Pretrip

Doesn't your company tell you how they want pre trips done? I honestly don't know how that works, but I've gotten the impression that the DMV and CDL school courses only care about the most basic of pre trips. Most of it is just calling what you see and going through the routine they teach you to call out.

 

I don't know about forms, but, I treat it as all one, start with under hood, sides, under, back, front, last is all the lights. you drive it as one, pretrip it the same way. Of course its more involved these few words indicate but you get my drift.
b

 

What most company's tell you and expect are two different things. Do the complete pre trip everytime it covers your butt.

 

The forms are are testing only. after you test forget forms and just do the pretrip on what you have

 

No my company doesn't but what does that have to do with testing? I feel confident in saying that once issued a CDL the majority of drivers will never do a proper pretrip. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't have to do one for their CDL test. I stand by my previous post. Very irresponsible for the DMV to let a guy/gal get by with a half assed pretrip.

 

Like I said perviously these schools teach the pretrip in a one routine day after day starting at the front of the truck. It's the DMVs way of supposedly test you to make sure you know the pretrip and not start rattling it off because you do it in one order forever. It is your responabitly to know the full pretrip. It's like when you went and did the written test for your Cdl did they ask you every single possible question or did they randomly ask a handful. Welcome to the government paid branches

 

This is the pretrip list that I created on note cards in school going to SWIFT ACADEMY... This pretrip list generated me a 99% on test day in PASCO WA.

Code:

Front of Vehicle:

- Approaching truck from front
    - Sagging Left or Right
    - May mean: 
        - Flat tires
        - Overloaded
        - Shifted cargo
        - Suspension problems
    - Check Underneath for leaks

- Lights & Reflectors ( Approaching )
    - Clean
    - Not missing or broken
    - The proper Color:
        - Amber in Front
        - Red in Rear

- Front of Vehicle In Cab
    - Headlights
        - High Beam
        - Low Beam
    - Turn Signals
        - Left & Right
    - 4 Way Flashers

- Rear of Vehicle
    - Turn Signals
        - Left & Right
    - Tail lights
    - 4 Way Flashers
    - Brake Lights

- Clearance Lights
    - Working & Clean
    - Not missing or broken
    - Clearance lights red on the rear
    - Amber elsewhere

- Reflectors
    - Check that there clean
    - Not missing or broken

- Reflective tape
    - Clean
    - Securely affixed to the truck
    - 50% on the sides
    - 100% on the rear

----- That covers the front of vehicle inspection ----

Engine Compartment: 

- Oil Level
    - Where is the dipstick located
    - Check the oil level 
    - Is it within Safe Operating Range
    - Above the refill mark
    - Between add & full

- Coolant Level 
    - Check the coolant level
    - Inspect the reservoir sight glass
    - If no sight glass tell tester I would remove the radiator cap & check coolant level

- Windshield Washer Fluid 
    - Where is windshield washer reservoir located
    - Above refill mark

- Power Steering fluid
    - Where is the power steering fluid dipstick located
    - Check fluid for proper level
    - The level must be above the refill mark

- Air Compressor
    - Location of air compressor
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - No leaks

- Water Pump
    - Location of water pump
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - No leaks

- Alternator
    - Location of alternator
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - No loose electrical connections
    - No exposed, broken, or burned wiring
    - No bare wires showing

- Leaks ( Engine Compartment ) 
    - No fluid leaks on the ground such as:
        - Oil, Coolant, or Fuel
    - No dripping fluids ( Underside of engine & transmission ) 
    - Hose clamps not leaking
    - Hoses: 
        - No cuts, cracks
        - Bulges, abrasive damage
        - rubbing against other parts

- Engine Compartment Belts
    - No cracks or excessive wear
    - Not frayed
    - No loose fibers
    - Not deflect more than 1/2" to 3/4" of an inch

- Steering Box & Hoses
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - No fluid leaks
    - No cracks in steering box housing
    - Hoses:
        - No cuts or cracks
        - No bulges, or abrasive damage from rubbing against other parts.

