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Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course

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Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course

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Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course

Name: Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course
Price: 204 GBP
Rating: 4.4 (73 reviews)

4.4

Get the hands-on technical skills employers demand in heavy equipment maintenance. This course covers diesel engines, hydraulic systems, electrical diagnostics, drivetrain service, and fleet management from the ground up. Whether you're entering the trade or levelling up your career, you'll finish ready to keep machines running and downtime low.

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What you will learn:

You'll learn how to inspect, diagnose, and repair the major systems found on excavators, bulldozers, loaders, and other heavy equipment. The course covers diesel engine operation and repair, hydraulic circuit analysis, electrical fault isolation, drivetrain and undercarriage service, and structural weld inspection. You'll also build skills in preventive maintenance scheduling, CMMS recordkeeping, and advanced telematics tools. Safety procedures including lockout/tagout, PPE selection, and environmental compliance are integrated throughout. By the end, you'll have the technical knowledge and practical skills to perform reliable maintenance work on professional job sites.

How you study in practice Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course

How you practise Heavy Equipment Maintenance Course

For businesses looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 38 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Introduction to Heavy Equipment Systems

Lesson 1 • Heavy Equipment Types and Applications
Covers excavators, bulldozers, loaders, graders, and cranes with their primary use cases. Establishes equipment classification as the baseline for all maintenance decisions.
Lesson 2 • Workplace Safety and Hazard Awareness
Establishes mandatory safety practices including lockout/tagout, PPE selection, and hazard identification. Safety compliance underpins every hands-on maintenance task in this course.
Lesson 3 • Reading Technical Documentation
Teaches interpretation of operator manuals, service bulletins, and parts catalogues. Accurate documentation reading is essential for correct diagnosis and repair procedures.
Lesson 4 • Major Systems and Component Overview
Introduces engine, hydraulic, electrical, drivetrain, and structural systems present in heavy equipment. Provides the system map students reference throughout the entire course.

Chapter 2See details

Preventive Maintenance Fundamentals

Lesson 1 • Pre-Shift and Daily Inspection Procedures
Covers walkaround inspection checklists, fluid level checks, and defect reporting before operation. Daily inspections catch early failures that prevent costly breakdowns.
Lesson 2 • Fluid and Filter Service Procedures
Teaches engine oil, coolant, hydraulic fluid, and transmission fluid changes with correct filter replacement. Proper fluid service is the single highest-impact PM activity.
Lesson 3 • Lubrication Systems and Greasing
Covers grease types, lubrication points, and manual versus automatic lubrication systems. Correct greasing intervals prevent premature bearing and pin-and-bushing wear.
Lesson 4 • PM Recordkeeping and Scheduling
Introduces maintenance logs, computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) entry, and PM scheduling tools. Accurate records support warranty claims and fleet management decisions.
Lesson 5 • Preventive Maintenance Principles
Explains the cost-benefit logic of PM versus reactive repair and introduces interval-based scheduling. Connects PM philosophy to reduced downtime and lower total ownership cost.

Chapter 3See details

Diesel Engine Diagnosis and Repair

Lesson 1 • Fuel System Service and Repair
Addresses fuel filter service, injector testing, high-pressure pump inspection, and fuel system bleeding. Fuel system integrity directly controls engine power output and emissions.
Lesson 2 • Engine Diagnostic Techniques
Covers compression testing, oil analysis, exhaust smoke interpretation, and electronic fault code retrieval. Systematic diagnostics reduce unnecessary parts replacement and repair time.
Lesson 3 • Cooling and Lubrication System Repair
Teaches thermostat replacement, water pump service, radiator inspection, and oil pressure diagnosis. Thermal and lubrication failures are leading causes of catastrophic engine damage.
Lesson 4 • Top-End Engine Overhaul Procedures
Covers cylinder head removal, valve adjustment, gasket replacement, and reassembly torque sequences. Top-end overhaul restores compression and eliminates oil and coolant leaks.
Lesson 5 • Diesel Engine Operating Principles
Explains the four-stroke diesel cycle, compression ignition, and turbocharging fundamentals. Understanding combustion theory enables accurate symptom-to-cause diagnosis.

Chapter 4See details

Hydraulic System Maintenance and Repair

Lesson 1 • Hydraulic System Troubleshooting
Applies a structured diagnostic process using pressure gauges, flow meters, and thermal imaging. Systematic troubleshooting isolates faults without unnecessary component replacement.
Lesson 2 • Hydraulic System Theory and Circuits
Explains Pascal's law, open- and closed-centre circuits, and flow versus pressure relationships. Circuit theory is the analytical foundation for all hydraulic troubleshooting tasks.
Lesson 3 • Hydraulic Pumps and Motors
Covers gear, piston, and vane pump types, motor operation, and efficiency testing methods. Pump and motor condition directly determines system speed and force output.
Lesson 4 • Hydraulic Hose and Fitting Service
Covers hose inspection, pressure rating selection, crimping procedures, and fitting torque specifications. Hose failures cause fluid spills, fire risk, and sudden loss of machine control.
Lesson 5 • Control Valves and Actuators
Teaches directional, relief, and proportional valve function, plus cylinder and motor actuator service. Valve and actuator faults cause the majority of hydraulic performance complaints.

