Couldnt I take diesel mechanic courses?

i don't know that going to school is necessary. i have a background in auto repair. before i got involved with big trucks. no formal big truck training but with some mechanical aptitude once you get past everything being supersize its pretty simple.

 

I've never really been much of a mechanic. I can do brakes on my old pick-up or change an alternator. A few weeks back, I developed an oil leak on the right side of my c13. I wanted to know what was leaking and get an idea of repair cost before taking it to the shop. So, I grabbed my tool box with only basic tools and proceeded to dig into it. It only took me 5 hours to remove and reinstall both turbos and the pre-cooler. A lot of folks could have probably done it faster. But I think I did ok considering there was a bit of a rain delay and 15 minutes searching for a 7/16" nut I dropped in the gravel under the truck. Keep in mind though that I recently had the exhaust manifold replaced a few weeks back and none of the bolts were seized up yet (and CAT took 20+ hours to do that). It just takes a little mechanical knowledge and a bunch of good ole common sense to be a parts changer. Diagnosing problems? well, that's what these forums are for! lol

 

Learning how to work on a truck that someday you may own?. That's two different things. It's good to have some mechanical knowledge, But it's hard to know everything about your truck, Unless that's all you do. You cant carry all the parts and tools you may need if you break down on the side of the road. And even if you have your own shop, Wow, It's a lot. But it's good to carry some basic tools with you. I do fabricating and welding for the truck repair place I work for, and some times more than that. I don't do motors, trans,or brakes however over the years I have gained knowledge to do those things . The shop has over 35 people and no one person can do it all, well except the owner who thinks he can do it all. LOL. Bottom line, If you want to learn, you will. And I don't think they have a school just for working on trucks unless it's a tech coarse for specific kind of manufacture. Good luck.

 

If you're a decent shade tree mechanic, you ought to be able to handle most maintenance and minor repairs easy enough.

 

I graduated from college in 1975 with a degree in Diesel Tecnology.

I'm not sure if I could even change the oil in my new truck. In fact, I prefer that Kenworth does it.

Maybe it's just because I'm getting lazy.

But the education I received helps me keep those mechanics in line.

 

I haven't dug too far into a big truck yet but like you I'm trying to do and learn what I can for when I buy mine. From what I've done so far these trucks are easier to work on than cars because everything is more accessible. Only downside is everything on trucks is big and heavy, no scrawny kids allowed working on these things.

 

a lot of things look like oh there's so much room till you realize the wrench you have to get in there is 2ft long. really though trucks are not that hard to work on start with the small stuff first like lights and other common little items and move to the bigger stuff the more you get comforitable

 

And practice doing it on the side of the road at night in minus 40 degree cold with wind and snow whipping around you....because that's usually the time when you're on your own and need to get it repaired yourself or at least
jerry-rigged to get it to the closest town for proper repair !

 

Well growing up my dad had a small engine shop/farm supply store, so ive been working on small engines since I was about 6 years old. I learned a lot working with dad after school , but after I bought a combine with a blown engine, I ordered a service manual and rebuilt that 6 cylinder allis diesel. and I had no prior experience with diesels. I think the biggest thing is to have a proper service manual with disassembly steps along with the technical notes and torque values etc.. you cant very often go wrong if you carefully follow a factory manual....after all that what the dealers mechanics and everybody uses too...