- Steering Linkage
    - Upper & Lower control arms, Pitman Arm, Drag Link, Tie Rod, Steering Rod:
        - Not excessively worn or cracked
        - Joints & Socets: 
            - Not excessively worn or loose
            - No missing nuts, bolts, or cotter keys

- Front Axle Tires
    - No cuts, bumps, or abrasions to the sidewall. 
    - No signs of tread seperation
    - Check that valve stems
        - Not missing, broken, or damaged.
        - Tread depth is at least 4/32" of an inch.
        - Evenly worn tread
        - Proper inflation using a tire guage

- Rims
    - No dents, damage to the bead flange
    - No visible cracks or welding repairs
    - No cracks radiating from the lug bolt holes or distortions of the bolt holts

- Lug Nuts
    - No missing lug nuts
    - Not loose
    - No rust trails
    - No shiny threads

- Hub oil seals / Axle seals
    - No leaks on seals
    - Oil / Grease is at proper level thru sight glass

- Front Suspension Springs
    - Not missing, shifted, cracked or broken

- Font Mount / Hangers
    - Not cracked, or broken
    - No missing or damaged bushings
    - No loose or broken axle - mounting parts

- Front U-Bolts
    - Not cracked or broken
    - Not loose
    - No missing ubolts

- Front Shock Absorbers
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - Not leaking

- Front Brake Drums
    - No cracks, grooves, or holes
    - No signs of oil or grease on the brake drums.

- Front Brake Linings
   - At least 1/4" of an inch
   - No loose or missing parts
   - Not cracked or broken
   - No signs of oil or grease on the linings.

- Front Brake Chambers
    - No cracks or dents
    - Securely mounted
    - No loose or missing nuts or bolts
    - No loose or missing clamps
    - Not leaking

- Front Slack Adjusters
    - Brake adjustment & pushrod adjustment are to manufactors specifications
    - Not broken, loose, or missing clamps. 
    - Not leaking

- Front Brake Hoses / Lines
    - Hose couplings or fittings are:
        - securely connected
        - Not leaking
    - Hoses:
        - Not leaking
        - Not cracked or worn 
        - Not bulging, or have abrasive damage from rubbing against other parts.

------- End of Engine Compartment --------

Tractor: 
I might update at a later date... If people want me too. Thats enough for my fingers for one night... lol....

Its a lot you have to memorize. Thats what takes 3 weeks. It doesn't take 3 weeks to learn to straight back , 90 degree, and offset. #### they should teach you 45 degree back. Because that is what you will do at every single truck stop almost.

I would have gotten a 100% if the ####### guy opened his ears and heard me say " NO LEAKS " on the fifth wheel air hose. I said it but the old man didn't hear me..... SO SPEAK UP GUYS... LMAO....

 

Seriously?

If you think it is bs, then you need to understand that this is about safety and not about cutting corners.

IT is so easy my 12 year old nephew knows how to do a pretrip. EVERYTHING you need to learn is in the book from your DMV, nothing is excluded or used as a trick question. Even some of them have a little cheat sheet that the examiner will let you read before asking any questions.

The thing you miss is that when you test, you will be asked to point to things, like the dip stick and then asked to explain it or show the examiner what level the oil is at. Another example you may be asked to go from the left side of the engine to the right pointing at the major components, like a fan belt or hoses, stopped when you get to the fan belt and then asked if being cracked is on the bias will mean that it will need replacing.

The three important things to learn with NUMBERS are steer tread depth, drive tread depth and brake lining thickness. ALL the other stuff is really easy to memorize and practice.

 

It's completely different from state to state, so you'll have to be more specific. I had to do an entire pretrip top to bottom, inside and out.

 

It's not "different forms", it's different sections of the pre-trip. At the DMV in my state they will cross off 1 section of the pre-trip that you won't have to do. I believe the 2 sections are rear of tractor, and rear of trailer. The DMV examiner will pick 1 you won't have to do, just know them both and no problem. You will have a pre-trip list will all items you need to check during the test.