After reading This thread, I started to think about my future. After 7 years in the U. S. Army, I too will be leaving the service(probably) very soon, and am considering a new career. I had never really thought about diesel mechanics before, but after reading that thread, I gave it some serious thought, and came up with some questions. I am 28 with a family to support, so the main question is can i provide for my family starting out in this profession. What kind of paychecks are you guys taking home, if you don't mind me asking. What kind of hours do you put in. How easy is it to get overtime if you want it, or not if you don't want it. What kind of advancement possibilities are there in this line of work. Thinking about it now, I am leaning more towards heavy equipment type work, but I will gladly take all advice or suggestions. Thanks.
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Diesel mechanics
- Thread starter Cowboy832
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B.G. Smith
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Honorable profession. There is no doubt a shortage of diesel mechinics, at least in most Dodge dealerships. Having skinned a few klnuckles over the years, if I were younger, I would go into the electronics side of the profession, let someone else get the brake fluid in the eye and the oil in the ear. The labor rate is in the $75. 00 up range, I don't know how much the mechanic working for someone else ends up with. The independent shops also used to share the markup on the parts with the mechanic too. What ever you end up doing, good luck and we appreciate your service to our country. God bless. bg
Depending on your mechanic skills you probably will make between 10 or 25+ dollars an hour, if you want to get into heavy machinery, you will of course make much more, even if you are a mechanics helper (eg, CAT $12. 00 an hour mechanics helper more or less) at the mack/kw/volvo dealership where i work the highest paid mechanic make around 55 grand a year(not me :{ ).
Providing for your family; i would recomend working for a heavy euipment company; CAT/Komatsu/JD etc.
Hours any where from 8 hours a day on up. Advancement; most start as mechanics helper to mechanic to master technician to shop foreman to service manager to ?. my boss started as a mechanics helper and is now the service manager. as B. G. Smith stated it is an " honorable profession".
Good Luck &
Thank YOU for serving.
Providing for your family; i would recomend working for a heavy euipment company; CAT/Komatsu/JD etc.
Hours any where from 8 hours a day on up. Advancement; most start as mechanics helper to mechanic to master technician to shop foreman to service manager to ?. my boss started as a mechanics helper and is now the service manager. as B. G. Smith stated it is an " honorable profession".
Good Luck &
Thank YOU for serving.
It's a wonderful trade, very rewarding to,,,,But not everyone can be a mechanic honestly.
Money is to be made hand over fist in the trade I know flat rate mechanics, and hourly mechanic's I. E. Heavy duty and heavy equipment that make 80-90,000 a year and have also make 100,000 plus a year, depending on your skill and how bad you want it there is no reason why you shouldnt make 50,+ a year and not really kill yourself, But It dose take some work getting to that point If you want it youll get it.
I worked on semi's and heavy equipment when my tools were stolen but because of the cost for the tooling to jump right back in that line, Im working on cars now Mazda's. . and I like it but nothing like what i use to do much easier but regaurdless.
If you can get into a good shop as a helper see if you really like it,and learn from a good mentor you will be fine, but be ready to by tools, working on equipment you need a little bit of everything... ...
Money is to be made hand over fist in the trade I know flat rate mechanics, and hourly mechanic's I. E. Heavy duty and heavy equipment that make 80-90,000 a year and have also make 100,000 plus a year, depending on your skill and how bad you want it there is no reason why you shouldnt make 50,+ a year and not really kill yourself, But It dose take some work getting to that point If you want it youll get it.
I worked on semi's and heavy equipment when my tools were stolen but because of the cost for the tooling to jump right back in that line, Im working on cars now Mazda's. . and I like it but nothing like what i use to do much easier but regaurdless.
If you can get into a good shop as a helper see if you really like it,and learn from a good mentor you will be fine, but be ready to by tools, working on equipment you need a little bit of everything... ...
