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Heavy equipment tools

Bexsmoney

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Maryland
Just out of school and need to get tools can anybody give me a list of tools that they use i have to buy off Marco because they give the school a discount but all they have in sets is diesel truck set can anybody find the time to make out a list I heard I need metric but I'm lost help thank u
 

nowing75

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
898
Location
coatesville indiana
I would check with the company's and see what they require. If you are starting with nothing it will cost you a ton. Look at eBay and craigslist. I do well at auctions.
 

Bexsmoney

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Maryland
I would check with the company's and see what they require. If you are starting with nothing it will cost you a ton. Look at eBay and craigslist. I do well at auctions.

What do you recommend as a good starter set for heavy equipment
 

caterpillarmech

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Messages
533
Location
Florence Texas
Occupation
Field Service Supervisor
You are going to need standard wrenches and sockets up to 2". Metric wrenches and sockets up to 24mm should be fine. 3/8 1/2 and 3/4 impacts. Assorted screwdrivers and pliers. A good meter preferably a Fluke. 87 is a good all around meter. You don't have to have all of this to start. The older guys will usually help you out some. General rule is borrow it more than twice, you need to buy it. That said, I've bought some tools that have been out of the box once in the last 5 years. I will use it again but that's what it is for. Don't go crazy on the trucks. You can get yourself into a big hole real fast. Get what you can afford even if it is Chinese for now. Replace when you have more money or when it breaks. Ebay, craigslist, and amazon are great. Big savings even on the truck companies tools.
 

Bexsmoney

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Maryland
You are going to need standard wrenches and sockets up to 2". Metric wrenches and sockets up to 24mm should be fine. 3/8 1/2 and 3/4 impacts. Assorted screwdrivers and pliers. A good meter preferably a Fluke. 87 is a good all around meter. You don't have to have all of this to start. The older guys will usually help you out some. General rule is borrow it more than twice, you need to buy it. That said, I've bought some tools that have been out of the box once in the last 5 years. I will use it again but that's what it is for. Don't go crazy on the trucks. You can get yourself into a big hole real fast. Get what you can afford even if it is Chinese for now. Replace when you have more money or when it breaks. Ebay, craigslist, and amazon are great. Big savings even on the truck companies tools.

Thank you the school give me 2500 worth of tools from matco for free i just dont what to buy because nobody there wants to give me an idea you told me more then do all of them are truck mechanic and i will be working on heavy equipment like for a mining company the company just tell me metric tools because they have forgein equipment
 

OFF

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2009
Messages
1,047
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
HD Mechanic
Thank you the school give me 2500 worth of tools from matco for free i just dont what to buy because nobody there wants to give me an idea you told me more then do all of them are truck mechanic and i will be working on heavy equipment like for a mining company the company just tell me metric tools because they have forgein equipment

I agree with caterpillarmech. after about 24mm you don't need to worry about metric anymore. The imperial sizes fit very nicely on all the larger metric sizes.
Impacts with sockets in 3/8", 1/2, and 3/4" drive, 2 set of combo wrenches up to 1-1/2", 3/4 drive socket set up to 2", hammers, prybars, a meter, temperature gun, screw driver set, pliers, side cutters, gasket scrapers.....it will never end but that's a good start. No one will expect you to have it all on day 1.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana

Bexsmoney

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
16
Location
Maryland
Thanks allot guys it help allot I'm starting fresh with no tools so it a uphill battle if ya can think of anything else let me know ok
 

lantraxco

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
7,704
Location
Elsewhen
I love Matco, always have, I don't think you can go wrong there. I won't say they're equal or better than snap-off but excellent quality usually at a much better price. One thing, don't get yourself in hock to the tool truck guy, they offer easy credit to anybody with a job, but you're better off buying what you need a little at a time with whatever cash you can afford out of each paycheck.

Good luck, it's a hard living, but it gets in your blood, LOL :cool:
 

fixou812

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
Occupation
Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
Anywhere there is Big oil; Texas. North Dakota.Wyoming.Oklahoma etc
The pawn shops are full of (big) tools. ....sockets and wrenches between one and two inch etc.
If you're there or know someone vacationing there.
Have them build you a one thousand $? Pile and send you a pic.
If you like it have Paw bring it home after vacation.
 

pajibson

Senior Member
Joined
May 29, 2013
Messages
312
Location
metro detroit
I have also had really good luck at flea markets. sometimes it takes a little patience but you can get some ridiculously good deals there.
 

overworked

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
762
Location
northeast Pa.
In the beginning go for quantity, not quality, most tools have lifetime warranty, most places like sears, harbor freight, ect are open 7 days a week to get stuff warranty, tool trucks come 1 day a week charge more and don't always have it that one day, good luck, keep mouth shut and ears open and listen as much as you can. When in dought, ask for help, posts of good people around.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,128
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
In the beginning go for quantity, not quality, most tools have lifetime warranty, most places like sears, harbor freight, ect are open 7 days a week to get stuff warranty, tool trucks come 1 day a week charge more and don't always have it that one day, good luck, keep mouth shut and ears open and listen as much as you can. When in dought, ask for help, posts of good people around.

Also try not to make the mistake of saying, "That's not how my instructor said to do it!". Be diplomatic about questioning the way people tell you do do things. They may not be doing it "By the Book" but might be they have found from years of experience better ways to do things. And don't try to impress people by charging into something before being told to.

One example is, we had a new guy working at our shop, he had worked other places so he was not completely new to the business. Well one day I had a Mack truck in the shop I was trying to diagnose an intermittent failure to crank over problem. I had the dash apart to access the relays and was tuning the key on and off several times while checking the action of relays. Including the relay that sends power to the solenoid on the starter. As I went to climb out of the cab one time I see this guy slide out from under the truck. When I asked him what he was doing under there he says, "Just checking the clutch freeplay." Here I'm working under the dash on the starter circuit wiring and this ....... has his hands up inside the flywheel housing?? He looked at me like I was a jerk for getting a bit upset about it. I did tell him I didn't want to pull his mangled arm out of the flywheel housing. He did manage to get himself transferred to another part of the quarry and then later decided to move on to "bigger and better things".
 
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