Some pre-trip questions

Self adjusting slack adjusters. If you walk around your truck. Every time you park. You'll see all of your tires.

Yes. You are over thinking it.

 

I don’t know what other people do, but I’m a safety conscious kind of pilgrim. I actually keep a creeper crawler on the cat walk so I can do a thorough and LEGAL pre-trip every day. You can get them on Amazon pretty cheap.

Don’t let these yahoos in here try to shame you out of doing your duty and, believe me, they will try! Try as they may though, they’ll never get the best of Frank Speak!

There’s two things you can take to the bank every morning when it comes to Frank Speak!

1. There will be healthy morning constitution.

2. A complete 100% legal pre-trip will be completed!

 

1. In theory everyday. In practice, especially with slack adjusters, no one is getting on a pee and oil infested parking lot and crawling under the vehicle to inspect.
2. Check the tire pressure daily and if it's at the proper PSI there is nothing in the tire to worry about. I do glance at them every time I stop to make sure nothing new is 1/2 sticking in. That's mostly to try and catch something before it punctures the tire.

 

Tires every day and every stop. Once i got almost new steer tire damage in 30 miles drive.
Slack adjusters about once a week. Even they are automatic they are failing. If slack adjusters were greased with wrong grease they will quit working properly.
I don't care what is window licker opinion. I have jump suit and creeper to do the job and drive safely.

 

Boss: Did you do a post trip on Friday?

Me: Yep. There were 18 wheels and tires. Have a good weekend!

unloader

 

What do truck inspections and being a parent have in common? Give that question some thought!

As an active driver, I was always paying attention to my truck. I would do a visual inspection of it as I walked back from a 10 99. Just a quick walk around if done right can show fluid leaks. Listening can let you hear air leaks. I was never one to listen to music so loud I was not able to hear my rig as I went down the road. Sometimes I would roll down my driver's windows AND the right side if I could and just listen. Several times a week I would put my coveralls on and look under my tractor. I always tried to closely examine trailers after hooking up to them. My carrier had so much junk for trailers you could never take them for granted!
The answer to that question? Is in both situations you never stop!

 

Also a useful tool is a infrared thermometer to shoot hubs with as well as brake drums. Abnormal high temps on a hub or low temps on a particular brake
Drum is a indicator of a problem. get under once a week and visually check.

 

No, but they will probably want you to do the pump down and such. Not sure it’s been decades since I was a company driver or did orientation. But best I can recall. Just pump down and normal pretrip