Easiest way to remember the Pre-Trip inspection/Outside inspection? Having trouble

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by s2kVenom, Sep 15, 2014.

  1. s2kVenom

    s2kVenom Bobtail Member

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    Aug 12, 2014
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    Ok guys I thought to postpone my test which was supposed to be wednesday this week cause I wasnt confident enough and dont have the whole pre-trip inspection down. I know the air brake test is easy but Im having trouble with the outside parts. I currently have a video from my school which I try to watch over and over again but theres so many parts to name and talk about. How did you guys get ALL this info down?
     
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  3. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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    at school we started every day with a pretrip
    you didnt drive until you got it right
    practice and move from one spot to the next same way every time
     
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  4. tucker

    tucker Road Train Member

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    They should let you go out to the truck after school? Go out there with your list and practice it til you know it.
     
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  5. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    Simple, start at the front bumper and name everything you can see one at a time, checking for Not Bent Cracked Broken Loose or Leaking, and propperly secured. Fluid Levels are full and not leaking. Then repeat until the insprctor says enough.
     
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  6. RoadCall

    RoadCall Road Train Member

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    Exactly! ... Nothing specific to remember just name everything in sight! That's what I always told my trainees. Don't sweat it, cover everything!
     
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  7. TruckerGonnaBe

    TruckerGonnaBe Light Load Member

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    What worked for me was to write it out in the sentences I would use during the test. As I corrected the sentences I rewrote the whole thing back out. I also compared those notes to pictures I took of the truck.

    Repetition was the key. I had my classmates do the same thing. In the end everyone passed with flying colors. I missed 10 due to nerves but they said later I could have missed up to 26.

    I still use that pre-trip. ;-)
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2014
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  8. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    yep, you basically have to look at everything.

    cracked frame, rubbing air lines, right down to the shock bushings and all other bushings.

    the frame part doesn't happen much but it does happen. air lines are important as that's the biggest cause for out of service inspections, along with brakes out of adjustment or worn down.

    when hiring on with some companies, they'll actually take you out to a truck and listen to your inspection. you don't necessarily need to check. but if you don't name ALL the fluids. you won't get the job. i know a friend that didn't get hired on with a asphalt company because he said nothing about checking the oil.
     
  9. harlycharly55

    harlycharly55 Medium Load Member

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    "checking for Not Bent Cracked Broken Loose or Leaking, and propperly secured. Fluid Levels are full and not leaking." this is what I did at the DMV and as I got around the front to the drivers side the Tester said OK, skip this get on to the important things!
     
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  10. thejdogg

    thejdogg Light Load Member

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    Oct 26, 2013
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    Are you watching the video straight through every time? That's too much info to absorb at once. I'd recommend letting it show the first section, pause it, and list off the names of parts and things to look for. Play it to see if you are correct. Repeat til you get it. Then add the next section just like you did the first. Focus on that section and learn it. Now start from the first section and work your way straight through the second. Only when you got everything down in both sections should you move on to the next one. Keep breaking it down like this til you got it all memorized. It will take a lot of time like this because you will start from the beginning and repeat a ton of info, but you should get it down. If you can do this a couple different times over a couple different days.

    Optional:Once you get all of it down and have some extra time and aren't burnt out, mix it up if you can. Start halfway through and see if you can nail it. Skip around. It really hammers things into your memory and shows you which things you are still a little rusty on.

    Good luck
     
  11. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    How about bee bopping on down to a truck stop and see if a driver will let you study from his rig.You need some hands on to really understand the pretrip.
     
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