This article provides everything you need to prepare for the Pre-Trip Trucking Inspection Exam. This guide covers a thorough list of parts that you need to inspect on the vehicle and what to do with it.
Overview of The Pre-Trip Inspection
The Pre-Trip Trucking Inspection is a thorough inspection of your truck and all of its major systems. Truck inspection before driving each is a Federal requirement and takes about 15 minutes to complete it. You must log in to your logbook as “on-duty not driving.”
Moving forward, I will teach you the proper safety inspections of the chassis, the coupling system, the engine compartment, the fuel tanks, the in-cab, and the vehicle lights.
Engine Compartment
Check your engine compartment for any sort of leaks. You also need to check if the components are mounted and appropriately secured. None of the parts must be bent, cracked, or broken.
You should also check all the hoses to ensure they are not frayed, leaking, or sliced. The fluid levels, including the coolant, the power steering fluid, and the oil level must be checked as well.
The components like the alternator, water pump, the power steering pump, and the belts are correctly placed and well secured.
Inside the engine compartment, you will see the front brake system, front suspension system, and steering system. All these components must not be bent, broken, or cracked as well.
Finally, you need to check the axle seals, rims, and tires and ensure that they are correctly inflated.
Fuel Tank And Battery Area
The next thing you will be doing is to stand along the side of your truck, doing a series of checks on the batteries, exhaust system, fuel tanks, and the mirrors. You need to ensure that nothing is bent, broken, cracked, or leaking.
Do not also forget to check the door handle, door hinges, and the mirrors. The fuel should not be leaking, ensuring the fuel cap is also secure and the gasket is there.
Make sure that nothing in the exhaust system, catwalk, and the driveshaft is bent, broken, or cracked.
The frame and cross members should be good for structural integrity. The airlines going to the trailer should be properly connected and no abrasions, bulges, or cuts. The gaskets should not be missing.
Then, make sure that brakes on the drive axles and the suspension system are not bent, cracked, or broken. Make sure the brake linings are in the proper thickness, and the airbags are fully inflated.
You should also inspect the brake chambers, pushrods, and slack adjusters. The pushrod should not move more than 1 inch, and the brakes can be released and pulled by hand.
Coupling System
You will now proceed to check the air and electrical lines to ensure they are correctly mounted and secured at both ends. There should be no leaking air and any abrasions, cuts, or bulges. The electrical wires should not be exposed.
Check also the gladhands to ensure the seals do not have cracks, signs of dry rotting, and air leakage. Next is to check the apron of the trailer and skid plate of the fifth wheel. This is to ensure that there is no debris and nothing is bent, broken, or cracked.
The fifth wheel should be greased. Gaps should not be present in between the trailer apron and the fifth wheel once the tractor and trailer are coupled. The locking jaws of the fifth wheel should be properly secured and the trailer kingpin is properly mounted without any bents or cracks.
Then, check the mounting bolts attached to the fifth wheel to the tractor frame. Make sure that missing bolts are complete and that everything is secured properly.
If you own a sliding fifth wheel, check its locking pin and ensure that it is locked into place.
Proper clearance between the trailer landing gear and tractor mud flap should be seen well. Make sure that they do not hit each other when making a turn.
Trailer
For this, you will start inspecting the trailer at the headboard located at the front wall of the trailer. Make that there are no holes or missing rivets.
The landing gear should be properly mounted and secured. Make sure that the handle and the fully raised in the cradle when the trailer and tractor are coupled.
Check the tandem frame, cross members, and release frames. Ensure that they are in good condition, and the locking pins and release handles are in a fully locked position.
You will check the brake system and the entire suspension for the trailer tandems similar to the tractor drive axles. You will also make sure the mudflaps are properly secured and that there is proper space between the tires. Nothing should be stuck between these.
Check the hinges and the rear door to ensure they are properly mounted and have no cracks. The door seals should still be in good quality.
Light Check
The fifth one is to check all the lights and reflectors on both the trailer and the tractor. Check the reflective tape and reflectors to ensure they are properly mounted and secured.
These should be clean and illuminated. Check that you have the appropriate color of amber to the front and sides, and red to the rear.
Then, start by turning on your headlights and marker lights. Then, walk around the entire truck and trailer and point out the lights. Give the light function and the location.
Check your lights on the following locations:
- Front of the Truck
- Rear of the Truck
- Both sides of the Truck
- Rear of the Trailer
- Both sides of the Trailer
Check for the following functions:
- Brake Lights
- Four-Way Flashers
- High Beams/Low Beams
- Left Turn Signal
- Right Turn Signal
In-Cab Inspection
The air brake check and in-cab inspection will cover the various gauges and systems inside the cab. Other tests will also be done to ensure your air brake system is working properly.
Other things you need to check:
- City horn and air horn functioning properly
- Fire Extinguisher- properly mounted, secured and fully charged
- Heater and Defroster – both should work properly
- Lighting Indicators – Four Way Flashers, High Beams, Left Turn, and Right Turn.
- Mirrors and windshields – clean, with no cracks or breaks, no obstructions. The mirrors are in precise adjustment.
- Seat Belt – properly mounted, secured. Not frayed and should adjust and latch properly.
- Service Brake Check- drive in idle and check to ensure that the service brack check comes to a complete stop. It should not pull to the left or right when applying the brakes.
- Trailer Parking Brakes – to check, set the trailer brake, release the tractor brake, and tug on the trailer lightly.
- Tractor Parking Brakes – to check, set the Tractor brake, release the trailer brake, and then tug on the tractor lightly.
- Voltmeter, Air Pressure Gauge, Oil Pressure Gauge, Water Temperature Gauge, and all show proper operation
- Windshield Wipers and Washers – make sure the sprays work.
- Wipers – properly mounted, secured, and operate smoothly. The blades should not be dry rotten.
Air Brake Test
To do this, one needs to do the leak down test to ensure that air brakes are not leaking air and losing pressure. This also tests the buzzer and warning lights to ensure that the driver gets a warning if the air pressure drops too low.
Three stages to an Air Brake Test
Applied Pressure Test.
First is to build the air pressure to governor cut out. Then, put the truck in the lowest gear.
After doing that, turn off the engine. Immediately turn the engine back on. Then, push in both the tractor and trailer valves.
Push and hold the brake pedal fully. Wait for the gauges to stabilize. Once the gauges, Primary, and Secondary PSI are stabilized, pressed the brakes now. You should not drop more than 4 PSI in a minute. Inform when there are air leaks during that minute.
Warning Light and Buzzer Test
Thrust down on the brake pedal until the buzzer and warning light comes on, at or before 60 PSI.
Tractor/Trailer Protection Valve Pop-Out Test
Thrust down on the brake pedal until both the trailer protection valves and the tractor pop out. They should both pop out between 20 and 40 PSI.