Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[Jones]

Can you do the vavle pop out brake test if no trailer is attached? If I push in the red won't the air line just drain?

When it's just the tractor you do the bleed down test with the yellow valve only.

 

[trickpony1]

When it's just the tractor you do the bleed down test with the yellow valve only.

...all this time I thought the "leak down" test was to determine when the trailer valve pops and then, a short time later, when the tractor valve pops. Stupid me.

Does anyone know why we do a leak down test?

 

[Dracula]

...all this time I thought the "leak down" test was to determine when the trailer valve pops and then, a short time later, when the tractor valve pops. Stupid me.

Does anyone know why we do a leak down test?

I've always been trained that it is so you can tell when your air tanks are connected to the warnings, so you have time to pull over, if the warnings come on, before the brakes lock up. So you turn on the ignition, pump the brakes, take note of when the warnings come on, and when the valves pop out.

 

[trickpony1]

Here's one that will stump most feeder supes...

before "spring brakes" were required, what happened if you lost air to your trailer?

 

[trickpony1]

crickets chirping...

 

[burrheadd]

Here's one that will stump most feeder supes...

before "spring brakes" were required, what happened if you lost air to your trailer?

You were in a world of sheet

 

[trickpony1]

Could I get a more descriptive answer?

 

[burrheadd]

Could I get a more descriptive answer?

That was just a guess anytime I’ve ever lost brakes to anything that’s pretty much where I ended up

 

[pickup]

Here's one that will stump most feeder supes...

before "spring brakes" were required, what happened if you lost air to your trailer?

Umm, you couldn’t apply the brakes as the air pressure was applied to push the brakes against the brake drums.

No air pressure= no brakes.

 

[trickpony1]

Close enough. (post 3912)

If the trailer departs its fifth wheel it will "free wheel" until friction or an obstruction stopped it.

If the trailer remains on the fifth wheel it will "free wheel" until something stops it.

Unfortunately, in the case of a tractor-trailer, the free wheeling trailer will continue to push the tractor, that is trying to stop it, into a violent jackknife sometimes resulting in a fatality.

 

[burrheadd]

Close enough. (post 3912)

If the trailer departs its fifth wheel it will "free wheel" until friction or an obstruction stopped it.

If the trailer remains on the fifth wheel it will "free wheel" until something stops it.

Unfortunately, in the case of a tractor-trailer, the free wheeling trailer will continue to push the tractor, that is trying to stop it, into a violent jackknife sometimes resulting in a fatality.

So, my answer wasn’t too far off

 

[Coldworld]

We're adding so many jobs, management is holding off on adding mileage jobs until we have drivers to cover them. But I know, we are the lucky ones.

Good place to be !!

 

[Indecisi0n]

Do you guys use GPS?

 

[Yaba Daba Do]

I spent $400-$500 on a rand mcnally truckers gps when i first came out to feeders because my biggest fear was getting lost and winding up somewhere trucks shouldn't be. A couple years later i realized that google maps on my phone would have been just fine for just about everywhere i've been but it did give me peace of mind when i was new since it warns of low bridges and stuff . If you know any other feeder drivers they can probably give you good directions to wherever you are going or know someone they could get on the phone who can.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I spent $400-$500 on a rand mcnally truckers gps when i first came out to feeders because my biggest fear was getting lost and winding up somewhere trucks shouldn't be. A couple years later i realized that google maps on my phone would have been just fine for just about everywhere i've been but it did give me peace of mind when i was new since it warns of low bridges and stuff . If you know any other feeder drivers they can probably give you good directions to wherever you are going or know someone they could get on the phone who can.

I was looking at some used Rand ones on eBay for like 100 bucks. Like you said I'll mostly use my phone but for city stuff I like the peace of mind of having the turn by turn. I wish they make software for the phone so I could just buy an app and use a phone mount. I really don't want to carry around anything more than what I need to.

 

[Covemastah]

Getting directions from others is still the best way. You look for landmarks and are paying attention to signs and rte #s
Some of that info may help in the future

 

[Mugarolla]

.

I was looking at some used Rand ones on eBay for like 100 bucks. Like you said I'll mostly use my phone but for city stuff I like the peace of mind of having the turn by turn. I wish they make software for the phone so I could just buy an app and use a phone mount. I really don't want to carry around anything more than what I need to.

Sygic and Copilot apps seem to have a trucker version.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/lifeha...-best-turn-by-turn-navigation-app-for-android

 

[ManInBrown]

Buddy of mine who is in feeders told me to get the Garmin LMT DEZL

Said it’s a must have

 

[barnyard]

Last week, I was in Chicago for my daughter's wedding. Was driving out to Midway, Wednesday night and there was a trailer wedged under one of the railroad bridges. The front 15 feet or so of the trailer was peeled off.

I would imagine that that guy was not using a GPS unit specific for trucks.

 

[jaker]

Buddy of mine who is in feeders told me to get the Garmin LMT DEZL

Said it’s a must have

This is the one that most of us use , when you do 3 to 4 different pickups a day it becomes a nice tool to have