Hey,I went to UTI for Auto/Diesel in Phoenix AZ right after High school 93 i was into cars and mecanical stuff and i did,nt se my self in college. In Phoenix there were alot of students so finding a good job that payed well was not easy to find. They have day and night classes i took days i figured school first work after to keep your mind clear. I was under the impresion that they were going to help you find a job when you graduate but it was pretty much fend for you self good luck thanks for the money. They had some phone books from all over the country that was it. Anyway after i graduated i whent home and started aplying all over the place most places wanted experience besides schooling being 21 most of them did,nt take me very seriously. I work for a couple of places and ended up working for at an International dealer . It seemed like some one would have to retire before you would get advanced . Well work got slow and i got laid off i had the opertunity to get in to the IBEW international brotherhood of electrical workers been there ever since they pay for your schooling 5 years good benifits/retirement and you always advance till your a journyman. Some times i wish i would have stuck with it but i can,t complain about the pay. My cousin went to a local tech school in Memphis and went to work for Rang Rover they sent him to school and he is doing good . Anyway sorry for the long reply just my 2cents Good Luck and i thank you for serving are country 
. Bkenny
. Bkenny
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if you are looking at heavy equipment repair, look into the "operating engineers". this is a union funded training program for operators and mechanics. if you can get hooked up with a medium to large construction company (union), talk to them about sponsoring you through training. hopefully there is a program in your area. prevailing union wage is good and i have friends making a comfortable living. there are no millionaires, but work is steady for mechanics.
i did work for a large construction company years ago that had this program and you learn a lot. i actually learned more from the veteran guys in the shop. the first time you do a tracks up complete rebuild of a CAT 977L, you know you have hit the big time.
good luck,
jim
i did work for a large construction company years ago that had this program and you learn a lot. i actually learned more from the veteran guys in the shop. the first time you do a tracks up complete rebuild of a CAT 977L, you know you have hit the big time.
good luck,
jim
Mechanic Jobs
Class "A" Techs in Auto Dealerships, which are UAW shops, are earning approx. $ 29. 00 per hour here on Long Island. A former student of mine who went on to New England School of Tech. studied Diesel mechanics, has been out for about 5 years. He now works for H. O. Penn as a diesel tech. last I saw him he said they started him out at $ 25. 00 per hour. Not bad for a 21-22 yr. old, single and still living home with Mom and Dad.
Money is out there, you just need to know your stuff and work for it!!
Good Luck !!
Class "A" Techs in Auto Dealerships, which are UAW shops, are earning approx. $ 29. 00 per hour here on Long Island. A former student of mine who went on to New England School of Tech. studied Diesel mechanics, has been out for about 5 years. He now works for H. O. Penn as a diesel tech. last I saw him he said they started him out at $ 25. 00 per hour. Not bad for a 21-22 yr. old, single and still living home with Mom and Dad.
Money is out there, you just need to know your stuff and work for it!!
Good Luck !!
I went to Nashville Auto Diesel College, been working for Cummins Dist. in Charlotte since 1986. Am field service technician, love the work. To me this is a great career, but you have to love getting nasty and some long days. Must guys don't get into this type of work because of the upfront outlay of cash for tools. Our shop does have a program where they supply you with a set of Mac tools and take weekly payments from your check. Also most would rather sit inside and punch a computer all day. to me if you don't get dirty, it's not a real job. We need more technicians, I say go for it. Our shop is nonunion, I make 20. 00+ an hour, and drive company truck.
I am fairly mechanically inclined. I have rebuilt cars and trucks from the ground up before, and I always do my own maintenance/repair work, I am just not certified, and I don't have any commercial experience. That brings up another question about education. I have looked at TSTC in Waco, Texas. They seem to have a fairly reputable program over there, but it is 5 semesters for a Associates of Applied Science degree diesel equipment technician. Does it really require that much education to get a good paying job, or can a person find a shorter certification program and still make a good living starting off?
Rob
Rob
I have fed my family, not always as much as I'd like, but last few years $50K plus with the overtime included. Spent the first 8 years buying tools, about as much as a house payment. If you can find the tool deals at 1/2 price for students definitely go that route.
Never have had to worry about working, but sometimes it was like pulling a wire brush out of their rear to get paid. You will be everybodie's B----. You are the one on the job till it's done, and the one at fault because it broke, and the one at fault because it isn't fixed yet. Yet at times it has been most enjoyable, like the times you drive 200 miles to work on a machine that hasn't run in two weeks, everyone from brother Bob to cousin Phil has worked on it, and they went to diesel school by george, so son if you think your going to pull the rabbit out of the hat you better think again. Then you get it up and running in about 5 minutes, and they look like they just swallowed their chaw. That part is pretty good.
