Hello everyone I am new to the forum and am very glad I found this forum. I just got offered my dream job as a mobile heavy equipment mechanic at the company I work at and was wondering if anyone could just give some over all advice in regards to what tools I need as far as must haves as I already have a lot of tools and also just whatever advice anyone would like to share . A little about me, I went to Los Angeles trade tech and majored in diesel technology and the cement and aggregate company I work for now recruited me straight out of school. I started out working swing on cement mixers and any chance I got I would work on the yellow iron I would jump at and a little over a year later after showing interest in going to the heavy equipment repair side they offered me a service truck, working days and on the job training with the heavy equipment mechanics. Also I wasn't sure if this was the right thread but I figured since I work for a aggregate company I was in the right place. Last question are we aloud to say what company you work for? Thank you and I look forward to hearing everyones responses.
Tools depend on what you are going to be doing. I run the gambit. 301 this morning and a 385 at night so I carry as much as possible. I have sockets up to 3 1/2", multipliers, pullers, and I stopped counting at 12 different wrench sets. Got to have impacts to run it all as well. I also carry grinders, welder, torch, and tap and dye sets. I can fix most parts without a second run. You will learn fast what you need specific to your job. When you have to borrow it more than twice, buy it. Don't max yourself out. Get what you need but watch your spending. Make sure you have enough to live afterwards. Nothing like having a big Snap On box and your living on ramen noodles! Yes you can say and most of us know by where you are or can figure it out. We don't out of professional courtesy. No airing dirty laundry here. Don't get hauled into the bosses office with a rant you posted, the system is watching you:eek2
Cordless impacts are a beautiful thing for field work. Find a brand you like and slowly build your inventory. Impact swivel socket sets are all I use because you can get onto a lot more bolts.
x2!! Love my cordless impacts I have both snap on and IR and for the money you can't beat the new IR lithium guns in 1/2 and 3/8. I use my impact swivel sockets every day! As far as extra supply I like the plastic organizer boxes found at harbor freight for misc. parts and hardware, as stated above you will find out what you need to carry with you the more you get into it.
Thank you very much guys for your responses I think its awesome that there are professionals on here that are willing to share a little advice to a green horn. Caterpillarmech is there any must haves you can list? I know I can't get everything even though I want to lol I just want to be as self sufficient as I can be. Basically I will be driving to our other plants to train with the heavy equipment mechanics a couple times a week and then the rest of the week I will be doing PMS and small repairs I can handle until I get the hang of it. Anyone know of any good information I should get a hold of to under stand how the hydraulic system works on cat and komastu loaders and dozers? I know how a basic hydraulic system works from working on mixers for the past year but I know heavy equipment is a whole different ball game and I thrive off of knowledge in service manuals but nothing beats hands on training with someone wholes been doing it for a decade. Mobiletek and tekemp I already bought to gearwrench 1/2 inch drive impact swivel socket sets metric and standard are 3/8 drive must have also? Anybody have experience with the Milwaukee fuel 1/2 cordless impact? Is seems like a pretty awesome gun. And how do you guys charge your batteries on the service truck a inverter? Thanks again so glad I found this forum?
Going to be trouble shooting a 980G bucket leveling system today and rebuild a slider for the seat in a 988H today can't wait! And also I want to post some pics of my new to me service truck so do I have to block off the name?
I personally don't have any experience with the Milwaukee guns but I have not heard anything bad about them, and yes I would recommend and 3/8 cordless impact and 3/8 swivel sockets I know I use them a lot! Also for electrical trouble shooting you can't beat a power probe! As far as service info. I can't say for Komatsu but for cat if your company has a lot of equipment I would think they have CAT SIS/ET?
I use the M18 Milwaukee impact, and it is awesome. I seldom use an air wrench anymore, unless I need 1" drive. The other great thing about the M18 setup is that just about any other power tool you want is available and can use the same batteries and charger. I carry the M18 grinder and 1/2" drill/driver, too On edit: I do charge my tool batteries with an inverter, though a 12 volt charger is available. With 2 batteries and 1 charger, I have never run out of power, but if you were going to do a long hard grinding job, you might need 1 more.
We have cat et but I don't think I have access to sis as I am kinda away from the main shop I meant more along the lines of a good basic hydraulic manual of some sort to get a better idea how everything works and awesome mitch504 were did you buy your Milwaukee?
