Careers as a Heavy Duty Mechanic

BigWrench55 · Feb 11, 2021

They must be adding scents to lubricants for the next generation of snowflakes to hit the industry. Don't need to get their delicate sensibilities to be offended and have them walking off the job because it smells like work.

Coaldust · Feb 11, 2021

Paul,

lol. Snowflakes.

In reality, GM customers complained about how stinky their vehicles were after having gear work completed in customer satisfaction surveys. GM responded by adding scent to the lube. lol. I laugh every time I see a bottle of that s$&t. !

Welder Dave · Feb 11, 2021

Worked with a welder who said he did extensive studies of which welding rods produced the most harmful smoke. Back in the day it wasn't common to wear a mask or respirator when welding on large tanks. He said he got headaches welding with 7018 but burning 7024 didn't affect him.

Coaldust · Feb 11, 2021

This hasn’t been mentioned yet, and I don’t want to hurt any feelings, so I’ll tread lightly because a lot of people went to these private schools.

Private diesel schools is the topic. Buyer beware! These places were and are very predatory . They advertise a fast-track, glossy alternative to traditional community college programs. Paid recruiters visiting high schools, TV infomercials, slick presentations.

They preyed on students who didn’t want to attend a traditional two-year program. No math, no writing, no academic classes. Just hands-on training.

Huge student loans! $40k for a 6-month training session. !

Look what happened. Corinthian, the parent company of Wyoming Tech, got busted by the DOJ for scamming students in 2015. Closed down in 2017. Lost the lawsuit.

2020 Guide to the WyoTech Lawsuit & Student Loan Forgiveness Program

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forgetstudentloandebt.com/student-loan-relief-programs/federal-student-loan-relief/federal-forgiveness-programs/wyotech-student-loan-forgiveness-programs/?amp

Coaldust · Feb 11, 2021

Welder Dave,

It’s scary. Hex-Chrome poisoning, the Zinc Shakes, the Galvy Flu, melanoma of the eye, leukemia, other cancers. I know, everything causes cancer, but welding isn’t particularly healthy. Even by following all PPE measures.

wornout wrench · Feb 11, 2021

DMiller said:
Oh what he will have missed with the organic clutch dust that managed to get into EVERY crevice on a hand and would not scrub away, Detroit Engine oil that was as good a stain at India ink!!!

Do so remember the days could not smell anything but diesel, for days, as nose had loaded out trying to find a bad cylinder staring at exhaust ports running at high idle! And dirt, Road grime, Quarry slurry, the LANDFILL when worked trash equipment. Still remember the blade ram had to change in a loaded truck oozing and reeking maggots crawling across my arm, puking was the easy part of that day.

Oh yes.
Open Gear Lube (gear dope)
One little dab hidden somewhere on you body, say behind an ear, that you didn't get off in the nightly steamclean at home (shower) and there goes another set of sheets or pillow cases.
I tried, lord knows I tried to make sure that I got it all off. But if you just put in a 12 plus hour day busting your butt trying to have a machine running for the morning, sometimes you miss a tiny dab.
My wife was good about it. She knew where the money was coming from so a bit of good natured ribbing and that was it. I think my count over the years was 4 or 5 pillows.
Pro tip. Mayonnaise works wonders getting gear dope out of your hair.
Hey Donkey Doctor, I bet you have a few stories.

And as far as garbage trucks.
Worked for a garbage truck company for 8 days.
Needed a job, was getting married and my wife was still in college so I just grabbed the first job I could find in that city.
8 days, in August.
A very hot August.
Longest 8 days of my working life.

I remember the maggots and the puking.
And the stink
And EVERYTHING ON THE TRUCKS WAS CORRODED

8 days.

Shudders.

Okay, whiskey time.

Birken Vogt · Feb 11, 2021

OK, back to the main topic. It is hard, dirty, dangerous work with long hours that requires you to be clever and have a functioning brain any hour of day or night. And a lot of money is riding on work being done perfectly, any deviation and the whole thing falls apart.

Why aren't we demanding and getting paid a lot more money?

My guess is that hillbillies and others are willing to work for peanuts and driving the rates down. That and cheapskate customers.

Don't work long hours for low pay, raise the rate so that hours are reasonable.

Truck Shop · Feb 11, 2021

Birken Vogt said:
hillbillies

Hoodly Dang's and Ricky Bobby's

Welder Dave · Feb 11, 2021

Trades used to be one of the higher paying jobs. For some it still can be but the majority it's about average. There are pencil pushers looking at a computer screen all day making considerably more money sitting on their butt in an air conditioned office. Gov't. is even worse. They complain a 37.5 hour work week is too much.

JD955SC · Feb 12, 2021

Coaldust said:
This hasn’t been mentioned yet, and I don’t want to hurt any feelings, so I’ll tread lightly because a lot of people went to these private schools.

Private diesel schools is the topic. Buyer beware! These places were and are very predatory . They advertise a fast-track, glossy alternative to traditional community college programs. Paid recruiters visiting high schools, TV infomercials, slick presentations.

They preyed on students who didn’t want to attend a traditional two-year program. No math, no writing, no academic classes. Just hands-on training.

