Pre-trip, enroute and post-trip inspections! Surprises?

First of all, whenever I pick up a trailer that DOESN'T have something wrong with it, it's a big surprise!

But recently, I had parked at one of our Operating Centers. All good when I got there. Got ready to leave about two hours later, did my regular walkaround, and found a drive tire going down.

Have found several broken and nearly-broken air line support springs that have been rigged in a very temporary fashion, in addition to the dozens of tires that should have been replaced by a previous driver.

Found a broken shock mount on a post-trip one day some years ago.

I always pay careful attention to the steers both PTI and every time I fuel, in addition to walk-arounds. But I can't ever say that I've had a potential "life-saving" experience, just numerous times that have no doubt saved me a great deal of down time and inconvenience.

P.S.: How's it going with you??

 

I had a leaky tire...outside drive on the front axle. Since I've got budd wheels, I'd ordinarily roll the inner wheel up onto a 2x4 to remove the outer wheel, but for some reason I decided to get out the jack and use it.

Good thing I did....when I was positioning the jack, I found the u-bolts were loose on that end of the axle, too. Since then, I've made it a practice to check 'em every time I'm under the truck with the grease gun, and put a wrench on 'em to make sure they are snugged up every time I change the oil.

 

i always walk around looking while my tank unloads i have found.

1 spring hanger broken.
2 tire that had went down
3 trailor frame had cracked from top lip to bottom lip
4 water pump going out
just a few that i can remember right off.

 

a couple weeks ago i refused to pull a trailer about 100 miles that had a tire that was all kinds of tore up

the shop said they didnt have a replacement, and i said thats not my concern

one of the mechanics actually told me "its not a big deal, if you have a blowout we will make a road call and come change the tire"

i dont want to have a blowout


they finally took a tire off a deadline trailer and put it on my trailer, problem solved

 

• Bolt in drive tire (stopped at TA to remove, NO leak.. )
• Trailer marker lights (keep spare even though I pull company trailer)
• Leaking air line on trailer (always pull trolley brake and check air lines and break lights at same time)
• Leaking steering box seal

These are a few of the 'recent' findings.

I'm one of those that always check things out before driving. Someone the other day asked what was wrong when they saw me with flashlight looking under trailer.. I mentioned PTI and they laughed.

One other thing that really bugs me is the many trucks that have lights out. I generally leave during the dark hours so they are easy to spot. One time I mentioned you have a head light out, and was told to just drive my own truck. With only one headlight, what would happen if IT went out too.... argh.

As an O/O, I tend to keep things up the best I can. I know there are company drivers that do also...

 

Contrary to popular belief, the brake tests that they teach you, well YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO DO THEM! They're not just for chits n giggles.

One time I had a brake chamber go out on the tractor at the ts. Parked and went in and ate and came back out and went to leave and couldn't go anywhere lol. They had to have a service truck come out and tie the chamber off and I drove to the shop to get it replaced.

I did the brake tests prior (I was just leaving out from home and went to the ts to get an mt from another driver that broke down), it just went out so you can still get surprised once in a while but I think the brake tests put the stress on it that it needed to finally go out which is much better than having it happen on the road. I was lucky it went out where it did. The only major surprise I had was a trailer that had a leaky roof. There were no obvious holes in the trailer and no daylight coming through but it rained and poured the morning I went to PU the load. Got there and waited in line, bumped the dock and went in to sweep it clean and there was water all over the floor in the nose.

Needless to say I couldn't get that load lol. But you couldn't see any light coming through at all. Took it to the ts and they taped up where they thought it was coming in. I'm pretty sure it was still leaking a bit.

Another thing, one day you might go to pickup a loaded trailer and the tandems won't slide because the brakes are out of adjustment and won't lock up. Do yourself a favor and get a couple of big wheel chocks. They come in real handy in a situation like that. Then get the brakes adjusted or at least tell them the brakes need to be adjusted.

The main issues I ran into were under-inflated tires and brake lights that were out. ALWAYS carry spare lights, they're easy to change out! Swift will give you the lights at the parts desk and charge it to your truck. Always check your triangles too because two of the trucks I was issued had broken triangles so check that out as soon as you get your truck. Get the airhose that hooks into your gladhands so you can easily air up a low tire.

Also make sure your fire extinguisher is charged and the mount is secure. If you get a truck that has a really slow air leak, they're not going to fix it unless it's obvious where the leak is coming from and is audible.

I was always amazed at the amount of crap drivers will sweep into the nose. For God's sake SWEEP YOUR #### TRAILERS OUT! Don't make another driver have to do it. Some stuff in the nose is alright but I can't tell you how many times I got a trailer that had a years worth of crap from several different loads all piled up in front.