Well if trying to trouble shoot the 980G you better have Cat ET on laptop. Just saw where you do have ET, that should be good enough for now. Do you have the 980G service manual? That would give you the wiring diagram and it would help you to locate components. One thing that may help to know is if the problem seems to be in the bucket leveler make sure the boom angle sensor is working properly. The boom angle sensor can cause the ECM to get confused and mess with the bucket leveler. Also have found on at least one 980G the harness to the tilt sensor to have broken wire in side the conduit near the upper boom pin. Slider on 988H could be something as simple as dirt in the mechanism. If you are going to be working on many Newer Cat machines it would help to have tools and fittings for repairing Deutsch connectors for the wiring. If you can get company to provide the tool get the one from Cat if you need to buy it check on line for one, not a nice as Cat's but has work for me. Not sure about you question about posting pictures of service truck, guess it might be something your company might be able to answer. Some times they can get very paranoid about publicity, especially if you were to say something negative. Any chance they are owned by a German company???
The fuel milwalkee works great unles the temp goes negative. Keep an eye out on eBay for the larger wrenches as I have got some good deals as well as sockets. Local auctions can be good. I have some manuals on pdf if your interested and I belive some hydraulic training. If your intersted send me a your email and I will send s link. Good luck in your new endever.
Heck ya I want those PDF I just sent you a message nowing75. Also I have kind of checked out the forum a little more after work today and was I supposed to post this in shop section?
Might have been better in the shop section. Maby the guys In charge can move if you would like.
Welcome, and glad to hear you are doing well. As far as blocking out the name, that would depend on company policy. On here, we have no policy I know of, but your employer might, especially oif they are one of the bigger companies. Share what you can, but don't get yourself in trouble at work.
Flea markets are also a good source for filling out your tool kit. I have picked up some stuff at a phenomenal savings just by being patient and hitting the flea market on a regular basis. about 2 months ago a found a CP 1" impact for $40. The very next saturday I got a williams 10 pc socket set for to go with it for 25. beyond that the local craigslist and ebay have both been pretty good to me as well for tools. PM me your email address and I'll send you a link to my drop box for all the manuals etc I have too.
Welcome to HEF vera66. :drinkup I have to agree with what's been posted previously, posting pics here at HEF is no problem, but many companies and sites get paranoid at what gets posted on the internet. If your employer/company has no issue post away. And as far as tools/equipment, again as was posted earlier, it depends on the type of equipment you work on, time on the job will sort that out for you. And just as a notice to all above, yes, I think this thread would fit better in the Shop Talk section. I'll give it a little time then I'll move the thread to shop talk.
Hydraulic fitting caps and plugs are nice to keep everything clean. I have been collecting them and adapter fittings for checking pressure.
To help offset the cost of the cap & plug collection I cut the ends off of hoses I have replaced and weld them up. A trick I saw someone mention on here.
In regards to making your own caps and plugs do you know if that would be msha approved? I work on a mine and from what my foreman says I can't have any how made tools or lifting device without a weight rating and so on
whenever you get a hose replaced ask for the hose dude to put plugs on the ends to keep clean slowly your collection will build and the hose will stay clean
Discount hydraulics has them at a decent price. Seams I always buy them and still I don't have what I need. Had a fuel line I wanted to plug into and I find not have the right fittings.
Just a quick tip for you, a cheater pipe is a BIG no no. The MSHA guys around here will bust you quick for that. However if you have a piece of 11/4 pipe 4 feet long in the truck, that is a Handrail you have'nt installed yet.
I can understand to some extent the problem with cheater pipes, but there are many times when say the only tool that might fit on the bolt is a 3/4 socket on a breaker bar, long (4 FOOT) ratchet just wont fit in the tight space. Then slipping a 4 foot section of 1 1/4 pipe on the breaker bar is not putting any more load on the socket or 3/4 drive than would be on it "if" the ratchet would fit in the space. Just glad I only have to deal with this kind of thinking for 15 more work days then I can haul my tools home along with the homemade tools and cheater pipes and work on my own stuff in my garage or back yard without having to check the door before doing some "Illegal Act":naughty
Trust me, I felt the frustration too, when you need a custom bent wrench or a one off lifter bracket you do what needs done then hide it when done with it. MSHA doesn'nt recognise gray areas or "How else can I get this done"? They are there to protect you whether you want it or not. I am that guy who uses a handrail to put more pressure on a socket than it was designed for.:cool2
Slide sledges are beautiful things. They make different sizes of them, lots of different tips, and you can add a weight on the end of the handle for more whomping power. Yeah our safety department is not a fan of cheater pipes either...
