half on hydraulic systems, which is the exact opposite of what we did. For example this course taught me, and tests me on the heavy truck brake foundations, however not one mention of track drives which is what my career centers around. Hence why I am going above and beyond what my course requires. Because I want to learn Heavy Duty Equipment and be good at what I do.

Once I get my Heavy Equipment I am allowed to challenge the test for the Commercial Transport and get both tickets. So in theory I should end up with my Welding, HD Mech, and Commercial Transport. I am also considering challenging my millwright, potentially leaving me with 4. However if I manage to find a good HD job I may never actually bother with millwright.

 

[Inthedirt42]

For example this course taught me, and tests me on the heavy truck brake foundations, however not one mention of track drives which is what my career centers around. Hence why I am going above and beyond what my course requires. Because I want to learn Heavy Duty Equipment and be good at what I do.

Because that's what you do in pre app (now lvl 1 which your taking)
When you get to third and fourth year you may feel more like your getting your money's worth out of your schooling (gears, advanced hydraulics) but for now I would relax a bit and really focus on what they are teaching. And if you have good instructors then asking the right questions can really help yourself learn a thing or two.

If I were you I would look at the books required for your 3rd and 4th year. Very good at teaching you how different systems operate but like someone already mentioned, every manufacturer puts there own spin on things which makes a lot of this stuff irrelevant.

<- Red seal hd mechanic in bc under new curriculum

 

[Coaldust]

Another vote for Tim Dell's book. Besides the Eaton Hydraulic book, there just wasn't anything else available. The Eaton book is good, but is specifically geared towards the Vikers/Eaton product line. Tim's book is now popular with heavy equipment and transportation technology programs across the states. He put a lot of time and energy in it. I was on the publishers review team for Tims book.

The Sean Bennet, Heavy equipment Systems 2nd ed text is decent. There are not many good heavy equipment text books available. Some of the manufacturers have good stuff. Caterpillar has a huge library, but getting access to the media is difficult. The JD FOS stuff is great, but has an ag emphasis.

 

[C.Tremblay]

Another vote for Tim Dell's book. Besides the Eaton Hydraulic book, there just wasn't anything else available. The Eaton book is good, but is specifically geared towards the Vikers/Eaton product line. Tim's book is now popular with heavy equipment and transportation technology programs across the states. He put a lot of time and energy in it. I was on the publishers review team for Tims book.

The Sean Bennet, Heavy equipment Systems 2nd ed text is decent. There are not many good heavy equipment text books available. Some of the manufacturers have good stuff. Caterpillar has a huge library, but getting access to the media is difficult. The JD FOS stuff is great, but has an ag emphasis.

I am so far pretty happy with Tim Dells book. Im 85% through.

 

[C.Tremblay]

So far I am nearing the end of "Hydraulic Systems for Mobile Equipment" by Dell, Timothy W. and I am pretty pleased with it. It definitely will not replace field experience, however I feel it will leave me with a good foundation to progress from.

I ordered the Kindle version of "Fundamentals of Mobile Heavy Equipment (Cdx Learning Systems)" by Gus Wright and Owen C. Duffy which is the Equipment version of my course textbook. I am much happier with its content despite it being very similar, and I have been using it instead of the commercial truck CDX book. Obviously there is content within each that is not in the other, so I have to jump around to get the course content down in prep for tests. However I am finding that actually beneficial as I cant just read through on autopilot.

I received the "Audel Millwrights and Mechanics Guide". I have not started reading it yet however I have skimmed through and it is definitely millrat centered, However I am looking forward to reading it as it has an insane wealth of knowledge from what I could see.

I have pre ordered "Modern Diesel Technology: Heavy Equipment Systems" by by Robert Huzij,‎ Angelo Spano,‎ Sean Bennett. It is supposed to be released Jan 1st. From what I can tell they cover the same topics as the CDX, so at the very least it will be a good review to solidify the knowledge with a fresh read. However I am hopeful that it will be a little more advanced than the CDX book.

I am also considering purchasing access to https://www.lunchboxsessions.com/ however it is a pretty steep price tag so I am delaying. I have been increasingly watching their youtube videos to supplement the Tim Dell hydraulic book. They are a lot shorter and too the point than the Jim pytel videos. I find the Pytel videos to be deeper, however they tend to drone on, and I only have X amount of time in a day.

 

[Ldvlie]

Introduction to Closed Loop Oil Systems by Rory S Mclaren is an excellent explanation of the basics of an HST circuit. Gives a very good base to build off of. Another by the same guy is Troubleshooting Hydraulic Components using Leakage Path Analysis Methods. I purchased both through Hydracheck.

 

[Coaldust]

Rory is a character. Great Dude. His classes are excellent, too.