Huge student loans! $40k for a 6-month training session. !

Look what happened. Corinthian, the parent company of Wyoming Tech, got busted by the DOJ for scamming students in 2015. Closed down in 2017. Lost the lawsuit.

2020 Guide to the WyoTech Lawsuit & Student Loan Forgiveness Program

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forgetstudentloandebt.com/student-loan-relief-programs/federal-student-loan-relief/federal-forgiveness-programs/wyotech-student-loan-forgiveness-programs/?amp

I fully agree Wyotech, UTI, etc are ripoffs and they are out for the suckers. I warn everybody away from them.

DMiller · Feb 12, 2021

WOW!!
My entire 10 mo course including all my books was under $5000 in 1975
Paid for working gas station part time.

JD955SC · Feb 12, 2021

DMiller said:
WOW!!
My entire 10 mo course including all my books was under $5000 in 1975
Paid for working gas station part time.

Mine was the same cost, including books (we used big binders locally printed by the program for $20 each instead of $100+ textbooks). If you worked for the dealership for three years rhey reimbursed the tuition completely and the provided starter tool set was yours. And this was five years ago so it was an extraordinarily cheap vs the UTI rape.

JD955SC · Feb 12, 2021

I’ll tell you another thing concerning expectations vs reality...the job turned out somewhat differently than I expected when I went into it. I expected a lot of engine work and a lot of big machines but what I got instead was a lot of anything but engine work and we only work on up to midsize because bigger stuff stays on-site.

I have done enough of the engine work to be OK with not doing a ton of it. It’s aggravating, tedious work with a lot of stress on that first key turn. I ended up becoming very skilled in electronics and electrical troubleshooting. I’m also not sad that I don’t get to work on the big stuff often because it’s a lot more climbing up and down.

56wrench · Feb 12, 2021

i noticed that nobody has mentioned working at an AG dealership. there can be a good variety of stuff to work on-compact tractors all the way up to the 600hp large tractors as well as harvesting equipment etc. sometimes ag dealerships are more willing to hire entry-level people just because most want to work on the big yellow stuff which pays more. and it can also depend on which part of the country you live in. ag work is likely more steady because it is consistent, as opposed to the cyclic nature of oil and mining etc. some people move around between types anyway, due to a variety of reasons. the best job i had was where you never knew what was coming in the door next. i get bored doing the same stuff all the time- maybe its attention deficit disorder

JD955SC · Feb 12, 2021

56wrench said:
i noticed that nobody has mentioned working at an AG dealership. there can be a good variety of stuff to work on-compact tractors all the way up to the 600hp large tractors as well as harvesting equipment etc. sometimes ag dealerships are more willing to hire entry-level people just because most want to work on the big yellow stuff which pays more. and it can also depend on which part of the country you live in. ag work is likely more steady because it is consistent, as opposed to the cyclic nature of oil and mining etc. some people move around between types anyway, due to a variety of reasons. the best job i had was where you never knew what was coming in the door next. i get bored doing the same stuff all the time- maybe its attention deficit disorder

I would like to get into Ag stuff too but it’s practically non existent around here. You’ll see a handful of combines and sprayers and such but most of the ag stuff is hobby farm stuff and smaller. The pay is abysmal too...they want to pay $12-15/hr. We sell a major Ag brand through some of our stores but most is smaller size stuff.

DMiller · Feb 12, 2021

AG dealers here cannot get applicants, those that do apply do not generally stick around if are hired.

56wrench · Feb 12, 2021

a lot of the ag dealerships around here have multiple locations and have huge, fairly new shops. take your pick of colours but around here, green is predominant. one advantage to starting at a green deere dealership is that it will be easier to switch to a yellow deere dealership if desired

lantraxco · Feb 12, 2021

My favorite flavor, though I'm late to the party, is dirt and brake fluid

There's always a line of younger, hungrier applicants to take your job, corporations like to turf out hands-on workers around 50 or so if they can, as we slow down and become wiser. They fire experience, hire cheap and energetic. Redo rates reflect this trend.

My most lost argument was about service mechanics and apprentices, the dealerships I worked at had a strict "One man, one machine" rule, set by the bean counters and efficiency experts. This only works well if all your techs are at or near journey level and have years of experience. I proposed a few times that we put a young new hire in team with one of the grey hair set coasting toward retirement. If you consider human nature, the young one's deference to age and experience (It does happen) would allow the old guy to prevent many screw ups from over eager syndrome, and most old guys would step up their game and not let "The kid" show them up. Seems natural to me, went over like a fart in church of course. YMMV

Birken Vogt · Feb 12, 2021

From the bean counters' perspective:

1. 95% of the time only one man is required as it is mundane stuff like taking off covers and putting them back again

2. If the old guy shows the new guy his tricks then he will get too fast too soon and that cuts into billable hours

lantraxco · Feb 12, 2021

Birken Vogt said:
From the bean counters' perspective:

1. 95% of the time only one man is required as it is mundane stuff like taking off covers and putting them back again

2. If the old guy shows the new guy his tricks then he will get too fast too soon and that cuts into billable hours

1) Response: Bean counters are idiots.

2) Response: We bill flat rate, faster is always better if no rework results.

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