What is a "real life" pretrip?

It helps if you are somewhere quiet, so you can hear any air leaks.
Switching trailers at a yard one time I actually did find a loose wheel nut while giving the nuts a turn by hand.
Have found the odd brake out of adjustment, I just set them myself.
Currently I have my own truck and trailers, so I basically just thump the tires and check fluids during the week. On the weekend when I grease, that's when I give everything a good look or tug.
You can do it a hundred times and not find anything. Even if you don't know what you are looking for, you will get use to how things are supposed to look. Then suddenly one day you'll spot something unusual and you'll be glad you been checking all this time.

 

And the real trick is to really get the nitty gritty. Then check that. You are not expected to check some things. But check em anyway. Usually when I stoop to pull the hub bearing cap off.. the road trip man tells me to back off and leave it no more pretrip tests.

 

I don't do everything every trip but oil, water, lights, kick tires, quick visual on leaf springs, check and tighten all interior screws once in a while (I have overhead stuff).....and generally just really really get to know the truck and how it feels and sounds...

 

Give it time.

 

if I question something underneath I check it.with time and pratice I've learned how to not crack my head under a trailer

 

I am not harsh, I did not call you any name. I did nothing other than to make sure you understand that learning things about trucking is worth your life and someone else. Im being gentle here. At some point in your future you might have to harden like I did. But I try to be nice without resorting to names etc.

I get it you are new. I remember when I was new a life time ago. Just take what I have to show to you with a grain of salt. For every one of me hunting lugnut failures, ABS wiring flaws or bearing issues etc there are a hundred if not a thousand who do not give a #### and should.

And yes I am aware of what they would do on the so called PEe trip. I did not include you in that.

Finally if not last, I take your talking about the spiel as a positive thing. I bet 90% of the class with you could care less to hear it. YOU will likely still be trucking very well long after Im gone.

Good luck.

 

I always try to do a good pre trip and post trip inspection, tires, fluids, especially oil every morning, see if anything is leaking under the truck, lugs, leaf springs, air bags for air ride suspension, and every single morning before I pull away, I always crawl under the trailer and visually make sure the jaws for the fifth wheel are locked around the king pin, one time I seen a truck go to pull away and his trailer dropped to the ground because someone must have pulled his 5th wheel pin when he was sleeping, as stated already, your inspection can save your life as well as others if you catch something while your parked, it's easy to get lazy with the inspection especially if you don't find anything for a while but trust me, you will sooner or later.

 

Scuba Steve reminded me of the 5th wheel. Wherever you park, set trailer brake, then pull against your kingpin 5th wheel and set the tractor brake. That way GOD cannot pull that 5th wheel in the night. A rotator will... But you will know about it before it breaks off the frame.

Always always always tension that 5th wheel every time you stop. You cannot understand how easily a disgrungled person of some sort can pull that pin and BOOM you are stuck with a very expensive problem.