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I don't know of any schools. I did heavy equipment years ago and learned all I needed to know by having a friend who was shop foreman at the local Caterpillar dealership. He allowed me to come out there for about one week and I learned it from mechanics and my friend. It was hands on type training, so I learned a lot that way. I learned 18 wheeler adjusting the same way.

Here is one source offering Farm Equipment and Trucking classes. They may be able to help you. This is a link to their 2007 schedule at Southern Farm Bureau.

http://www.farmbureautech.com/2007_...hedule.htm

Since October I have been working as a full time temp. I have been working for a large insurance company as an inside adjuster handling contractor's equipment, motor truck cargo, ocean cargo, ocean transit and oil field equipment cllaims. When assigning out appraisals for contractor's equipment and oil fileld equipment I have found appraisers that go to the shop and have the shop write their estimate and others that can write their own estimates. I want the appraiser that can write their on estimate. I will asked some of these how they got their training and report back.

I don't know of any formal training for heavy equipment out there, and everyone I know that specializes in it learned it hands on vs going to any schooling. Unlike autos, the need is a lot less in demand and unique to a brand/type of equipment. I've done a lot of work on construction, oilfield and crane equipment and every piece of equipment was unique in it's own way. When I was staff, our carrier wrote a lot of construction company risks and had a staff Heavy Equipment Specialist that would handle the appraisal part of the claim or assist the adjuster in evaluating the damages. An person with a wealth of knowledge who learned the ropes of what he did by working for a trucking company. They basically had one person do this for the entire country.

Thank you for the replies. I've found a couple of places here (like the one that Dimechimes suggested) that offer appraising for tractor trailers and then mix in some heavy equipment with it.