Pretrip Inspection? Ouch!

when you take your test name everything you see on each side...

every lug nut, every hub, every tire, if it seams dumb name it anyway and explain what it does, every inch of the truck should be inspected

 

Check your local library. I have an old interstate truck driver's handbook from the eighties I bought for 25 cents. Good luck!

 

Instead of looking at the whole truck as one HUGE thing to pretrip try breaking the different areas down into acronyms that you can easily remember.

For example the steering linkage:
P - Pitman Arm = Please
S - Steering Knuckle = Steer
T - Tie Rod End = This
D - Draglink = Dang
C - Castlenuts = Co**su**er (could not think of anything else for the C - add ck at the **'s)


Coupling System:

Stuff (or the bad word that starts with S) = S - Skidplate
May = M - Mounting Bolts
Require = R - Release Arm
Losing = L - Locking Pins
Pay = P - Platform
(if)
Kingpin = K - Kingpin
Goes = G - Gap
Away = A - Apron
(from)
Jaws = J - Jaws


Brake System:

How - H = Hoses and Lines
Can - C = Chamber
Sally - S = Slack Adjuster
Drive - D = Drum
Legally - L = Linings

Breaking things down like that can save on the grey matter required in trying to remember all that infomation word for word. And if you are like me you need to save all the brain you can because of working with such a very limited quanity and quality


This link will take you to the Ga. page to download the Drivers Manual that has decent info. It starts on page 11-1 and has a decent "cheat sheet" on 11-9.
http://www.dds.ga.gov/Commercial/index.aspx

 

Another thing to realize is, while it looks like a huge list, it's really only about half as long as it looks. There's a LOT of repetition. 18 tires/hubs/sets of lugnuts/brakes - right there, the list is trimmed by a bunch

For my CDL, I didn't even have to name it right. I could say whoozis or thingjammer - so long as I knew what the thing did, and what to check for.

hoses, lines, belts? ABC: Abrasions, Breaks, Cuts

I know it freaks people out - but it really shouldn't.

 

I made note cards since we had to detail EVERYTHING!!

Everyone laughs at my notecards because I got tired of typing.... so they say......pms, niw, gwo, ncbb, nctf, gsnl......

"This is the grill, ncbb, pms"
"This is the frame, ncbb, niw, pms"

I will find my files and post them in case someone wants to print them out....... it would be nice for someone to find a use for all the work I put into them (however, the work is how I studied so I can't whine).....


PMS (properly mounted and secured)
NIW (no illegal welds)
GWO (good working order)
NCBB (not cracked, bent or broken)
NCTF (not cut, torn or frayed)
GSNL (good seal with no leaks)

 

............................

 

Divide and conquer the details into four categories: engine area, cab interior, rig exterior, and brake & coupling. Type the four categories onto one page with short details. Practice using your cheat sheet, and then without the sheet. Go back to the cheat sheet and remember which items you missed. Do not miss any DOT required items. You must know what defects you are inspecting for, not only the name of the device.

Here is my "cheat sheet" for the brake & coupling check:

Brake & Coupling

Remove chock blocks.
With hand valve on, check coupling
And trailer brakes.
Roll 5 mph and check foot brake.
Check spring brakes in low gear.
Test air leak rate:
Engine off , one minute maximum leak
If single combination
Brakes off 2 psi 3 psi
Brakes on 3 psi 4 psi

Compressor cut-in at 100 psi.
Compressor stop at 125 psi.

 

That's pretty useful Lugnut!

How long does the pretrip usually take? Do you have to pretrip every time you move or just when you are going a certain distance?

 

Soc,

actually, the rules don't require a pretrip - they require a POST trip.

A full pretrip will take about 15 minutes, starting from approach to the truck to checking the brakes.

Typically,I'd say that's done about once a week by the guys worried about it.

The rest of the time, you do a walk around (Check for damage, flat tires, check the 5th wheel, back doors, anything out of place, etc). I Do that every time before I step up into the cab. Get fuel? walk around pee break? walk around. *Every* time. Walk around takes me about 5 mimutes.

In the morning, it's a little more thorough, but not a lot.

When I fuel, I check the fluids, belts, and the rest of the stuff under the hood.

Saturday morning - or the first day off a 34 or more off time - I do a complete nose to tail inspection. Takes me about 20 minutes.

Post trip is another walk around, really.... but this time, you make note of anything you've found (even paint chips) on the DVI that goes with that day's log.