Welcome vera66 I. Also new to this forum and just took a job as a service tech for a small construction company I will watching this post. I have been turn a wrench for about 10 years in the agricultural industry for john deer. I look forward to this site. As for cordless tools I just got the melwikee 1/2 brushless impact love it. Took head bolts off a JD 4630 like nothing. Looking forward to some pics
Good advice here vera66. The only thing I'd like to add is wear Goggles when grinding, not safety glasses. It only takes one trip to the doc, who will dig it out of your eyeball with a hypodermic needle to prove me right.
:iagree I had one they had to actually drill out. I was wearing a face shield over my glasses. cutting on a breezy day. A hot piece somehow got passed the shield and the glasses and embedded pretty good on my eye...that was quite suck-ful.
Ha, more than once here, safety glasses, goggles, face shield, combination of all of the above and a grinding spark will still get by your defenses. A laser guided bomb ain't got nuthin on those damn things! More than once I've had to get the doc to knock one out with an eye drill. The day it happens you don't really notice it. Day 2, you notice it. If you wait until day 3, you're bouncing off the walls from the irritation.
Carbide burr slivers are the devil... I've heard that the eye doc actually uses a mini dremel to get the metal out and grind out the damaged area of the cornea I am absolutely paranoid about my eyes plus the thought of having to have anything done to them like a sliver picked out makes me physically ill.
That's EXACTLY what they do the worst part is usually by the time you make it to that point you'll be begging him to do it
Which was what I meant when I used the phrase "bouncing off the walls".
Last time I had some irritation didn't think too much of it,woke up next day and it had started to rust that didn't tickle I assure you guys
Yup didn't notice it all the day it happened. Next day I was absolutely certifiably insane over it. And yes, liquid cocaine eyedrops for an anaesthetic and a dremel to get it out. Worse than that was the paste I had to put in my eye for the next 3 days. That stuff was like cement once it dried in there. Nothing like having to pry your eye open because it sealed shut.
I tell my helper to treat them like nuclear waste. Hat, gloves, goggles and button your coveralls to your neck. If you get a sliver in your skin, you won't be able to see it to pull it out. One last tip, wear earplugs. Not only will they save your hearing, they will reduce your stress level and help your concentration.
Yep I armor up when using the carbide burrs. I also pretty much wear earplugs anytime I'm using the die grinder, cutoff tool, or similar loud air tool. I have very sensitive ears and the noise gets on my nerves bad.
I would suggest a mechanics mat, for years I never had one ,always used cardboard or a mudflap. A friend gave me a Mac mat and I would'nt be without it now.Mine folds in half so I use it for a kneeling pad when folded. Go easy on the chrome truck,watch your money and you'll do fine. One last thing, always be willing to listen to a better way to do something and learn from others mistakes. A smart man learns from his mistakes,a wise man learns from someone else's mistakes.
I absolutely love my Lisle folding creeper pad (probably what Mac rebrands) http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-95002-Fold-Up-Creeper/dp/B000JFHMZW It is awesome not only for laying on while under a machine but also for putting under your knees when you are kneeling on tracks or deck plates.
Haven't been on here in a few weeks I am so happy with all the responses from everyone. I have already done so much in a little over a month. How do you guys find the time to organize your trucks and clean them?
Well I don't work out of a truck these days but one silly trick I use in the shop when I find I have too many tools out of my roll cabinet one a job is when ever I go to get the next tool I need is "pay for it". I make myself put away two tools before taking another one out. Sounds silly I know but it slowly gets the tools back in the tool box! Wipe off each tool as you put it away. Don't try to find time to organize the whole truck just concentrate on one drawer or one storage cabinet at a time. When you have to wait for a customer to get off the phone pick up a rag and wipe something off.
im going to put this the way my dad told me "no job is finished till the tools r cleaned & put back in the truck!!!" when you showed up to fix their equipment all the stuff was neat & clean, it got out/dirty on their equipment charge them for cleaning it & putting it back on the truck!!!