Question:
today in class we were doing a pre-trip and the instructor showed us the little side compartment where you put your tool box, triangles, etc. i said thats where all the dirty stuff goes.
so then he said ok for this part of the pre-trip lori's gonna be my volunteer and he looked at me and said do you want to volunteer? enthusiastically i said sure. he said ok crawl under the truck. (very funny) then he said no i'm just kidding but your gonna look for leaks and whatever else he said i don't remember. so i asked do you have to do this everyday? and he said your supposed to but i probably did it maybe twice a week.
so i was wondering do you have to do this everyday? i've never heard anyone talk about getting under the truck before. honestly? i don't think i will. unless of course i have to. ugh.
so i guess my question is this is just something you do everyday? get under the truck with the grease and dirt and bugs and roadkill pizza splatter under there?
i'm just waiting for everyone to say hell yeah i love it under there. if you don't love it you might as well not even truck. heh heh

Answer:
,./

Answer:
Looking for leaks doesnt require crawling underneath the truck. As I approach a truck I observe any wet spots that might be beneath the truck. If the tractor is unhooked from the trailer, you can do a "walk-around" and observe if there is any oil or grease coming out of the transmission or differential or inside the wheels. You can also look at the brakes shoes if you dont have dust shields. You can look at your u-joints and if you dont care to get a little dirty, reach down and shake the joint. All this doesnt take 5 minutes.
If you got a good sniffer, you can pick up on some problems. I got up in Brunswick, Ga several weeks ago and smelled diesel fuel too strong, got out of the truck and looked underneath and there was a big poddle of fuel. Raised the hood and there was a return line with a little hole in it.
Pre-trips are very simple, but a very necessary. They are mostly common sense.
Just a grouchy old man.
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person"-Andy Rooney

Answer:
The only time I actually crawl under my truck is when I grease it, then I also look at everything while under there. -->
While doing my pre-trip inspections I do look under the truck for obvious signs of oil, fuel and coolant leaks. I do have 1 small oil leak that I need to get fixed, but that's gonna cost about $1200 to do, so for now I'm keeping a close eye on it in case it gets worse.
Also, I do stick my head in behind the drive tires to see if anything is broken, missing or if there's an axle seal leaking.
Basically, look at the ENTIRE TRUCK. Make note of ANYTHING that doesn't look right, and get it fixed.
If you're not sure of something, get a second opinion on what you 'think' doesn't look right. -->
Sure beats a ticket for 'faulty equipment'. -->
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"Got the bird dog on...
Dodgin' the scales...
80 miles an hour and a step outta jail..." --> From "Rollin' Home, Pirates of the Mississippi)
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"I've always been different with one foot over the line.
Winding up somewhere, one step ahead or behind.
It ain't been so easy, but I guess I shouldn't complain.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane." (from Waylon Jennings)
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Member: Happy Dweller Society
Owner Operator Division


Answer:
For most drivers out here the pre-trip consists of clicking the splitter button twice, turning up the radio, yelling I GOTTA GO! and catching a minimum of 5 gears leaving the parking space so they have up enough speed to rip your hood off when they turn.
Humans require a brain--too bad use is optional

Answer:
crawl under the truck at least once a day. After all checking your slack adjusters is part of the pretrip and there is no way to do this standing next to the truck.
As far as checking for fluid leaks this can usually be done well enough by just looking under the truck and then if you spot something suspicious then you may need to do what is needed to track down the problem.
In the "real world" however most drivers rarely crawl under the truck very often. I know I usually wait until I have unhooked from a trailer to really check out my brakes and air lines, air tank seurement, etc. After all you get dirty enough just crawling under the trailer every day to do good pretrip. Plus there is enough grease, dirt, grime, and slime all over the trucks and trailers that seem to jump off and land on you whenever you get within 5 feet or certain areas. --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
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One cylinder at a time...

