Tips and Tricks to make it easier

Heres something that another driver and I talk about just about everyday..
As many of know, our trls are not brand new, and in fact we have our share of the oldst trls on the road at times...
so, the biggst problem i have, and find others having are sliding the tandoms on these older trls...
baking up to a curb, having someone els help, using lubricants, sometimes you just cant get the bar out, or up...
well, as you can see in the pic, i have taken one of our load straps, tied it around the (pull) handle of my trl, and wrapped it around a bar on the trl right next to it... i tightend up as tight as i could, got in my truck and rocked it just a little bit and my tandoms were free...iv used this a few times, learned it from another driver, it works great, specially out in the middle of no where when ur by yourself doing a drop n hook in the middle of the night with no one to help at all

So, here is My tread, to try and extend my leassons learned and pass them along to hopefully make it easier for you guys as well...

 

Nothing makes me more mad, then going and hooking to a trl, that im left to believe is fine, because at first glance I dont see a RED TAG on the front, and as I further my pre-trip, i discover the dumbst things,
broken crank handle
broken landing gear
broken hinges
broken lights
missing plates
missing papers
missing lights
holes in the doors/walla/roofs
etc..
Why does it seem like mostly everyone is only for them selfs and that it?
as small, and as close knit as we are here at Watkins, its seems like more and more people are only worried about them, and say the hell with the next guy...
its kinda getting old...
a few of us that run regularly, on the east coast are always in contact with eachother.... for example when " Bob " calls and me and says
" Hey, they got me on a NJ load out of Dalton over the weekend "
well, now that i know this, and maybe im taking my 34, or just my 2 days off, ill ask him what trl they have his load on, and ill go check the lights, ill hook the electric and air lines up, so that if their is a problem with " Bobs "
trl he can notify whoever he has to get the problem fixed before hes even here... the few of us that talk often look out for eachother, and we always look out for the next guy. we discuss it all the time over brkft the phone or the bc when we often run with eachother..
The Pic below is something thats available for you, the driver, at every single terminal.... lets use them, when you discover a problem notify the right people, usually the missoula shop, use the Red Tags, or even a piece of paper or a piece of card board, or whatever you can find...
im just saying, lets look out for eachother out here....
big deal if you pre triped in Conover before you took off for L.A, when you get to whereever your dropping the trl, post trip it

 

i been around.... iv been reading, just havent been posting much... i got an Ipad when i smashed up my laptop , and i had a hard time trying to post while using it.... then tried using my phone and that was not very easy! but i been here tho. doing my run takes a lot out of me, sleep is pushed to the limits as is the driving... and oddly enough my miles have tanked since the start of the year anyway... im trying to make my " come back " as much as i can.... hope all is well with you Warp.. i have talked to our girl our in missoula about u a few times.. hope your doing good!

if this is the tool im thinking about, roughy $300/$400?? i think thats a crazy price to pay...however, if it works everytime, then maybe thats what where making up for using our " low budget " way lol

 

ok then its not the one i was thinking about... i only seen it 2 times, once a hook and the other time at MATS and they ranged from $300-$400
where did you get yours from?