Complete Class A Inspection done by Licensed Instructor!
CDL Pre Trip Inspection Test Class A
Closed Caption
Under the Hood - Passenger's Side
- [Licensed Instructor] Start under the hood at the passenger side, radiator full, not leaking.
We're not going to check it 'cause it's hot, but if it was cold in the morning we would check the radiator fluid.
Hoses line secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Turbo hoses all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Wiring up on the firewall, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Side of the engine block secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Alternator secure, not damaged.
The belts are tight.
Push at the midpoint, shouldn't go more than the width of the belt.
All the fan blades are there not broken, cracked or damaged.
Side of the radiator.
Radiator supports all secure, not damaged.
Hoses, all good.
Engine oil.
Pull it out.
Make sure it goes in completely and full.
Turbo, turbocharger, side of the engine block, exhaust, all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Firewall, good.
Frame rail secure, not damaged, not cracked or broken.
Hoses and wires.
ABS (Anti-Locking Braking Valve) valves, secure, not damaged, not broken.
Air dryer, secure, not damaged.
Wires to the headlights, all secure, not damaged, not broken, cracked or frayed.
Shock absorber, not leaking, not damaged.
Mud flap is secured, not damaged.
Hose out to the brake chamber secure, not damaged.
U joints.
Give 'em a tap.
Leaf springs not cracked or broken.
Tie rod in secure, not damaged.
Axles secure, not damaged.
Brake chamber secure, not damaged.
Slack adjuster.
Good.
Push rod travel within 1/2" to... 1/2" to 3/4" inch for push rod travel.
If you're doing the applied method, then I'll put a cart up in the corner here.
You can have a look at that.
Inside of the tire, rim nuts, crack, damaged inside of the tire.
No lumps, bumps, or cracks.
Top of the tire even wear, adequate tread.
Outside of the tire, no lumps, bumps or cracks.
Make sure you put your hand all the way around the rim.
That indicates that you've looked at the whole thing.
No cracks are damage to the outside of the rim.
All my lug nuts are tight.
Hub is full of oil and not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Engine Compartment - Driver's Side
Air filter secured, not damaged.
Hoses and lines and wires on the fire wall.
All secure, not damage, not leaking.
Inter cooler pipe, secure, not damage.
Top of the radiator, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Air conditioning pump, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Belts, proper tension.
Fan blades.
All there, no cracks or damage.
No leaks in the radiator.
Radiator support, secure, not damaged.
Side of the engine block.
No leaks.
Hoses, lines and wires, all secure, not damaged.
Washer fluid is full.
Power steering fluid.
Is full.
Power steering reservoir, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Air compressors, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Filters, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Hoses and lines all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Steering box, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Frame rail all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
No excessive play in the steering rod.
Hoses lines, wires all secure, not damaged.
Frame rail, secure, not damage.
ABS valve, secure, not damage.
Leaf springs, secure, not damaged.
U bolt, secure, not damaged.
Tie rod end, secure, not damaged.
Steering components, all secure, not damaged.
Line to the brake chamber, secure, not damaged.
Brake chamber, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Push rod travel.
1/2" to 3/4" Inside of the rim, secure, not damaged.
No cracks or damaged to the rim.
The inside of the brake components are all good.
Secure, not damaged.
No lumps, bumps, or cracks on the inside of the tire.
Good pressure on the tire.
Outside of the tire, no lumps bumps or cracks.
The rim, secure, not damaged, no cracks.
All the lug nuts are tight and secure.
Hub is full and not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Blood, sweat, and tears.
That's what went into this video.
'Cause it was hot.
And I cut my head on the end of that angle iron underneath the trailer.
- Ah!!
- That's going to bleed.
If you want the complete list....the detailed list of what you need to say, what you need to inspect for the purposes of passing your pre-trip inspection.
Inside the Cab of the Class A Vehicle
Gauges are working.
Oil pressure within range, water temperature within range, volts within range, amps working, all gauges working adequate fuel for the trip.
There's nothing up here that's going to fall down and kill me while I'm driving.
There's nothing on the dash that is going to fall off.
I'm going to take these off and put them on the floor.
So they're not rolling around while I'm driving.
Glass is not chipped, cracked, or broken.
There is a stone chip there.
I'll put that on the pre-trip report.
Windshield wipe work and squirt.
Defrost works.
Steering wheel, secure, not damaged, no excessive play.
Door opens and closes from the inside.
Both windows go up and down.
Seat is secure, not damaged.
Seatbelt works and clips.
And if the examiner was in the seat next to me, I would ask him or her to see if the seat was secure, wiggle their butt and as well I would ask them to do up their seatbelt and make sure that the seatbelt works.
Paperwork for the vehicle is in the glove box.