Answer:
Most slack adjusters are automatic set these days, too.
Naw, no vehicle has been placed OOS for brakes not adjusted since automatic slack adjuster came out in 1996.
Adjustment procedures are in the truck operator's manual.
Make sure your employer teaches you how to adjust the brakes and you're properly qualified.
§ 396.25 Qualifications of brake inspectors.
(e) No motor carrier shall employ any person as a brake inspector unless the evidence of the inspector's qualifications, required under this section is maintained by the motor carrier at its principal place of business, or at the location at which the brake inspector is employed. The evidence must be maintained for the period during which the brake inspector is employed in that capacity and for one year thereafter. However, motor carriers do not have to maintain evidence of qualifications to inspect air brake systems for such inspections performed by persons who have passed the air brake knowledge and skills test for a Commercial Driver's License.
Not ADJUST people big difference. Drivers who have passed the 'Air Brake" test can INSPECT the brakes.
Brake Inspectors
Automatic slack adjusters are nothing to mess with if a driver isn't aware of the proper procedure to adjust the brakes. NTSB recently investigated a fatal crash and it was determined the driver was not following the proper procedures for doing a pre-trip inspection to ensure the brakes were properly adjusted.
Be safe.
John Q.
"If men were angels...No government would be necessary."
51st Federalist Papers
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John Q.
"If men were angels...No government would be necessary."
51st Federalist Papers
"Nichols' Fourth Law says, "Avoid any action with an unacceptable outcome"

Answer:
I am still wiping the tears from my eyes I was laughing sooooo hard after reading your input........cuz he speaks the truth
CD -->
"I dont like small cars or real big women,but somehow I always find my self in 'em" (Kid Rock)
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CD
recovering dweller..........oilfield trash division

Answer:
The schools teaching you exactly what you need to know. In order to teach you nomenclature and the location of key components they want you to see where they are on a truck, not a picture or a drawing, that way you can speak fairly intelligently if asked where "This leak" mabe coming from. Bottom line is. Your signing a piece of paper with your name on it saying That to the best of you ability, that tractor is roadeworthy
Its all in how comfortable you are with the condition of your vehicle.
"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
Albert Einstein
[This message was edited by ike910 on November 03, 2003 at 10:48.]

Answer:
Hoss...
"While doing my pre-trip inspections I do look under the truck for obvious signs of oil, fuel and coolant leaks. I do have 1 small oil leak that I need to get fixed, but that's gonna cost about $1200 to do, so for now I'm keeping a close eye on it in case it gets worse."
You tell such a fib! You fibber! You have quit looking, because that '1 small oil leak' spills about 1 gallon a night! Its because of you and your oil slick that I cant get down under my truck, for fear of absorbing your oil spill!
Keeping a close eye on it? Bah! More like a blind eye!
Another good source of info for pretrips is here and here
Both are good sources of info! Plus, it will give RJ's site a few more hits, and he needs all that he gets, seeing thathe doesnt feature any nekkid wimmin!
Wuzzy!
"For most drivers out here the pre-trip consists of clicking the splitter button twice, turning up the radio, yelling I GOTTA GO! and catching a minimum of 5 gears leaving the parking space so they have up enough speed to rip your hood off when they turn."
Amen! Thats the way it needs to be...
LoriAZ...
" hell yeah i love it under there. if you don't love it you might as well not even truck."
Thats about it!
RC
Member, Happy Dweller Society, Owner Operator Division
Proud to be a Truck Dweller!
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RC
"Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function."
(Ret) Member, Happy Dweller Society,
Owner Operator Division

Answer:
Originally posted by WUZZY/CHARLIE:
For most drivers out here the pre-trip consists of clicking the splitter button twice, turning up the radio, yelling I GOTTA GO! and catching a minimum of 5 gears leaving the parking space so they have up enough speed to rip your hood off when they turn.
I witnessed that this morning. Driver never left the cab. He fired it up, waited for enough air to release the brakes and then rolled. Not only did he hit five gears but he had his jake on so we got to hear it crackle a little.