Useless DMV rules for truck drivers

every day ! you have to remember your handling 80,000 lbs of killing machine and a break line failing or something else worse is a disaster even something as simple as a flat can make a load late or worse. yes there are things they want you to know that you will say I don't need or do it a different way, but you will need that info and those pretrips out there.

 

You wont always get grease on your airlines by doing this. It depends on what kind of airlines you have, how far under you back under the trailer before hooking them up etc.

 

+1 on what Okiron says!!

My trainer, who is an O/O, has had his 5th wheel lever pulled, the straps holding the hydraulic tank vandalized, where several rivets were broken. Not all, just enough so if he drove very far, the remaining rivets would fail, and his tank fall off. Had a "nail strip" placed against his drive tires at night. Very hard to see, unless you used a flashlight, and looked in the right place. He pulled away, and instantly lost a set of brand new super-singles.

Pre-trips are not only for the safety of the general public, but for yours and for protecting the rig. There are people that will do about anything for about any reason. So always, always do at least the minimal pre-trip, every time you have been away from your rig, or not able to see if someone has messed around your rig while parked for the night. I would hate to have skipped doing one, and have that trailer come off going down the road, or some large piece of your rig, like a tank, come off.

 

The DMV books are seldom updated.

Regarding hooking up the air lines prior to backing under the trailer, keep in mind trailers manufactured prior to January 1, 1975 which were equipped with air brakes were not required to have parking brakes. So, if you had to back under one, you needed to supply air to the trailer and apply the service brakes on the trailer in order to keep the wheels from rolling as you tried to back under it.

Most of what you'll run across these days will have spring brakes to hold the trailer, so connecting the air lines isn't a necessary step to follow.

 

There are some things in the CDL manual that amount to wanting you to jump through the hoops. Just jump through them and don't worry about it.

There are specific reasons to hook the air lines before backing under a trailer. Think of and list as many as you can and I can likely give you one or two more. All are better reasons to do so than getting grease on the lines is a reason not to.

For a $2 or $3 it isn't a bad deal, but it's not perfect.

I wouldn't worry about that now. I could use section 5 as an example of problems with the manual but it may confuse you when you went and took the AB test.

All states are required now to use the 2005 test model. Depending on which one (or all) of the schedules you are required to take the maximum items you will have to explain is approximately 90. Many items are the same at all the (Usually 3) different locations. ie: Brake lines, brake chamber, slack adjuster, push rod and pins, brake pads (Shoes) and drum or rotor. That's six items at 3 locations is 18 of the approximately 90. Tires rims, lugs, hub seal, and many suspension items are common to multiple locations also.

Don't worry about what "a guy" says. Do what is required and add to your knowledge base throughout your career.

 

I don't think I've ever hooked the airlines before pulling under a trailer. Useless to do really.

 

The only time I ever do is if I go to back under a trailer and its sitting too high. So I get out to lower the nose, and figure what the hell, go ahead and hook the air lines. I do always make sure none of the lines will drag in the 5th wheel grease.

 

I never did either when I drove for Stevens or recently when I was doing drop and hook loads for Werner. Now I never drop my trailer unless instructed to do so by a shipper/receiver or to do maintenance.