do you supply air to your trailer before pre-triping it?

Yeah the only time I pull the trailer valve is to hook to a different trailer, and that is not often.

 

Since the trailer valve automatically pops out when you pull the tractor valve, (unless you take the trouble to hold it in,) I usually set both tractor and trailer brakes. If you are in a situation where you may have a trailer brake freeze up, is about the only time I worried about holding that protection valve down when setting the tractor brake.

But as mentioned in other posts, a pretrip requires you check the system for leaks. So take a little extra time and make the check. 99 times out of 100 it will be fine. But that 100th time, can cost you time and money.

 

I never set the trailer brakes, except to drop.

 

I always do along with the lights, and check my dump valve while I am at it.

 

I always set the brakes on the trlr and do a small Tug test each time I leave the truck also. plus a visual check at the pin release before I get in, It only takes one time driving out from under your trailer to learn that one.

 

You should air up the trailer or trailers until it's maxed out then shut the truck off apply the brakes and watch for any drop in pressure in the time required. You also have to check to see if the spring brakes work. You have to do this while your doing your pre-trip because you should have the engine off when you start your inspection. You'll want to check the oil and coolent even thou it's not required during a pre-trip. I think I'd have a good talk with a driver that just jumps up into the cab and starts it up without looking the truck over. Of course I speak of just getting the truck and not when you're in the truck all the time. We always treated the pre-trip the same as the post-trip. Our company printed booklets that covered everything. There's more to the pre-trip but I wanted to bring up the fact about the air leakage. You'd be surprised on how many drivers that do this test with the engine running.

 

EXCELLENT point(s), GH.

We ALL should be aware that a pre-trip and a post-trip are required.
But there's NOTHING that mandates checkin' things more often than required. How many of us exert the energy and take the time to do that more often than required? And, as an added bonus, when we DO check things more often, we CAN get away with NOT loggin' it.
Peace of mind knowin' things are runnin' right.
Fifteen or twenty minutes spent inspecting things can save hours broken down, waitin' for road service to respond.

I was taught by well seasoned Big truck truck drivers that pre-trip, or ANY inspection, starts as you approach the Big truck. And doin' that has saved this driver heartaches on several occasions after just stoppin' for a break.
Had I just jumped in and rolled, I would have had serious problems. But because I inspect my Big truck(s) EVERY time I stop, I'vd avoided break downs, --- and can HONESTLY say, I've NEVER had a Big truck take a dump on me.

To know that there are drivers who, after drivin' hundreds of miles non-stop, then, take a break, and jump right back into the driver's seat without so much as a walk-around to check tires for low pressure and/or flats, lights, liguids on the ground, their trailer doors, etc., makes me wonder when Murphy will catch them.

And when someone tampers with a load on their trailer, and they're asked when it happened --- they answer, "I don't know, coulda been ANYwhere."
Good GRIEF!
If I were the owner of the truckin' company, I'd make sure that they knew, for SURE, when they were FIRED.
IMO, there's absolutely NO excuse for NOT knowing when/if a trailer and/or load was tampered with.
That might even sound like an inside job.

 

yeah I only pull the red handle if dropping that trailer. getting cold don't want to spend 3 hours getting it loose

 

No pre trip should be complete, unless a tug test is done. If I am stopped at a public place for any length of time, I also tug prior to leaving.
Years ago, when hauling oilfield equipment, a group of us stopped for a cup of coffee at a truckstop near the drilling rig where we were to off load drillpipe. While inside the small cafe, some clowns leaving the gas pumps stopped at one of the trucks parked near the exit. A witness also at the pumps saw one of the clowns get out, and do something near the drive tires. This witness knew absolutely nada about a big rig, so he didn't think anything of it. We came out while the witness was paying for his gas, and as that particular truck proceeded to cross the divided highway, his trailer slid off the fifth wheel, onto the frame and tires. Thankfully no injury, and only damage was to the air and electrical lines. This happened over 100 miles from our terminal, so it appears that it was just a random, unsoliticed act of stupidity, and no, to my knowledge, the moron was not caught.

It was however, one heck of an eyeopener!