Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between light wheel mechanics and trailer mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a light wheel mechanic and a trailer mechanic. Additionally, a trailer mechanic has an average salary of $42,569, which is higher than the $41,948 average annual salary of a light wheel mechanic.
The top three skills for a light wheel mechanic include mechanical problems, electrical systems and equipment systems. The most important skills for a trailer mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and work ethic.
| Light Wheel Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,948 | $42,569 |
| Hourly rate | $20.17 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 90,297 | 86,057 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
A trailer mechanic specializes in providing repair services on large vehicles such as trailers, semi-trucks, and tractors. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to identify their needs, inspecting machinery and electrical systems, diagnosing issues, conducting fixes and replacements, and explaining the extent of damage or repairs to clients. There are also instances where they must devise testing strategies, ensuring compliance with the government's policies. Furthermore, a trailer mechanic must maintain regular maintenance checks on vehicles to ensure the safety of operators and the efficiency of workflow.
Light wheel mechanics and trailer mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Light Wheel Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,948 | $42,569 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $67,000 | Between $32,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Dayton Freight |
| Best paying industry | - | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a light wheel mechanic and a trailer mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Light Wheel Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between light wheel mechanics' and trailer mechanics' demographics:
| Light Wheel Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |