Tricks of the trade.....

Absolutely true!

 

Actually dragging locked or frozen tires isnt advisable as it may flat spot the tires thus ruining perfectly good tires. I have always found that backing up works much better for releasing stubborn brakes rather than going forward.

 

This works, as you say, in tractive conditions. However, in icy winter conditions, sometimes it doesnt matter how often you back and go forwards, the brakes dont want to release because there is little traction to help them move. So, by not applying them, sometimes it just avoids unnecessary hassles when you need to get going again.

 

My 2 cents is a roll of teflon tape.

My brief time at werner learned me a few things. this was one of them. While driving across oaklahoma our air line in the drivers seat blew out. we could air it up and it would leak out after about 5 mins. Finally it got so bad we couldnt drive with it.

We went into the truck stop and bougt one of those seat air line adaptors that allows you to blow crud off your floorboard. We hooked it up replacing the bad connection, we first did it without teflon tape. When that didnt hold there was an old timer in a motorhome. I asked him if he had any tape, he had some. we put it on, tightened it up and rolled out. about 20 mins of work saved us not only a possible accident but 3 hours of waiting for road breakdown.

 

a lot of people will go and buy a cheap tool kit to have on their trucks.

handy in every regard, but you may want to do one better...

I would buy ultra high dollar (and incredible quality) snap-on tools.

I kept them at home (and still have them) while keeping a cheap toolset in my tractor...

I wrench on things for fun in my spare time (bikes/hotrods) so it is nice to have good tools.

the point is this - you kill two or more birds with these tools - el cheapos get you by on the road - and you do not have to worry about them getting lost/stolen/rusty.. and the high dollar ones you can use as a write off on your taxes to offset a profitable year.

I would buy a piece here and there and keep receipts for the tax man. Local snap on guys are everywhere in their trucks - they tend to haunt dealerships etc etc since that is where their main biz is. but you can find their tools online or even on ebay...


very expensive when compared to craftsmen or cobalt brands - but wider range of tools and generally better quality.

 

Well I'd be amiss if I didn't contribute a least something here, but I'm a mister, so I'd like to suggest carrying a Mastercard with at least a $500 limit and no balance. Also, arrange with your bank to get an ATM card and maintain a balance of at least two or three hundred dollars in the account that it's attached to. Use these cards only for personal emergencies: stranded, no one answering the phone at the office, no money and hungry, etc. It's a cold, cruel world on the road, best to be prepared.

Get yourself an old wallet and fill it with a duplicate drivers license, a couple of deactivated credit cards, and a few dollars in cash. If you ever get stuck up (could happen in some of the places I deliver) simply act terrified and hand over the bogus wallet.

On a lighter note, does this mean my maintainer can be known as a "geek"? (hehehe) I know! We'll call truckstops "trucksites"! (haha) Wait a minute, We'll call the steering wheel a "mouse"! (wahahaha)

A term of "endearment"? Oh stop it, I know when somebody's pulling my leg!
Oh, puleeze!

Now, I've- chuckle- got to go to work, back in a few days...(bwahahahaha)
rx (snicker)

 

All depends what kind of trucker you are. I for one use a steering wheel, but if you prefer a mouse that is your choice... a lot more fuel efficient I would dare say.

 

great tip thx!

 

Its not a 'trick' for everyone, but it works in my situation. I am a company driver who shares the truck with other drivers.
Instead of carrying a hammer (to check tires, and for other tasks that require a hammer - adjusting glad hands etc) I have an arbitrary looking length of solid scrap metal. This is heavy enough that it is able to perform the tire check well, as well as be able to hammer things. What it doesnt do is look like a hammer, which unfortunately is on the list of things to steal out of a truck. So whenever I get back into the truck, my trusty 'hammer' is always there!

 

Also, if your truck has a trolley bar, make a lap or 2 around the parking lot, lightly dragging your trailer brakes, before you park. Usually helps dry the pads/drums.
Also, haven't had the "pleasure" of testing this out, but I've had several veteran drivers tell me that you're better to set your trailer brakes as well, because it's easier to get the pads to release if they do freeze, rather than have a layer of ice between pads and drums. Haven't tried this theory, but that's what I heard.