Tools for a newbie??

and dont buy expensive ones... throwaways are best. you get fuel and/or grease etc. you dont want them in the trk.

 

dont forget a flashlight.

 

what they said, and a 9/16 wrench to adjust manual slack adjusters. i always carried a pair of old coveralls for the same task.

a headlight (one of those flashlights that straps to your forehead) comes in pretty handy too. or one that clips to the bill of your ballcap. all truckers wear ballcaps, don't they?

 

Let's see, road items... some of this stuff you can probably get for free from your shop/terminal/etc.

- Carry a couple of spray bottles and some dish soap. Keep one filled with soapy water all the time. I cannot tell you how many times I've used it for things that people would normally bang on with hammers (tandems, fifth wheel, etc.). It works great for getting in those lights that just won't freakin' budge, loosening up that stuck latch, that overtightened fuel cap, slicking up the skid plate on the 5th wheel if you don't have grease for some reason, loosening up the landing gear crank if it's good and rusty.

- Pick up one of those long air hoses if you can from the truck stops that will attach to a glad hand. Those are useful if you ever need to change a tire yourself (and good for blowing out your truck inside when cleaning). Also, like they said, have a good tire gauge. I use the long ones that you can stick in bud wheels and check the inner tire pressure without climbing under the truck.

- Find out what kind of fuses your truck uses, and get some!

- Lights! Parking lights, headlamps, you name it. If you have one go out, you get a ticket if they decide to pull you over. (I get these for free from our shop, but I have an assortment of them that I got with my truck also).

- The rubber seals for glad hands (I keep 12 on me, and normally grab a few from the shops when I happen to hit a terminal). I have had to put these on so many times to move trailers in my short time driving that I have lost count. Also, it's not a bad idea to have an actual replacement glad hand just in case (I keep 2).

- Washer fluid! We get the Zep junk free at the terminals (I prefer the stuff you can buy from the truck stops though), I just refill a couple of jugs I keep in case I run out (another item you can be ticketed for if you get pulled over if your washer fluid is empty). Also, it's probably not a bad idea to have a couple of cheapo wiper blades for the truck as well. I only mention it because I was driving and hit an ice storm a few weeks ago, and somehow it shredded my wiper blades.

- A large pair of bolt cutters. I just recently purchased these, as I delivered a load that had the thick bolt through the trailer hinge for a seal. Only way to get them off is to cut it off, and naturally I didn't have one on my truck. Luckily another driver from JB Hunt happened to have one on him and loaned them to me.

- Vice grips! I keep 3 sets of vice grips (bought in a set from Wal-Mart I believe). I use them for a few things, like holding my tandem bar in place if it won't stay out so I can slide it, just various things like that, but one reason in particular I have them is in case I get an air leak in one of my bags. Clamp off the line, and the rest of the air system will pump right up! Good to get you to the next shop so you can get it fixed.

- I do keep water to drink in the truck (already mentioned) but I also keep water in the truck for the radiator in case it were to need it. Not much, because if it were to need much, then there would obviously be a problem, but enough to add a gallon or so if it were to need topped off.

- Window cleaner (Windex, etc.) and paper towels are a must. I can't stand for crap to be all over my mirrors when I'm trying to drive, especially at night. I tend to just use the squeegie for the windshield, but I've been known to jump up there and clean it occasionally with windex if needed.

- A padlock for your load locks. I've heard from 2 different drivers at different truckstops both had a set stolen from their truck right next to me in the past couple of weeks while they were taking a shower. The padlock doesn't make it invincible, but they will likely skip yours for another truck if they see a lock there.

- At least a 50' roll tape measure (to measure kingpin to tandems) Using the number of holes if you are swapping trailers a lot is a recipe for a fine. I find them different lengths all the time.

- A small propane or butane torch would probably be nice to have around in case you have a frozen lock. We used a propane stove once in Minot, North Dakota to un-freeze our trailer brakes after they leaked down overnight (no, we didn't release them when we parked).


Hmm, I can't really think of anything else off the top of my head right now, well... other than Febreeze, lol.

 

I've read on this board about some drivers using a small come-a-long pulley for stubborn tandems. Sounds a might easier than a hammer but I imagine a hammer is nice for knocking ice off your breaks as well.

 

Flashlight, gloves, fuses, butt connectors, wire cutters, wd40, duct tape, bailing wire, pliers, vice grips, small sledge hammer, electric tester, tire plug kit, coveralls, 9/16th socket and wrench for brakes, a small socket and wrench set is good, electrical tape, as soon as you can get extra glad hands and the rubber inserts, an extra pair of air lines for the trailer is good too, screw drivers, utility knife, good pocket knife, safety glasses, you can never have too much man. Always be prepared.

 

Darkschieder pretty much covered everything I was told to do or get in my recent Road Ready class # Swift. I have already used the tools I got to fix two trailer tandems release mechanisms at the same shipper.
I still have a long list of stuff to get.. Get tiewraps for container locking mechanisms and bungees for securing things.

 

Don't forget a good pair of sunglasses, and something to read a Bible is always handy in a truck...

jacks

 

We have the Bible on DVD . It's pretty neat . It shows the text as it's narrated and you can select any chapter you want . It's better than trying to read when you're tired .

 

I have the whole Bible on my Windows Mobile smartphone + a free Truckers Bible I picked up at a ts in TN. That would have to be at the top of the list of needed items.