Should you be able to turn the steering wheel easily while stopped?

What are they doing training students in my truck?? That just ain't right....
I'm just kidding, my mirrors are better than that.....

 

Yes , the truck is a piece of junk . The steering wheel should turn easily when idling and there should be no leaks. This truck probably has other defects like brakes and tires . Is it registered in MA ? You could make an anonymous call and report it to the Registry . They are pretty strict on truck inspections .
As for posting pictures you should be able to click the manage attachments box below the reply box then click browse then upload the photo .
You said in an earlier post you were getting into trucking because there was a lack of work for your trade . If you are willing to spend weeks on the road would you consider relocating for a good job as a machinist ? My nephew was an auto body tech in MA . He relocated to NC and his wages increased because shops in NC don't have to spend as much meeting the strict EPA regulations shops in MA do . You can buy a 3 bedroom house in the South for less than you'd pay for rent in a 2 bedroom apartment in MA .

 

I drove an old u-model Mack in the early 90's with no power steering.Who needs to go to the gym after driving that in the NY metro area.Sounds like the pumps going on the power steering unit.Leaking?OOS violation.No working door handle?OOS violation.Heater/defroster not working?OOS violation.I wouldn't drive it.Even though you are still in school your still responsible for the pre trip before you get on a public roadway.I would demand a refund and look for a more reputable school with good equipment.

 

You'll find a pup is harder to back than a 45' trailer . What good is this training going to do you when all the carriers are running 53' trailers ? This school really needs to be reported and investigated .

 

I realize this thread is about the mechanical condition of that tractor. Nevertheless, turning the steering wheel while stopped is one my pet peeves. Have you seen the damage to the asphalt and the amount of rubber scrubbed off the tires when you turn the steering wheel while stopped? In school, you are probably training with empty equipment. Soon, you will be taking a road test with a company and driving loaded trucks. An employer will see you as a rank amateur if you abuse his equipment.

 

Honestly in over 30 years of trucking I've never seen that happen to tires or asphalt if the lot was properly constructed . I've worked highway construction and seen a lot of heavy equipment making sharp turns on asphalt with no damage .

 

I disagree. You need a lot more room to back a 53'. When I went to SAGE a year ago, they trained me on a pup. Yes a shorter trailer swings around faster but you don't need a lot of room out front to get it in a hole like you do with a 53' or longer trailer.

If you do learn on a pup, just remember when you drag a 53 footer, you need a lot more room in front of the hole to swing the tractor around.

Backing a pup is a cakewalk compared to a 53' footer in most places you go to. Wal-Marts and big dc's don't count as those give you a ton of room to get er in, but when you go to smaller shippers, I'd rather be dragging a pup any day of the week lol.

 

When a vehicle makes a sharp turn, the wheels are rolling.

I was a transfer driver working for a canned goods labeling plant. Common carrier drivers of all levels of experience and ability picked up at that plant. The divots near the docks were evidence of inexperienced drivers who stopped while backing. Unsure of which way to turn the steering wheel to correct the direction of the trailer, they would turn the wheel one way and then the other while checking one mirror and then the other while stopped. It was sometimes pathetic.

But then there were days of exhilaration. A woman arrived in one of those ant-eaters where the cab is so narrow that the driver loses sight of the left side of the trailer in a normal backing situation. She controlled her left mirror by opening the driver's door while backing. She dock perfectly in one smooth back-up. I was impressed and told her so.