Hi all! Currently working my way through a heavy duty apprenticeship at a CAT dealership. Just wondering what tools a guy should have in his box/service truck when it comes to working on the yellow stuff in particular? We have a tool crib with pullers, BFH, 1" socket, engine tooling, etc. I'm talking more hand tools! Mainly work on earthmoving and compact equipment. Feel free to mention your must have tools that are non cat specific.
I'd be lost without a Deutsche crimper and terminals. And Deutsche and AMP terminal extractors. 1-3/16" (or metric equivalent) 3/4drive 6pt socket for loosening hydraulic cap on excavators. I've encountered some really stubborn ones. Square nose male 1/2" socket in 3/4 drive for final drive fill and drain plugs. Point and shoot laser thermometer. Standalone laser tachometer.
Quality basic hand tools, aside from what's been mentioned, hydraulic rams. Enerpac, OTC, something, hell, even a basic bottle jack will get you by in a pinch. Something big always needs persuading. Chain come along. Plenty of straps and clevis. 3 or 4 hook bridle. Caps , plugs, flanges and blocking plates for whatever you're working on. For Cat, youd be fine w ORFS and JIC , w code 62 and some 61, maybe. Gauges and needle valves. Surface temp gun. Maybe a photo tach. And my most important tool of all.... my pen. Second most important is a good quality, rough and tumble DVOM.
They don't supply all the tooling up there?
That's what I was thinking. Usually the dealer supplies everything but hand and air tools up to say 3/4 or so. If they don't do that anymore, I hope your getting at least $60 an hour!
Also a Cat mechanic here. Get on Sis and follow the links on the left side till you see the dealer tool catalog and download it. Tons of stuff you never knew existed in it You want a good multimeter and the cat spoons for backprobing. You will need to get a DC clamp multimeter later and a battery tester is also nice. I have a 12/24v test light also for quickly checking fuses. The Cat gauges are nice for hydraulic troubleshooting. Angle wrenches, crows feet (the Sunex set from 1 1/16 to 2” should cover you well for $80), service wrenches (aka pump wrench). Lifting links for rigging, four in small and four in large (for cabs). A quarter ton mini come along. Try to spend better than the Harbor Freight one The Lisle tap sockets (both sets). Buy individual US made HSS taps in the common sizes, especially 10, 12, 16 mm A good set of R134 gauges, UV light, dye injector, and hopefully your shop supplies a nitrogen pressure test kit but if not be thinking about one in the future. A vent thermometer. I hate AC work but it’s a necessary evil IR thermometer A vacuum coolant filler tool (Airlift filler) if your shop does not have one. Need it for Tier 4 engines b/c of the EGR cooler OTC makes three sixes of band filter wrenches with the 1/2 square drive. They are a joy to use compared to a strap wrench The four finger grabber retrievel tool is great for fishing stuff into places. Not very good for retrieving anything but good for running a wire or a piece of nylon strapping to tie to something Flush cut pliers for ziptie trimming Straight, angle, long neck die grinders. Deadblow softface hammers Needle gun. Air hammer. Air hammer is good for spinning plugs out after they strip.
They do as far as installers, pullers, a/c stuff, rigging. I was referring more to the hand tools and such, specialized tooling that isn't gonna make or break the job but makes common tasks faster/easier. Like Cat PN# 6V-4058, 5/8" 12point starter bolt extension. Makes taking that third bolt between the block and starter way easier.
Thanks for everyone's input!
Cat 6V9048 and 6V9049 drill bits for the tough stuff