I recommend if you can't get into something like Operating Engineers, that you try to stick with some one big like Cat, Cummins, Deere, or Detroit. I'm really worried that Cat is going to come up with something big technologically that will put everyone else in the dirt. I figure they have the rescources to really put some money into R&D, hopefully I'm wrong.
Last few hires I have seen at Cummins Northwest, you either need to have a certification, degree, or verifiable experience with a good report from the Cummins Mechanics that have seen your work. Some of the bigger outfits have scholarship programs to help you through school. I believe Cummins Northwest has one but I do not know the details of it.
A Johnson
Never have had to worry about working, but sometimes it was like pulling a wire brush out of their rear to get paid. You will be everybodie's B----. You are the one on the job till it's done, and the one at fault because it broke, and the one at fault because it isn't fixed yet. Yet at times it has been most enjoyable, like the times you drive 200 miles to work on a machine that hasn't run in two weeks, everyone from brother Bob to cousin Phil has worked on it, and they went to diesel school by george, so son if you think your going to pull the rabbit out of the hat you better think again. Then you get it up and running in about 5 minutes, and they look like they just swallowed their chaw. That part is pretty good.
I recommend if you can't get into something like Operating Engineers, that you try to stick with some one big like Cat, Cummins, Deere, or Detroit. I'm really worried that Cat is going to come up with something big technologically that will put everyone else in the dirt. I figure they have the rescources to really put some money into R&D, hopefully I'm wrong.
Last few hires I have seen at Cummins Northwest, you either need to have a certification, degree, or verifiable experience with a good report from the Cummins Mechanics that have seen your work. Some of the bigger outfits have scholarship programs to help you through school. I believe Cummins Northwest has one but I do not know the details of it.
A Johnson
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i am a heavy equipment mechanic by trade name, but in reality, i am just a diesel mechanic. working on locomotives isn't too hard, and isn't too exciting, but it is pretty steady work. the pay could be better, but it's alright if you can stand to work some overtime. my current rate is just over $24. xx [canadian funds] plus i make an extra whopping $0. 80 per hour for being on midnight shift 
which puts me into the $25. xx range per hour [again cdn funds] down the road at the cat dealer they make an extra $2. 00-$5. 00 per hour...
one thing with my work though. i need to bring only work clothing and boots. . everything else is provided by the company. all hand tools provided, all power tools provided, gloves and other protective equipment provided. tool box provided [juse one of them little gray or westward base model roller cabs 28" wide]
this year, i'll gross about $50k [cdn funds] less taxes, pension, union, disability and what ever other deductables i am forgetting. i did loose a months pay while we were out on strike back in feb...
if house prices in my local area wern't so expensive, the pay would be fine. but when the average house price is $350k [cdn funds] within 1 hours driving time from my work, it makes it hard to buy a home. i can get a loan for about $175k from the banks so buying a home will be interesting...
which puts me into the $25. xx range per hour [again cdn funds] down the road at the cat dealer they make an extra $2. 00-$5. 00 per hour... one thing with my work though. i need to bring only work clothing and boots. . everything else is provided by the company. all hand tools provided, all power tools provided, gloves and other protective equipment provided. tool box provided [juse one of them little gray or westward base model roller cabs 28" wide]
this year, i'll gross about $50k [cdn funds] less taxes, pension, union, disability and what ever other deductables i am forgetting. i did loose a months pay while we were out on strike back in feb...
if house prices in my local area wern't so expensive, the pay would be fine. but when the average house price is $350k [cdn funds] within 1 hours driving time from my work, it makes it hard to buy a home. i can get a loan for about $175k from the banks so buying a home will be interesting...
nickleinonen said:
it only going to get worse
house prices here have just about doubled in the last 7 years or so... and oceanfront property or property near the coast (within 10 miles) has tripled, quadrupled, depending on the area. i hope i don't have to get married just to be able to afford a house in the future. :{1st piece of advice;
don't move to Northern Ohio's Amish Country. It's a great place to live, very peaceful etc. but you won't make any money as a diesel mech.
