Good night from...

I forgot about my road ready kit. I have always just had a bunch in my tool box. I think that I need to look in the kit again and see what is all in there again, other then bulbs

 

So a word of advice when you start having battery problems...
Drop the side cover and make sure the connections are tight, and also not covered in corrosive powder. The mechanic was ranting for an hour about a truck that came in last night that had mounds of the stuff on all the terminals.

It would have been a 10 minute fix, had I thought to check. The last time this happened it was 2 of the batteries, which Swift replaced back in April.
But those loose connections can make batteries go bad if left too long, and that might have been the problem the first time.
So I think now I'll be checking those bolts every month or so, just to make sure they stay tight.

Moose, in some trucks that is easy to do. In my truck, to get at the batteries, pull out the wrenches and take the skirt off. I know that when I had the last two replaced, they were dead and found that the ground cable was not even attached.

 

I used all from my road ready kit so I need to get a new supply, I know my kit didnt really have bulbs but had lights, fuses, seals, tape and a couple other odd things like new glad hands and stuff.

 

When I was in orientation in early May they made a big deal about getting the RRK (Road Ready Kit), so as soon as I tested out from training I asked for one and was told I needed to do some online training videos then get a certificate from safety so I could take the certificate to the shop in Mira Loma to get my RRK....

... and was told they were discontinued.

Later in another terminal shop (can't remember which one) I saw a few of them, and when I checked out the contents I realized that buying a RRK is a waste of money ($80 if I remember correctly). The majority of the contents are simply parts that you can get for free from any terminal Parts department. There were scant few tools in there. They did have a 40' air hose, but the cheap PVC kind (which you DON'T want in really cold conditions).

Instead I did just fine by figuring out the parts I needed, then stocking up at Parts departments whenever I'm in a terminal. I bought a high quality 40' air hose (an extra $10 gets the one that stays pliable down below zero), and brought my own tool kit. All in all I'm much better situated by NOT spending money on a RRK.

I'm all for fixing stuff on the truck myself to avoid down time. Replaced a burned out headlight bulb yesterday. I've repaired broken wires on trailers to get lights working rather than wait hours for On Road. The only time I've had to use On Road was for blown tires (I've had two roadside calls for trailer tires going) and once going to a T/S for repairing the trailer slide so I could adjust the tandems (they had to use a 5 ton jack to straighten the pull rod).

Good advice about the battery cables. I just finished checking mine, and one was loose. Hopefully that will help keep me from having to idle to recharge the batteries so often.

 

They should install lock washers on those post bolts. It would prevent this kind of problem.
But I guess that extra cent or two per bolt is just too much for the budget.

Saving every penny on the front end at the expense of the backend is something the 'thinkers' never seem to understand.
There is no 'common sense' anymore.
Just like Obamacare, it seems.

Still at the Petro in San Antonio, although now I have a load.
It doesn't pick up until tomorrow at 1400. And again, to TX.
It was sent in time to avoid paying me layover pay, so I guess the planners are doing their job - from that end.
Me? I get an unwanted and unneeded 34 out of the deal.

Still, I'll have enough money to make a good Christmas for my girls on my next home time. And that is what I cared about most.

 

The Road Ready Kit program is discontinued?
That's sad. Mine has a good assortment of useful stuff - much more than the cost involved. And the cost was mainly for the tool kit that came with it. And it is mine to keep when I leave this truck.
The RRK stays with the truck, but the tool kit is mine.

 

I just got the DVD - Star Trek Into Darkness.

I must say, it is a nice movie.

Kirk looses his command, Uhura and Spock are on the rocks, Kirk dies, action is great, effect are wonderful, and in the end it just says...
What's next?

All in all, the new Star Trek series seems to be off on a very good start.
I can't wait until the next movie, or TV series that is upcoming.

 

Got up just after midnight, got a shower, breakfast, did my pretrip, getting ready to roll at 02:00...

.... and I've got no pressure building in my air tanks. Managed to roll my truck to park next to the scale to be away from other trucks, parked, and increased rpm's... still no pressure building. No leaks in the air lines, glad hands seals are fine, been bleeding the tanks religiously... I'm stumped...

Called OnRoad, fortunately I'm parked at a full service TA, and they just did a diagnostic and found a leak in the air dryer. Waiting for repair.

I have a healthy appreciation for all that the shop employees do to keep us rolling. It's just above freezing and these guys are having to do the repair on cold pavement with a biting wind in the dark in the parking lot.

Fortunately I have two days to run a little over 700 miles to be in place for a Wednesday morning delivery, so waiting for repair isn't going to affect my schedule... other than calculating where I need to park to watch Monday Night Football (and what's up with truck stop TV's stuck on NCIS reruns and what not!???)...

 

When I got my first truck there was a driver who gave me a RRK and tool kit so I never had to buy mine, then when I got another truck I took my kit with me and I have added a few tools and stuff during my time driving, I added better pliers, wire cutters, screw drivers etc etc, I also have my own pair of heavy duty bolt cutters which has come in handy on a couple occasions, a cordless drill which has saved me some time on a few occasions fixing trailer lights. I love shopping at the store Harbor Freight where you can pickup some decent inexpensive tools.

went to walmart in Porterville and got a trailer then dropped it off in Ontario, I was happy to see that UPS emptied like half the drop lot while I was on vacation which made backing in nice and easy tonight, the last trailer I dropped was a major pain since there were only a couple spots left and all very tight blinds, a driver from another company was trying to drop too so we helped each other back in. Would be awesome if trailers had some bright backup lights to make it easier in those dark places too.

Drove north and shut down at the FlyingJ near Bakersfield, will call the DM in the morning to see if he wants me to start hitting the Best buy again in Dinuba, Walmart is out pretty much since I only found 1 trailer that was not a 14 footer or an intermodal. After taking 4 days off I need to try and drive as hard as I can for the next 3 days for my next check wont be too small plus need to finish buying my kids Christmas so need to get myself a good week.

 

tha walmart dc in porterville is hard to get an mt.