SOLAS Heavy Vehicle Mechanic study plan
SOLAS Heavy Vehicle Mechanic · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Map the full Heavy Vehicle Mechanic apprenticeship syllabus into a checklist of every unit and sub-topic, marking each as known, shaky, or unknown.
Explain, in your own written notes, the purpose and adjustment procedure of the main heavy-vehicle braking components (foundation brakes, air compressor, reservoirs, valves, slack adjusters).
Identify and label the major systems on a truck and trailer schematic: air brake circuit, fuel system, cooling system, lubrication system, electrical charging and starting.
Define the safety and legislative duties that frame the trade: workshop hazard control, PPE selection, vehicle inspection obligations, and record keeping.
Your checkpoint
A completed syllabus checklist with every unit rated and a one-page systems schematic with all major circuits labelled.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Describe the operating cycle of a heavy-vehicle air brake system from compressor to wheel, including governor cut-in and cut-out behaviour.
Diagnose three given air-brake fault scenarios (slow build-up, pressure loss, brake drag) and write the logical test sequence for each.
Compare disc and drum foundation brakes on heavy vehicles for wear patterns, adjustment, and common failure modes.
State the inspection and test criteria you would apply to a brake system before returning a vehicle to service.
Your checkpoint
Three written fault-diagnosis flowcharts for air brake problems, each with a test sequence and pass/fail criteria.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Explain the four-stroke diesel cycle and relate each stroke to fuel injection timing, valve operation, and turbocharger behaviour.
Identify the function and failure symptoms of the main fuel system components: lift pump, high-pressure pump, injectors, common rail or unit injectors, filters and water separators.
Describe the cooling system components and diagnose overheating, coolant loss, and thermostat faults using a structured test method.
Outline lubrication system flow and interpret oil pressure symptoms and oil analysis results.
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated diesel engine systems diagram plus a written diagnosis of two cooling and two lubrication faults.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Explain the operation of heavy-vehicle transmissions, including manual constant-mesh, automated manual, and automatic types, and their clutch or torque converter arrangements.
Describe driveline components (driveshaft, universal joints, differential, final drive) and how to diagnose vibration, noise, and backlash faults.
Outline steering and suspension system types used on heavy vehicles and the inspection points for each.
Summarise the tyre, wheel, and alignment checks that affect vehicle stability and tyre wear.
Your checkpoint
A comparative table of transmission and driveline types with inspection points and typical failure symptoms.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Trace a heavy-vehicle 24-volt charging and starting circuit and explain the role of batteries, alternator, starter motor, and isolation switch.
Diagnose three electrical faults (no crank, no charge, parasitic drain) using a multimeter and a written test sequence.
Interpret wiring diagrams to locate connectors, relays, and fuses for a given circuit.
Describe multiplexed and CAN-bus systems at a level sufficient to explain why a single fault can affect multiple vehicle functions.
Your checkpoint
A completed electrical fault-finding worksheet covering the three scenarios with measured values and conclusions.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Explain the legal and practical requirements for heavy-vehicle periodic inspection and roadworthiness assessment.
Describe hydraulic and air-over-hydraulic systems used on trailers and their coupling and brake line connection checks.
Outline emission control systems on modern heavy diesels, including EGR, DPF, and SCR, and their common fault indicators.
Describe workshop diagnostic tools and how to interpret fault codes without replacing parts on assumption.
Your checkpoint
A written pre-inspection checklist for a tractor and trailer combination covering brakes, coupling, lights, and emissions.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Work through timed practice questions across the whole syllabus and record your score by sub-topic.
Re-study your three weakest sub-topics and write a concise summary sheet for each.
Practise explaining diagnostic reasoning out loud for five different fault scenarios, as you would to an assessor.
Review all previous deliverables and correct any errors or gaps you find.
Your checkpoint
A timed practice test result sheet with sub-topic scores and three revised summary sheets for the weakest areas.
Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (craft apprenticeship curriculum)
Complete two full-length timed practice tests under exam conditions and compare results.
Revisit every item you answered incorrectly and write the correct reasoning for each.
Recite the safety, inspection, and legislative points from memory without notes.
Finalise a one-page revision sheet of formulas, torque and pressure values, and inspection criteria you must recall.
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed practice tests with a corrected error log and a final one-page revision sheet.
Milestones
Week 4: You can explain and diagnose faults across brakes, engine, transmission, and driveline systems without notes, and your systems diagram covers all major circuits.
Week 6: You score at least 70 percent on a mixed practice set covering all syllabus areas, with no single sub-topic below 50 percent.
Week 8: You score consistently above 80 percent on two full-length timed practice tests and can state all key inspection and safety criteria from memory.