Trailer PM

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Schöne, Jul 15, 2020.

  1. Schöne

    Schöne Bobtail Member

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    I haven't been an owner operator for a long time so I'm still learning things so pardon me if my question sounds stupid. Are you supposed to do a PM on a trailer? I know inspection is supposed to be done every year but should you service the trailer? Thanks
     
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  3. JonJon78

    JonJon78 Road Train Member

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    Grease all the zerk fittings, check conditions of air bags for cracking/dry rotted. Shocks for leaking. Brake pad thickness. Brake measurements.
     
  4. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Your trailer need grease as often as the truck does, for one thing. Gets you underneath it if you do it yourself and you can see if any other problems are developing, like wheel seals,, etc
     
  5. SteveScott

    SteveScott Road Train Member

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    Get the tandem rails and pins well lubed every few months. Nothing like getting stuck at a dock and not being able to slide the tandems because the rails are dry or a pin is stuck.
     
  6. abyliks

    abyliks Road Train Member

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    I grease+check brakes once a month, but I’m lazy and don’t drive much, and if you have to start wrenching on auto slacks it’s time to throw them away
     
  7. Schöne

    Schöne Bobtail Member

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    Thank you so much
     
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  8. bad-luck

    bad-luck Road Train Member

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    Yes, grease every 2 weeks
     
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  9. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    Walmart has inexpensive grease guns and grease tubes. I buy the red. Every 10k - 15k miles I go underneath the cart and apply the grease into zerks and as needed to the landing gears. I never applied the grease on the sliding rails but sprayed it with WD40. But maybe I'll try to give it some grease too.
    Lubing the trailer gives an opportunity to see brakes and hear air leaks too.
    I think Speedo charges extra for this simple effort.
    Since I've started doing PMs at Sapp Bros, it is included. I did PM there yesterday and paid $270 with a trailer lube included.
    I still lube the trailer in between PMs.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2020
  10. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    Unhook and check the king pin and bolster plate. Make sure they are not loose or rotting thru. Tap around on it with a hammer but dont ding up the pin. A welders chipping hammer works good for this on the sketchy looking rusty areas to see if it breaks thru the steel. Leaky vans and flatbeds well rot from the topside under the floor. You can’t easily see it. A friend of mine had the pin welds come loose from the plate on his old aluminum flatbed that spent it’s early years in the rust belt. Everytime he came to a stop he felt a push and when he left from stop the trailer would tug. Got bad enough to see the difference in the mirrors.
     
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  11. USMC '74-'78 Semper Fi

    USMC '74-'78 Semper Fi Light Load Member

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    Thank you for asking your question. I think a lot of good advise has been shared. Tks
     
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