What do you actually check on a pre-trip inspection?

The last 2.5 years have been my only experience with drop and hook and I’m thankful that this company has nice trailers.

 

If a trailer tire has a 100 lb when I pick it up and two days later it has 80 lbs, then I know there is an air leak that needs to be taken care of.

 

How long is your hometime?

 

I’ve had several wheel seals go out, and every time I smelled them before I could see the gear lube. Just added some more lube to the 1 for a couple days, until I could get it in the shop and change it. They’re as simple to change as your engine oil.

 

Fairly simple, but a bit more effort and skill than changing oil and filter.

 

I think anyone with average hand/eye coordination is perfectly capable of changing their own. Just stack the parts in the way they came out! It’s not rocket science

 

Til it comes to torqueing the bearings and setting preload/endplay, then it's hillbilly witchcraft if you don't have the proper tools. There's a pile of "techs" that do oil changes daily that I wouldn't let near my wheel bearings! There's a reason the TA makes you sign the form stating you witnessed the tech torque the drain plugs, common sense ain't common and the TA hedges against that.

But I agree, any owner op should be fully capable of changing a wheel seal simply for the fact that we should understand as much about what we drive as we possibly can.

 

Good point about those “techs”! I don’t think some of them can even change oil right. My brother had his truck serviced at a truck stop once while he went in to eat, and they didn’t even put oil on the new filter seal before putting it back on. Next service he was pretty mad til he got that dry seal loose! His oil filter in behind the rail where you can’t really get a good grip with 2 hands. Good thing someone invented looong screwdrivers and hammers lol! There are some things I won’t try for myself, like an engine overhaul, but I can do my own “part swapping”

 

It takes less time to adjust them than it does to call someone, pair of needle nose and a socket, snug it up and back it off 1/2 turn.