Being a brake mechanic?

[FormulaFG]

I'm just wondering if any of you guys are brake mechanics and can answer a few general queries I have.

Is it a good job? Wear and tear on your body? Do you enjoy it?

Is it a career worth pursuing? Is there enough demand for it, or do people just get their standard mechanic to fix their brakes?

What sort of coin? I need some sort of change and I'm not going from one crap paying job into another.

How would one get into it? I should point out that I'm 30 and I realize apprenticeship opportunities are going to be harder to come by now. Could I do short courses at TAFE at night to make up some of the ground?

Any advice welcomed. Thanks.

[snowcone]

As far as I know there is no such trade as a brake mechanic.
I did my apprenticeship a long time ago and brakes are covered as a normal motor mechanic.

[The Yeti]

There is (I think) but its a limited certificate

As above most go to a regular mechanic, and as far as career prospects and earnings go I think you would be better going the whole way and becoming a mechanic

As for the job man it would be booooooooring after about 3pm day 1 I'd be wondering Geeze is the next one going to be disc or drum

[Silver Ghia]

Just from what I've seen when getting my brake jobs done and what I've done when working on my own cars, you'd get real dirty with all the brake dust, grease and brake fluid, and breathing whatever in especially when removing drums, or machining parts. Especially truck brakes.

Better doing a full mechanics apprenticeship and do more varied work, as Yeti suggested.

[kruptor]

There is no specific requirement to be a brake mechanic.I'm a motor mechanic,we machine discs drums,overhauls calipers,slave and master cylinders etc.Plus mechanical work range from bikes to cars trailer and trucks tractors forklifts you name it.

[xbxd351]

Might be half ok if you worked somewhere like Hoppers Stoppers but otherwise it would be a very boring, dirty job. I do all my own mechanical work but when it comes time to do the brakes it's always "Sigh. Have to change the rotors and pads this weekend. What a pain." Couldn't imagine doing it day in day out

[Boza]

I used to work at Auto brake service (ABS) about 8 years ago as a 4th year apprentice mehanic and and was just a normal motor mech apprenticeship back then we had 2 second t\years there and they were both signed on as motor mech apprentices. we did do alot of undercar stuff but we also did everything and anything.

The only more specialized stuff we did was machine truck /car drums machine flywheels and also we made brake lines from bundy, and also made flexible lines from rubber and stainless steel.

also we did conversions and helped people set up brakes in kit cars and stuff like that.

But I heard there are traneeships that give you a certificate in just underbody work brake/clutch exhaust and suspension is what it covers

I've been out of the trade for about 8 years and I know when I did my apprenticeship I was one of the last few people to qualify under the old system so now it's all diffrent so see how ya go.

Oh and I thoroughly enjoyed undercar work but hated doing clutchs and brakes on trucks and fourby's

[BENT_8]

When I worked for a dealership I got to know the bloke who machined their rotors for them on site.
I would get him to come round and do any of my/family/friends cars at my house.
He would charge $30 per corner and would supply pads.

It would take him 1 hr tops to do all 4 corners.

I mentioned one day that it seemed like good coin to which his reply was that he had to make quick money as the life expectancy of someone breathing in brake dust all day wasn't considered promising.

[APS Luis]

Don't do it , plenty of other options in the motor industry with far more interesting things to do .

[FormulaFG]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll cross it off my list and keep thinking.

Originally Posted by APS Luis

Don't do it , plenty of other options in the motor industry with far more interesting things to do .

Which options?

[ZDHLANE]

Completing time as a mechanic/technician will give more than enough exposure to all general aspects of brakes, even stuff that you may not overhaul anymore, but the understanding of the how to's!
Light vehicle Mechanic covers all you need to know anyway.

[ebv8]

when i was at school i worked at a well know (local) suspension shop and after i finished school they offered me an apprenticeship but i knocked it back because i would be stuck doing wheel alignments
sort of spewing now because they have a good name in the race industry and the guys that still work there have company cars and are all involved in racing, plus driving high end customer cars sounds good.
i probably make more money doing what i do now but i'm bored as stuck in an office all day.
I still go back to the shop to get work done and still talk to the boss after 15 years