2nd,
money isn't everything. It cant buy happieness and you'll NEVER make enough money my friend!!!
3rd
Go to work for a school system State highway dept etc. You'll simply love it I'm getting fat and happy here>
Scott Reynolds
School Bus Fleet Manager
Crestview Local Schools
Ashland, Ohio
don't move to Northern Ohio's Amish Country. It's a great place to live, very peaceful etc. but you won't make any money as a diesel mech.
2nd,
money isn't everything. It cant buy happieness and you'll NEVER make enough money my friend!!!
3rd
Go to work for a school system State highway dept etc. You'll simply love it
I'm getting fat and happy here>Scott Reynolds
School Bus Fleet Manager
Crestview Local Schools
Ashland, Ohio
Turbo Tim 1
TDR MEMBER
Greenleaf gives some good advice but there is a catch, if you don't already own a home or know that someone is going to give you one than you may never own one working for the local government or school district. Around here a town garage mechanic or driver makes about $12 hour, the average house is probably $175,000 unless you want a 20 year old trailer on a rented lot. Money is not everything but it sure helps! What do you do in the military? Have they taught you any trades? Do you have the GI Bill?
I was in the Navy for 6 years and learned about Gas Turbine Engines, when I got out I got a job in the power industry operating and maintaining various power plants from Gas Turbines to wood fired plants ranging in size from 25 megawatts to 750 megawatts. My time in the Navy got me my first job, after that each job has helped me get the next one. I started in this line of work 12 years ago for about $15 hour, today it's common for a person in my line of work to make $25-35 hour on straight time depending on location and the company you work for. It's going to be the same for a diesel mechanic, you'll start at the lowest wage and work your way up. Go to your local state job service, they usually have military advisors and will help you in your search. Your military time will help you even if it's not related experience.
I was in the Navy for 6 years and learned about Gas Turbine Engines, when I got out I got a job in the power industry operating and maintaining various power plants from Gas Turbines to wood fired plants ranging in size from 25 megawatts to 750 megawatts. My time in the Navy got me my first job, after that each job has helped me get the next one. I started in this line of work 12 years ago for about $15 hour, today it's common for a person in my line of work to make $25-35 hour on straight time depending on location and the company you work for. It's going to be the same for a diesel mechanic, you'll start at the lowest wage and work your way up. Go to your local state job service, they usually have military advisors and will help you in your search. Your military time will help you even if it's not related experience.
my $. 00000000002 worth...
Start your own business.
It isn't easy, but you will make the money you want, and be in control, etc. If it's a diesel repair shop, fine. . but how can you make a living on $12/hour working for someone else? i would barely make a living on $15/hr in Maine/New Hampshire.
$15/hr, 40 hours a week:
roughly $1600 a month after taxes - minimum $800 monthly rent - $300 food - small car/truck payment $200 - insurance $200 = $100 left over per month. now, figure in christmas/holidays, birthdays, vehicle maintenance, unforseeable future problems, etc. and what are you left with?
Working for someone else gets you steady work and experience, but will you be happy? will you make enough money to afford a house and/or support a family? enough money to afford BOMB's Oo. ?
Though i would love to own a diesel performance shop, i love what i do now... and can therefore keep diesel performance an enjoyable hobby.
Tom
Start your own business.
It isn't easy, but you will make the money you want, and be in control, etc. If it's a diesel repair shop, fine. . but how can you make a living on $12/hour working for someone else? i would barely make a living on $15/hr in Maine/New Hampshire.
$15/hr, 40 hours a week:
roughly $1600 a month after taxes - minimum $800 monthly rent - $300 food - small car/truck payment $200 - insurance $200 = $100 left over per month. now, figure in christmas/holidays, birthdays, vehicle maintenance, unforseeable future problems, etc. and what are you left with?
Working for someone else gets you steady work and experience, but will you be happy? will you make enough money to afford a house and/or support a family? enough money to afford BOMB's Oo. ?
Though i would love to own a diesel performance shop, i love what i do now... and can therefore keep diesel performance an enjoyable hobby.
Tom
Greenleaf, money may not make me happy, but watching my family do without certainly won't make me happy either.
