Failed A Level II Inspection

Here's the thing. The tractor lights work, when I throw on my four-way lights. The brake lights work, I think. They just are not on, when my lights are on.

Soooo, when I did my checks, I probably thought I was good, when I wasn't.

The turn signals work also.

Dave

Electrical Gremlin. I hate those little suckers.

The trailer I have now is a little beat up. Yesterday when I stopped I had the headlights on and I know the driver's side marker light was working. My trainee did a pretrip when we switched and that marker light wasn't working. I wiggled the connector and it came back on. Then this morning the right rear marker light wasn't working. I tapped it and it came back on. I never ask someone to watch my brake lights when I'm solo. I figure if they work as marker lights and four ways, they work. Guess I'd better check them from time to time.

Brake lights also worked. I have a trailer light also giving me fits. Need to get a cross tip and switch it out.

Dave

There's a video on YouTube that shows a dude pulling the locking jaw handle on a tanker (I think)

I saw a guy about a month ago at a pilot in TN pull out and drop his trailer. The kingpin got caught on the rear frame member and was off of the fifth wheel. He was able to save it, but he found his kingpin lock pulled free. I think it helped that he was deadheading at the time.

From what I heard, there was some 'interesting' people wandering the truck stop the night before, and he denied services. For reasons like this, I try to make it a habit to ALWAYS verify the kingpin is locked when I hook up, and always eyeball my release when I am getting back into the truck.

Before u shut down or hit the sack set your trailer brakes and pull up slightly then set your tractor brakes this will eliminate the ability to pull the king pin release.

I check my pin lockers and release handle every time I leave a truck stop or rest area. Have heard to many horror stories bout sneaky f@@rs pullin the release.

When I was a mechanic, I would get the CSA violation write ups to fix. One time a driver was written up during the day because his Bright Headlights didn't work,,,,,, or they can write you up if your windshield wiper fluid is out on a sunny day,,,,, Go on line to veiw the CSA top 20 violation list. Another gotcha for the DOT is if the Fire extinquisher strap is loose (cam lock gets kicked) same write up as Defective/missing Fire extinquisher.

FYI, the tail, brake, 4 way and turn signal lights on the back of the tractor and back the trailer are wired and work differently. ,,, The back of the tractor is like a car or pick up truck where the same Bulb is used turn, brake and 4 way. ,,, The trailer is wired differently,,, There is a dedicated wire curcuit and bulbs for the brake lights,,,, seperate from the turn signals and 4 ways.

To test the Brake lights on the Pre/Post trip on the Trailer, you would need some one to watch behind the trailer when you step on the brake peddle,,,, or lock the Johnnie Bar down, GOAL,,,, or pump the air preasure down (engine off) (key on) as the low preasure Switch will also turn on the trailer brake lights,,,,GOAL

To test the Brake lights on the Pre/Post trip on the Trailer, you would need some one to watch behind the trailer when you step on the brake peddle,,,,

For my pre-trip, I turn on the running lights and the 4-ways. Gets all the light wiring checked. True, that doesn't get the actual brake light switch, but that failure's like snow in Texas in August.

You all need Daniel B. to teach you the "Pre-Trip Song" that he sings while he is doing his pre-trip. That is why he never gets any violations - you can't miss anything if you are singing that song and looking at the stuff you are singing about at the same time!

To test the Brake lights on the Pre/Post trip on the Trailer, you would need some one to watch behind the trailer when you step on the brake peddle,,,,

For my pre-trip, I turn on the running lights and the 4-ways. Gets all the light wiring checked. True, that doesn't get the actual brake light switch, but that failure's like snow in Texas in August.

Problem is the trailer brake light bulbs could be out, they're seperate bulbs from the turn/4 way bulbs so you could have a trailer brake light out even though the 4 ways and turn lights worked