I am In schneider bulk training now,question on pre-trip

One reason that you want to check your fluid levels first, is that the oil has drained completely, and you will get a more accurate reading on the dipstick, rather than starting the engine, hooking the trailer and then shutting the engine down to check the fluids. When the engine is not up to operating temperature it can take quit some time for the oil to drain back to the oil pan, depending on the outside temperaure, for example in the winter, it could take 30 to 45 minutes for the oil to drain down to the oilpan. So check fluids first, check springs and hangers under hood also, then shut hood, start engine, hook trailer and finish pretrip. Yes hoses and powercord need to be hooked up so the lights will work and so that you can listen for airleaks.

 

No you do not need to open the hood again, that's why I said check springs and hangers while you have the hood open while checking the fluids, you are also required to check tie rod ends steering gearbox and draglink, etc. etc. once you have checked them there would not be any need to check them the second time, the main thing is to get it down to a routine, (the whole pretrip), so that if you miss something, you will know it. This is not to say that if Scneider says for you to do it in a particular sequence, that you would not need to, they are payng you to do a particular job in a particular way, so what they say comes first, then any other advice you might receive from someone would be considered after what they expect of you.

 

As part of a proper pre-trip you should be checking under the hood (with the engine off) fluid levels, visual checks for frayed or broken wiring, visual for air/hydraulic hoses chafing against metal surfaces, your fan belt for cracking or fraying, loose fan blades and/or hub, looseness in steering column u-joints, brake shoe wear and thickness.

Start engine (hood still open)

Visual check to make fan, etc is turning. Look for leaks in rad core and hoses under pressure. Listen for air compressor operation and listen for leaks at airline connection. Check for play in steering linkage by twisting steering shaft back and forth by hand. Good time to drain air tanks.

Now close hood and do your in-cab and other stuff.

Tanker extras.....

If your rig has a PTO driven pump, pop the cap off the discharge and make sure the pump is clean of product. Engage PTO to make sure it's working.. you don't want to call dispatch from customer with a non-working or dirty pump. Likewise remote air compressor.

Ater hooking up, if you're hauling chemicals like us, hook up the heat transfer lines and make sure the engine coolant is circulating properly. Lift the hood and make sure the coolant has not dropped inthe rad (it will if somebody didn't properly charge the trailer system). Check the temp guage to see if the trailer has been properly pre-heated to customer specs (on your paperwork), check for 10psi pressure in tank to insure no pressure leaks. Check for placards if it is a "recycled trailer" and make sure they agree with what you're loading ("clean" trailer has no placards until loaded), Check for proper type and number of hoses (on your papers again). Check that they are clean and in good shape. (BTW, never pop the cap/plug off a chem hose while standing directly in front of it. The stuff they clean em with can create a pressure in the hose and that cap/plug comes off like a bullet. Seen people get hurt that way.). Check discharge pipe for proper size and type (male/female) (on your papers again). Make sure you have the proper fittings and adaptors to unload.

This in addition to the normal trailer pretrip. Screwing these up and showing up at the shipper with an "unfit" trailer or at the customer or at the consignee without proper equipment or (God help us) making a spill is cause for a suspension or immediate dismissal (fired).

Ain't tankers fun?