Turbo Tim 1, In another 27 years, I will own my house outright... lol. My military experience won't do me any good on the outside either. I spent my entire 7 years in the Army as a combat soldier. I guess somebody had to do it, and it might as well have been me, but i didn't get any useful marketable skills from it. I think the Army pays as little as possible, but just enough to make it hard on a mid career NCO to get out. I am just so fed up with, and burned out by the system that I really have to move on. I have done a little math, and figured that in the last 7 years, I have been home for a total of 3 years with my family. That not counting the field time and gunneries that I have shot over the years. That is just deployments and hardship tours overseas. I knew full well what i was getting into when i signed up, and my wife knew full well what she was getting into when she married me, but I think it is time i went home and stayed there for a while. She deserves it.
98rammer, I had thought about opening my own shop, oriented more towards custom rod and 4x4 crowd, with a healthy dose of diesel power thrown in there somewhere, but I am terrified of going out on a limb and drowning in an ocean of debt that i could never repay. You did make me think of another question though - how do you guys feel about wrenching at home? I mean, I find it enjoyable to work on my truck, but after 40+ hours of doing it for a living, am I still going to want to walk out to the garage on saturday morning and tackle a project at home?
Turbo Tim 1, In another 27 years, I will own my house outright... lol. My military experience won't do me any good on the outside either. I spent my entire 7 years in the Army as a combat soldier. I guess somebody had to do it, and it might as well have been me, but i didn't get any useful marketable skills from it. I think the Army pays as little as possible, but just enough to make it hard on a mid career NCO to get out. I am just so fed up with, and burned out by the system that I really have to move on. I have done a little math, and figured that in the last 7 years, I have been home for a total of 3 years with my family. That not counting the field time and gunneries that I have shot over the years. That is just deployments and hardship tours overseas. I knew full well what i was getting into when i signed up, and my wife knew full well what she was getting into when she married me, but I think it is time i went home and stayed there for a while. She deserves it.
98rammer, I had thought about opening my own shop, oriented more towards custom rod and 4x4 crowd, with a healthy dose of diesel power thrown in there somewhere, but I am terrified of going out on a limb and drowning in an ocean of debt that i could never repay. You did make me think of another question though - how do you guys feel about wrenching at home? I mean, I find it enjoyable to work on my truck, but after 40+ hours of doing it for a living, am I still going to want to walk out to the garage on saturday morning and tackle a project at home?
Family is #1
Family is #1 and no one can ever put a price tag on that!! Just do what your heart tells you to do and the rest will follow!! Any help I can give you with diesel schools let me know. I know certain people of a fairly large Tech school in Cleveland, Ohio. Can always put you in touch with them.
Yes, they have heavy duty Diesel and also Hybrid Technology. They must have something available for you under the G. I. Bill.
Hope this helps!! Good Luck!!!!
Family is #1 and no one can ever put a price tag on that!! Just do what your heart tells you to do and the rest will follow!! Any help I can give you with diesel schools let me know. I know certain people of a fairly large Tech school in Cleveland, Ohio. Can always put you in touch with them.
Yes, they have heavy duty Diesel and also Hybrid Technology. They must have something available for you under the G. I. Bill.
Hope this helps!! Good Luck!!!!
My dad was in the Coast Gaurd for 26 years. I grew up on bases i all most whent in to the Marines for Aviation Mechanics but i dicided to go to UTI it would have been a good experience for me to go into the military but i did,nt whant to move any more. The one thing i noticed is its sometimes hard to tranfer from military to civilian . My best friend was Army he was stationed at FT Eirwin in Ca you probly know that place BFE :-laf . Anyway he worked on the motor pool and smoke machine/generators ext. After he got out he went to a school for electronics school worked a couple of jobs then joined the IBEW and he is doing pretty good now. I remember talking to a guy at a diesel shop after i got out of school that was ex army from FT Hood Tx he was doing pretty good. Like some of them said you will start at the bottom and work your way up i would make sure were ever you go look for a place that will also train you. A fellow UTI studentworked with me at International he was there before me ther was not any training or steping stone there to advance so he left and ended up working for Thermo King because they offered to send him to there schools it worked out well for him so keep your eyes pealed
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