| S13 |
| just a questions to all the HD people on here, will be finishing my automotive appreticeship soon and was thinking about getting in to HD. just wondering what you guys have to say about being a heavy duty mechanic? how the work place environment? what kind of work do you guys do? stuff like that. just trying to get as much info as i can before i make my decision. thanks |
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| chris f |
be prepaired to work hard, dont have dreams of making mad cash right away. a good shop will take good care of you. and you will make more then you are now.
I work at The gear center, off-highway
Clean shop, layed back and about 2 bucks less an hour then other shops jeurman rate. but i have worked at truck shoips and did not like the work etheos. |
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| S13 |
| well, I'd be wanting to put a few years into HD if i do get into it, then probably the cashflow will be better and i don't mind working hard. thanks for the post, just trying to do some research, try something else other than dealership work. |
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| Murph |
I work at HD Dealership (on-highway) i belive our Journeyman make 34/hr where as some are payed more. There is a night shift premium aswell. We have Overhead cranes to lift heavy objects (ie fifth wheels/heads/trannys) the worst thing u have to "lift" is tires and we have 2 jacks for them if u want to use them.
The nice thing about the market right now is alot of people are desprite for techs. so they have things like signing bonus, boot and tool allowance.
I dunno i think HD is better then Auto (most shops are not flat rate in HD) |
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| mikeylikesit |
i'm at finning right now.. just started my first year apprenticeship on monday actually. was a labourer for about 8 months.
its not that hard of work actually.. never worked in an automotive shop tho so i cant really compare.
if you are a journeyman auto then i believe u classify with finning as a 3rd year apprentice.
at my shop we get a yearly boot allowance and as an apprentice you get a yearly tool allowance as well. all schooling is paid for and you also recieve your wages while you are in school.
work 2 weeks days and 2 weeks evenings (4pm-12:30am) but evening shift is changing to 4 10's.. as in four 10 hour days.
also get an hourly premium on evening shift.
but the work is good usually. you get to work on things that you wouldnt be able to work on at home.
i would recommend working at a place that does heavy equipment rather than a truck shop.(No offence meant to the truck techs).
the environment is good.. most people are pretty laid back.. some people have their days but thats the same in any workplace.
lots of tooling is available from the toolroom (big wrenches, 3/4 and 1" impacts and sockets, etc...), lots of room to work. all with overhead cranes. all the machines are washed before coming into the shop to be worked on.
but yea its a fun occupation if you like the type of work. |
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| takayuki |
| I'm a journeyman hd mechanic and i enjoy my job. I'm more specialized in the off road equipment (bulldozers, graders, haul trucks) and i find them alot more interesting than highway trucks because of variety. But you can do a few options when your a hd mechanic too. Like i mentioned above, you can work as a offroad mechanic, highway truck mechanic, a trailer mechanic, and you can even work at a component remanufacturing like i did when i used to work at the Finning component rebuild center.. I, in particular, rebuilt hyrauilc component stuff, but there were other departments such as engines, transmission, electrical components, fuel injection, and other powertrain components. I think for the most part, hd mechanic is hard work but it can depend on who you work for too. My job is easy right now. I currently work for syncrude in fort mac, they never push you to work hard but instead emphasizes on working safely. In otherwards, i get paid easy 100k+ a year to work in a nice heated shop, with ALL tools supplied, and to work at my own pace. Its quite nice. |
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| REDX2NV |
<----------- 4th year appt technician at a haul truck dealer, in ft mac= mad $$$ haha.. Location greatly depends on pay, if you dont have a life then head north.
Takayuki, you guys are a bunch of slackers.. Syncrude is the only place where your allowed to goof off all day hehe.. J/k, what team are you on? MD or HD shop? |
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| takayuki |
| haha true... syncrude is gravy work. we get the easiest job.. contractors do all the hard work.. lol.. i don't think i can work anywhere else... i'm on team 501 up at the aurora mine... you work in base mine? |
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| chevy |
| iam an enterly level apprentice doing it through rap through high school. its pretty good i like the work just have to find a new job. as where i am now we do not do that much stuff and it is only classified as mid sized. |
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| REDX2NV |
quote:
Originally posted by takayuki
haha true... syncrude is gravy work. we get the easiest job.. contractors do all the hard work.. lol.. i don't think i can work anywhere else... i'm on team 501 up at the aurora mine... you work in base mine?
Yea, im up on base mine, i do split shift on team 501-504, working for liebherr(yea, i know, you guys hate the dam truck up there lol).. |
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| takayuki |
| haha we sure do..... we just got our only one last week, i'm crossing my fingers that it will burn to the ground. haha |
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| Neo-Blue99GASE |
quote:
i get paid easy 100k+ a year to work in a nice heated shop, with ALL tools supplied, and to work at my own pace. Its quite nice
How im ever so envious. Im personally hating the fact that I know as soon as I get to E-town, im gonna have to go out in the field, in the damn cold and fix some busted ass piece of equiptment. Its just the feeling I have and how much I really dont miss Aberta winters and how much it just really wants me to freeze. Gotta love "heaven" in Alberta. |
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| REDX2NV |
quote:
Originally posted by takayuki
haha we sure do..... we just got our only one last week, i'm crossing my fingers that it will burn to the ground. haha
Thats what you think, 544 is being shipped as we speak.. lol, cant be that bad, way easier than working on a 797 anyday. whats your name, i might be coming up that way sometime this month.. |
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| REDX2NV |
quote:
Originally posted by Neo-Blue99GASE
How im ever so envious. Im personally hating the fact that I know as soon as I get to E-town, im gonna have to go out in the field, in the damn cold and fix some busted ass piece of equiptment. Its just the feeling I have and how much I really dont miss Aberta winters and how much it just really wants me to freeze. Gotta love "heaven" in Alberta.
Working in the field, is where to be at.. You have your own service rig, and you gotta fix what you have..
Cold in the winters, lots of bugs in the summer.. |
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| S13 |
| thanks for the replies guys, gives me a start to what i'm looking for. but heated shop with clean trucks sounds pretty good, haha. |
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