Chapter 5See details

Electrical and Electronic Systems

Lesson 1 • Electrical Fault Diagnosis and Repair
Applies systematic fault isolation using voltage drop tests, continuity checks, and scan tool data. Correct repair techniques prevent recurring faults and protect sensitive electronics.
Lesson 2 • Sensors, Actuators, and Control Modules
Explains sensor types, actuator operation, and electronic control unit (ECU) communication protocols. Modern equipment relies on sensor-ECU feedback loops for performance and emissions control.
Lesson 3 • Starting, Charging, and Battery Systems
Covers battery testing, starter motor diagnosis, alternator output testing, and jump-start procedures. These systems must function reliably for safe equipment startup in all conditions.
Lesson 4 • Electrical Fundamentals for Heavy Equipment
Reviews voltage, current, resistance, and Ohm's law applied to 12V and 24V equipment systems. Electrical theory directly supports accurate use of multimeters and diagnostic tools.
Lesson 5 • Wiring Diagrams and Circuit Tracing
Teaches wiring diagram conventions, colour coding, connector identification, and circuit tracing methods. Diagram proficiency cuts diagnostic time and prevents incorrect wire repairs.

Chapter 6See details

Drivetrain, Undercarriage, and Brakes

Lesson 1 • Steering System Maintenance
Covers articulated, differential, and hydraulic steering systems including cylinder and linkage inspection. Steering system faults directly compromise operator control and site safety.
Lesson 2 • Axles, Differentials, and Final Drives
Teaches axle shaft inspection, differential adjustment, and final drive oil service on wheeled machines. Final drive failures are amongst the most expensive drivetrain repairs in the field.
Lesson 3 • Transmission and Torque Converter Service
Covers powershift and hydrostatic transmission operation, fluid analysis, and clutch pack inspection. Transmission condition determines machine tractive effort and directional control.
Lesson 4 • Brake System Inspection and Repair
Addresses wet disc, dry disc, and parking brake systems including adjustment, bleeding, and lining replacement. Brake system integrity is a primary safety requirement for all heavy equipment.
Lesson 5 • Track and Undercarriage Systems
Covers track tension adjustment, sprocket and idler wear measurement, and track shoe replacement. Undercarriage represents up to 50% of a tracked machine's total maintenance cost.

Chapter 7See details

Structural Inspection and Welding Repair

Lesson 1 • Frame and Boom Repair Procedures
Covers crack excavation, joint preparation, repair welding sequence, and post-weld inspection on frames and booms. Correct repair sequence prevents residual stress and weld cracking.
Lesson 2 • Structural Inspection Methods
Teaches visual, dye-penetrant, and magnetic particle inspection techniques for cracks and fatigue damage. Early structural detection prevents catastrophic frame failures during operation.
Lesson 3 • Welding Processes for Equipment Repair
Addresses SMAW, GMAW, and FCAW processes with electrode and wire selection for high-strength steel. Process selection affects weld strength, distortion, and repair turnaround time.
Lesson 4 • Weld Quality Standards and Assessment
Covers weld discontinuity types, acceptance criteria, and weld gauge measurement techniques. Quality assessment ensures repairs meet manufacturer and industry structural standards.

Chapter 8See details

Advanced Diagnostics and Fleet Management

Lesson 1 • Fleet Maintenance Planning and Scheduling
Covers fleet inventory management, PM scheduling optimisation, and parts stocking strategies. Effective fleet planning maximises equipment availability and controls maintenance expenditure.
Lesson 2 • Telematics and Remote Monitoring
Teaches telematics platform navigation, fault alert interpretation, and remote health monitoring workflows. Telematics enables proactive maintenance scheduling before failures occur in the field.
Lesson 3 • Failure Mode and Root Cause Analysis
Applies failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and root cause analysis (RCA) to recurring equipment faults. Systematic RCA eliminates repeat failures and reduces total maintenance cost.
Lesson 4 • Advanced Electronic Diagnostic Tools
Covers OEM scan tools, oscilloscopes, and data loggers for complex fault isolation on modern machines. Advanced tools reduce diagnostic time and improve first-time fix rates significantly.
Lesson 5 • Maintenance Cost Analysis and Reporting
Teaches cost-per-hour calculation, repair-versus-replace decisions, and maintenance KPI reporting. Data-driven cost analysis supports capital equipment and budget planning decisions.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Entry-level technician: eager to build a structured, job-ready skill set.
Construction equipment operator: wanting to understand the machines they run daily.
Diesel mechanic: looking to expand expertise into heavy equipment systems specifically.
Career changer: transitioning from general labour into a higher-paying technical trade.
Fleet supervisor: needing deeper technical knowledge to manage maintenance teams effectively.
Military veteran: translating mechanical service experience into civilian heavy equipment roles.

What our students say

Your lessons are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to change platforms... I'm grateful for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...