Pre-Trip help please

3 words to make the inspector happy.... "cracked" "frayed" "broken"

 

Do like the other driver said....if it's bolted to the frame name it....and just breathe....good luck

 

Anxiety is natural when you are being tested...I don't know how it is in your state, but I choked and completely forgot to do the brakelight/signal/headlight check during my exam...still did well enough on everything else to pass it!!! Don't sweat it too much...study and try to stay calm...you'll probably do fine.

 

If it has air or fluid "it's not leaking"
metal "Not crack-broken-shifted-missing-damaged"
hoses or air bags(rubber) "not cut-cracked or frayed"
and everything is "securely mounted and not missing any nuts bolt washers or cotter keys"
Good luck you got this!

 

Take the next 2 days and study study study.Today go where the school trks are parked and start practicing your pretrip.

 

Patty is right on this...make SURE you practice with a fellow student
a on a truck...have them look at the list and you do the inspection, then switch off...sheer repetition will sink in.

 

To remember my pre-trip I took photos of the tractor and trailer and pre-tripped at the house on my phone when I wasn't pre-tripping at school.

 

When the instructor and you go out for the pre- trip exam.

Start the exam from the Cab. Then get out of the cab and "go pee" between the front drive tire and the sleeper. Hop back in the cab and tell him that "we are ready to roll"

Seems to be the way some drivers do it.

 

This may be "hijacking" but I'm curious as to how many drivers really get under the trailer and check the fifth wheel lock with a flashlight like the book says? I have checked in the past but only if something "didn't feel right". I've only had issues once when a yard mule left a trailer high and I didn't see it soon enough. I know how to "answer" all the questions but other than some clown pulling your release for a "joke" in a truck stop I'm not sure where the problem lies.

 

Even along with a tug test, I check it visually each & every time.
With 60k to 80k relying on that single vital 'attachment point', it just makes sense to give it a visual check.

I have caught a high hook before, and also caught jaws that had excess gap, where the fifth wheel needed adjustment.