You may have to take that out and show that to the examiner.
Okay? All the lights work.
Lights are on.
Right signal, left signal, high beams, 4-ways work.
Horns work.
Okay.
In-Cab Air Brake Inspection
Now I'm going to start my Air brake pre-trip inspection.
And we start to pump down.
We pump down below a 100psi (pounds per square inch) and make sure that it starts to build up pressure.
We throttle up a little bit.
The needles have started climbing.
Therefore we know that the governor has put the compressor back into the load phase.
Also we have to push our buttons in (the parking brake and trailer supply valve).
Make sure you do that before the low air warning comes on.
We pump down.
Low air warning has come on about 60psi.
The low air warning is both visual and audible. In other words, you can both see it and hear it.
We pump down until the buttons pop out, indicating that the emergency brakes have applied.
We shut the truck off.
So we're not fighting against the compressor.
And the buttons have popped out between 20 and 45psi.
We'd start the truck back up.
So it has to build 50 to 90psi, within three minutes.
So we start our timer just a little bit before 50psi.
So tip 50.
So we start our timer.
And we're at a high idle of a 1000 RPM.
And our dash lights are on.
We can see.
Low air warning has gone off above 60psi.
First, the other thing you would ask the examiner is if the door opens and closes from the inside on the passenger door, but we could check that as well.
And both needles have to be past 90psi to pass the buildup test, the compressor test for the air brake system.
Interior lights work.
And the system has built 50 to 90psi well within three minutes, a minute and fifty seconds.
And now we go to maximum pressure.
Make sure you push your buttons back in.
System is at maximum pressure.
The air dryer has purged.
I see that the needles have stopped climbing above 120psi.
Therefore the system is at maximum pressure.
Now we're going to do a leak test.
We've got our buttons in and we shut the truck off and we do a full brake application for one minute and hold.
And this is the longest one minute of your life.
And for a tractor trailer unit, we can't lose more than 4psi.
After the initial drop in the air gauges.
The system didn't lose more than four psi in one minute.
Therefore it passed all of the air brake tests.
We have our buttons in.
Now we go out of the truck and we do a round.
The last piece in the cab is the emergency gear.
Fire extinguisher, first aid kit, flaresl
They're not flares in this day and age they're going to be triangles and flashlight, is our last thing on our emergency equipment.
Front of the Truck
Start at the Top & Work Down Left to Right
Top of the cab secure, not damaged.
Lights are all there.
Secure, not damaged.
Aerial clearance lights are all working.
Exhaust spotlight, secure, not damaged.
Both mirrors are secure, not damaged.
Bus mirrors, secure, not damaged.
Top of the hood is secure, not damaged.
Clearance light on the left is working.
Signals working.
No damage to the grill.
Nothing in the grill.
Both lights are working.
Lights are working.
No damage to the bumper.
Hood is secure and latched.
License plate with a tag, a valid tag.
Nothing underneath the truck, nothing hanging down, nothing leaking.
And for some it's going to be easier when you do the tag here that you do the Safety Inspection decals at the same time.
The tractor is valid to the end of July, 2021.
Driver's Side of the Truck
And we do the truck.
Valid July 2021 Side of the truck.
No damage, no new damage.
Bumper is secure.
Signal is there, secure.
Mirror is secure, not damaged.
The glass is not cracked chipped or broken.
Glass - not chapped, cracked, chipped or broken.
The mirror is secure.
Grab handle is secure.
Door opens, closes from the outside.
Step is secure.
Step is secure.
Boot brush is secure.
Mud flap is secure.
And in some locations they're going to want you to take off the battery box cover and make sure that the batteries are not corroded, but we are not going to do that for this purposes.
But check with your local DMV whether you got to take this off or not.
Rear of Truck
Headache rack, secure, not damaged.
Grab handle, secure, not damaged.
Headache racks, secure, not damaged.
All the chains and other tools are secure, not damaged.
Hoses are hanging up off the deck.
Deck is not broken, secure, um, no damage, no new damage to the deck.
Frame rail secure, not damaged.
Chain hangers, secure, not damaged.
Air tanks, all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Hoses line, secure, not damage, not leaking.
Mud flap, secure, not damage.
The broom is secure.
Rear of Truck
Tires & Suspension Components
Let me get my tools here.
Brackets are secure.
U bolts are secure.
Steps are secure, not damaged.
Quarter fender, secure, not damaged.
No damage to the front of the trailer.
The winch is secure, not damaged.
Hoses secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Clearance lights are not working, but they don't have to be working.
It's a minor error and put that on our pre-trip inspection so it can be repaired.
Okay.
Down in here, suspension components, airbags are inflated.
Brake chambers, secure, not damaged.
