Do a walk around at every stop!

[tinner12002]

Went to Talladega for the race and on the return trip my buddy was traveling in front with his newer TT when I had lost site of him in traffic north of Louisville. Suddenly in all the heavy northbound traffic I seen them on the side of the road. Not being able to get pulled over until some time down the road I find out he had lost his trailer lights. So off I go to the next exit, turn and head back south to the next exit and then back north to where they were stopped, keep in mind I'm towing a 5th wheel, we find that his trailer wiring had drug the road to the point it had wore into. After getting to the next exit and wiring the two ends back together he had lights and off we go with a 2 hr delay. Every time I stop for fuel, to eat or for potty break I do a walk around to check and see if things look to be in order with nothing dripping or hanging and everything still connected...I think from now on he will be doing the same thing.

[maskins]

I guess you should also do it yourself. I just traded in my travel trailer for a new 5th wheel. I got the tech to help me make sure lights and everything worked. I was in truck. Got home and found out I didn't have a license plate. It was still on the one I traded. Guess I should have walked back there and checked instead of taking the tech word everything was good. So happy I didn't get a ticket on the 2 hour ride home.

[Doss]

So how was the Talladeaga camping?

[tinner12002]

Walaby wrote:
1) How did he know his lights weren't working while driving at freeway speeds?
2) If told by passing motorist, why not take the next exit, and repair it in a parking lot where it's safe vice on side of the road?

I agree on walk arounds. I do one every time I stop. But, if my lights went out I wouldn't try to repair on site of freeway in the middle of heavy traffic.

Guess there's two examples of lack of common sense.

Mike

It was dark and people were flagging them down that they had an issue, didn't know what it was until they pulled over...too dangerous to pull back out into traffic with no lights, too dangerous to drive with no lights even if they had not pulled over...I65 northbound was extremely busy Monday nite. Safest thing he could do in my opinion was to pull over as far off lane as possible which he did. Cord didn't pull out as some asked, it wore into about 3ft from the plug where it had been dragging on the pavement.

[Crabbypatty]

Everytime and do a good pre-flight before we leave. On one trip the morning of day 2 at the gas station I noticed that cracks in my side walls developed on two tires, that werent there the day before. I cut my speed and drove with my flashers on. At the CG the next day, I went to CW and swapped out that set of 4 for 4 new shoes. If I was oblivious I may have had a wicked blowout, and worse.....

[LarryJM]

Grit dog wrote:
Yeah I don't go all NASCAR pit stop, IR guns, grease guns, tq wrench, tire gauge etc, but equipment walk arounds should be common practice.

That's sort of my thoughts also. Most likely by the time something like an IR gun temp becomes a concern it's too late anyway. I would think a simple "feel" would tell you as much as something like an IR gun anyway. An issue like a dragging umbilical cord should have been fixed during initial hook up and not have become an issue between "rest/potty" stops anyway.

Larry

[rdmike]

Always do a walk around at rest stops and when we depart. I also have a 46 point checklist that me and wife go over as we get ready to leave. Too easy to get interupted.

[bikendan]

ford truck guy wrote:
Since I am an EX truck driver ,I have my old routine stamped in my head. I do the same things after every hook up.. at every fuel stop.. and every overnight stop.. The time spent is well worth it.

i'm a retired Firefighter/engineer and have the same thing drilled into my brain, with our fire engines.
always do a walkaround for any stop, while traveling.
bathroom breaks, fuel stops, overnights, shopping.
basically before any departure.

[southernsky]

Yup...been traveling for many miles and always do a walk around but there is always something on the earthquake on wheels. Got home from our last 1400+ mile trip and noticed the spare tire was hanging loose. Add that to the list on the walk around..

[Chuck_thehammer]

Walaby wrote:

Chuck_thehammer wrote:
I can see my side lights on the trailer.. using the side mirrors..

I can too.. I guess Im thinking tail lights/turn signals. I still wouldn't stop during busy traffic on side of road to fix. I'd exit safely and stop in a parking lot, but that's just me.

only time I will stop/park on the side of a road/freeway.. is if the engine is dead. if it rolls, I look for an exit/side road.

[Bob_Olallawa]

Too many times I have seen people taking a short cut between the truck and trailer while parked at a rest area or fuel stop. For that reason alone I always take a quick look at the hitch, wires and tires and head on down the road.

[Walaby]

Chuck_thehammer wrote:
I can see my side lights on the trailer.. using the side mirrors..

I can too.. I guess Im thinking tail lights/turn signals. I still wouldn't stop during busy traffic on side of road to fix. I'd exit safely and stop in a parking lot, but that's just me.

[Chuck_thehammer]

I can see my side lights on the trailer.. using the side mirrors..
maybe the brake controller reported a problem.

check at every stop.. IR gun. lights.
trailer brake check at every pull out.

[Walaby]

1) How did he know his lights weren't working while driving at freeway speeds?
2) If told by passing motorist, why not take the next exit, and repair it in a parking lot where it's safe vice on side of the road?

I agree on walk arounds. I do one every time I stop. But, if my lights went out I wouldn't try to repair on site of freeway in the middle of heavy traffic.

Guess there's two examples of lack of common sense.

Mike

[ford_truck_guy]

Since I am an EX truck driver ,I have my old routine stamped in my head. I do the same things after every hook up.. at every fuel stop.. and every overnight stop.. The time spent is well worth it.

[LadyRVer]

My first fifth wheel, coming home from the dealer, brand new, the cord pulled out of the receptacle , guess on a turn and I drug it the rest of the way home. Unknown to me. I had to have the receptacle installed in a different place in the bed. So, his plug might have been in, but came loose on a turn?

Edited by Barb