Anybody have any Ideas where to find out where to send someone for toro's, dixies, stihl, etc. Maintenance repairs and PM's? Do I call manufactures or do I go to the local dealer to get this info? Any help would be appreciated......Thanks!!
in order to go to a service school i believe you have to be a dealer. what are you trying to do? send a employee? are you a dealer
yeah , I have been looking for this info too, I want to get training in doing repairs on my equipment. I need to be able to do minor stuff myself... Where can we go to get educated...... The local college offers a class every fall but it is relatively basic.. I want more technical knowledge....did another thread but nobody has replied to it......Some bigger companies have their own mechianics so where do they get trained ???
If you want to go to a factory tech school you almost have to work for a authorized dealer. Schools such as the briggs and straton master tech can cost around 4,500 dollars. Plus there are tech update seminars ect ect. If you want just basic skills to repiar and maint. your own equipment would be maybe just basic education seminars put on by manufactures for its customer base, some land scaping assc. also do training seminars ect. Thers also videos avliable from most manufactures that guide you into the basics.
Model specific schools (Toro, ExMark, Stihl, etc) are ONLY for dealers of those products. The reason for this, the dealer line MUST be protected. If you are wanting to get into a small engine class check your local colleges or your state board of education
This stuff is not rocket science. A two stroke engine is a two stroke engine. It may be on a mowing deck or on a hand held or bp blower. The principles are the same and the problems are also. Determine the problem, replace or rebuild problem part, reassemble without left over parts. Ditto on four strokes but there are more moving parts and adjustments (mainly valves). 95% of fixing the problem is determining what the problem is (fuel flow/mixture, spark or compression) and then (the other 5%) identifying the part causing the problem. For electrical a simple 12v volt meter, understanding the wiring harness, function of the OPC, time and a little logic is all that is needed. Having the owners manual with exploded parts diagram is very helpful also. You don't need someone to teach this too you. All you need to do is put the equipment manuals and a basic "how to" fix it book in the bathroom. Laugh if you want but the first thing I do after purchasing a new piece of equipment is to put the manual in the bathroom.
Here's a link to a home study company they offer a small engines course that you can do through the mail. I haven't done it, but you might want to try it . Education Direct
On one hand, repairing equipment is not as "simple" as some members suggest. On the other hand, most of the official training available is quite worthless. It is OK for a new employee that has no experience to get aquainted with the engines and tools, but for the most part, the instructors are usually well educated but out of touch with real problems, and any question a tech may have about any real problems are classed under a textbook cause/effect, and written off. If you approach anyone on the manufacturing level, they do not even take your queries seriously, as you are not a PHD in the field. Your best bet to learning on how to work on the stuff is to go to a local dealer with a good rep and offer to work for him for little money to learn the basics.
The Briggs & Stratton book on small engine care and repair is a very useful aid for beginers to get started engine repair. Not all people are mechanically minded so different learning methods apply to different people,This book will help.