Nothing on the top of the deck.
The deck is secure, not damaged.
Clearance light is working.
Reflective tape is in place.
All of my hydraulics are working.
Okay.
Stick my head in here.
Frame rail secure, not damaged.
Airbag, suspension, shocks, leaf Springs, all secure, not damaged, not broken.
Valves, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Axle secure, not damaged.
Inside of the tires, secure, not damaged.
No lumps, No bumps, No cracks.
Even wear, adequate tread on all four tires.
Nothing between any of the duals.
The rims are not cracked or broken or damaged.
This one here.
All my lug nuts are secure.
Not damaged, not loose.
Hub bolts, all secure.
It's not leaking.
It's full of fluid.
No lumps bumps, no cracks on the outside of the tire.
Rim, no cracks or damage.
Valves them with a cap.
No lumps, bump, or cracks inside of the rim.
No damage, no cracks.
All the lugs are tight.
Hub bolts are all secure, not leaking or damaged and valves them with a cap.
Adequate pressure in all four tires.
Inspecting Semi-Trailer Connection & Rear of Truck
Jaws are locked around the fifth wheel.
There's no space between the fifth wheel and the top of the trailer.
The frame rails are secure, not damaged, not broken.
Suspension components, secure, not damaged.
Hoses lines and wires.
All secure, not damaged.
Differential, not leaking.
Hoses and lines all secure.
Both airbags inflated.
Left signal is working.
Parking lights on.
License plate, uh, secure, not damaged.
Dolly's up and secure.
Lines all secure, not damaged.
Dolly secure, no damage to the frame.
All four tires, even wear, adequate tread.
Inspecting Driver's Side of Semi-Trailer
Side of the trailer, secure, not damaged.
No damage to the side of the trailer.
Signal is working.
Chains are secure and locked.
No damage to the cargo.
Signals working on the back of the tractor.
There's no debris on the top of the deck.
The deck is in good condition.
Air gauge is secure, not damaged, not broken.
All reflective tape is in place.
Strap is secure and locked.
Deck is here.
Nothing on top of the deck.
No damage to the side of the trailer.
Inside of the tires.
Suspension components, all secure, not damaged.
Airbags are inflated.
All four tires even wear, adequate tread.
Nothing between the duals.
Rims are not damaged or cracked or broken.
Outside of the tires.
No lump, no bumps, no cracks.
Inside of the rim, no damage, not cracked or broken.
All the lug nuts are secure.
Lug nuts or hub nuts rather, all secured tight.
The hub is full of oil and not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Tires.
No lumps, no bumps, no cracks.
No damage to the inside of the rim.
All the lugs are tight.
Hub bolts are tight.
The hub is full of oil and not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Mud flap is in place.
All tires, all four tires have adequate pressure.
Inspecting Rear of Semi-Trailer
No damage to the top of the deck.
The left signal is working.
Parking lights are on.
Three clearance lights are working.
License plate in place.
License plate light is working.
Reflective tape.
Nothing hanging down.
Nothing leaking underneath the trailer.
Now at this point, I would ask the examiner to watch the lights and I would go up and check the brake lights to make sure the brake lights are working.
Turn off the left signal, apply the brake lights.
The examiner will give you a thumbs up.
They're working.
Sometimes the examiner will say to you, "Well, what are you going to do if you're by yourself?"
Well, you'd say, "I'd stick something on the brake pedal to check whether the brake lights are working or not."
And then after you check the brake lights, you put on the right signal, high beams, and come back and continue around with your pre-trip inspection up the right side of the vehicle.
"So Mr.
Examiner, will you check my brake lights for me when I go up and push down on the pedal?" You say yes.
Excellent.
Right signal is working.
All the parking lights are working.
Light is on.
Clearance lights are on.
Inspecting the Passenger Side of the Semi-Trailer
When we go up, the right side of the vehicle is exactly the same as the left side of the vehicle.
The only difference on this side is your DOT Inspection stickers, but you've already checked those when you checked your license tag on the front of the vehicle.
Side of the trailer, no damage to the side of the trailer.
The deck, there's nothing on the deck.
There's no damage to the deck.
Straps are secure.
Chains are secure and locked in place.
Reflective tape all in place along the side of the trailer.
Mud flap is secure.
Stick my head through here.
Suspension components secure, not damaged.
Airbags are inflated.
Shocks no, no damage.
Not leaking.
Inside of the tires.
No lump, no bumps, no cracks.
Even wear, adequate tread.
Nothing between the duals.
No damage or cracks to the rims.
Even wear, adequate tread.
No lumps, no bumps, no cracks.
No cracks or damage to the inside of the rim.
All the lugs are tight and secure.
There's oil in the hub and it's not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Mud flap, secure, not damage.
No lumps, no bumps, no cracks.
All the lugs are tight.
All the hub, uh, lug are tight.
The nuts are tight.
There's oil in the hub and it's not leaking.
And there's a valve stem with a cap.
And we Bangy, Bangy the tires, tires.
Whoop.
Adequate air in all four tires.
Inspecting the Cargo and the Side of the Semi-Trailer
Okay? Nothing, no damage to the top of the deck.
Winch is secure.
Chains are secure.
Locked.
Reflective tape, no damage to the side of the trailer.
No damage here.
Clearance light is working.
Reflective tape is all in place.
Dolly is secure.
Nothing on the foot.
Stick my head in here.
Suspension components, secure, not damaged.
Shocks and airbags are full, not leaking.
Inside of the tires, no lump, bumps, or cracks.
Even wear, adequate tread on all four tires.
Nothing between the duals.
The rims are not cracked or broken or damaged.
No lumps, bumps or cracks on the outside of the tire.
No damage or cracks to the rim.
All my lug nuts are tight.
Hub lugs, hub nuts are secured tight.
Hub is not leaking.
Outside of the tire - no lumps, bump's, or cracks.
Rim secure, not damaged.
All the lugs are tight.
Hub lugs are tight, not leaking.
Valve stem with a cap.
Quarter fender is secure.
All four tires have air.
Okay.
Fifth wheel.
Bolt is in on the front.
There's no space between the fifth wheel and the trailer plate.
Front of the trailer.
No damage.
No damage to the top of the deck.
Rear of Truck & Semi-Trailer Connection
All my lines are secure and up off the deck.
No new damage to the deck.
Headache rack is secure.
Bolts are secure, not loose.
Hydraulic filters, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Hoses lines, secure, not damaged leaking.
There's adequate fluid inside the hydraulic tank.
Chain rack, secure, not damaged.
No damage to the side of the frame rail.
Nothing hanging down.
Nothing leaking.
Chains are secure.
No damage to the fuel tank.
Mud flap is good.
Lines are hung up.
All the chains, tools are all hung up.
Secure, not damaged.
Light is secure, not damaged.
Exhaust, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Handrail secure, not damage.
Mirror.
Secure, not damage.
DOT Safety Inspection sticker.
We've already done that.
Glass not chipped, cracked, broken.
Door opens and closes from the outside.
No damage to the frame rail.
Mud flap is secure, not damaged.
Fuel tank, no damage.
Adequate fuel for the trip.
Step is secure, not damaged.
Nothing hanging down, nothing leaking.
Signal is working.
Mirror is secure, not damage.
No cracks, chips, or dings to the mirror.
Bus mirrors secure, not damaged.
Not cracked, chipped, or broken.
Signals working.
High beams are working on the front of the truck.
Inspecting the Under Side of the Truck
Yes, you have to go under the truck and crawl around!
Now we go underneath it! I need my pry bar here.
Okay.
Wheel chocks are in, breaks are off.
I got over 90psi of air pressure in the air brake system.
Yes.
Perfect.
You got to have over 90 pounds of pressure or the springs will not be completely off under the truck to check your push rod travel.
And one of the things that I forgot to check when I was checking before was my fifth wheel assembly No space between the trailer and the fifth wheel plate.
The locking handle is in.
The bolt is in on front.
And when I was underneath, I checked that the jaws were closed around the kingpin.
So we're going to get underneath the trailer here.
I'd like to thank Nor-Val for providing equipment to make this video possible.
They have five locations throughout the Okanagan Valley.
You can rent everything from pullers.
The delineators that I use.
Small engine equipment and this huge boom you'll see back on the trailer here.
So check out Nor-Val and rent from them because there are great advantages to renting as opposed to owning.
A utility trailer, for example: you don't have to store it and you don't have to maintain it.
Cheaper to hire for only using it a couple of times a year.
Check out Nor-Val.
All right.
So we're looking up front.
Engine, nothing underneath the engine that's leaking or broken.
The axle secure, not damaged.
Transmission, not leaking, damage.
The hydraulic pump secure, not damaged.
Hoses, wires, and lines.
All secure, not damaged.
Frame rail secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Okay.
Air tanks, secure, not damaged.
Inside of the fuel tank, not damaged or leaking.
The drive shaft, good.
Air tanks, all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Hoses, lines, and wires.
All secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Fuel bolts secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Can we move back? Okay.
Airbags are inflated.
Brake chambers secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Okay.
Mud flaps, secure, not damaged.
Frame rail, secure.
Cross members, all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Brake chambers, all good.
Differential, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Inside of the wheels.
The brakes are good.
Not leaking or damaged.
Push rod travel within 1/2" to 3/4" inch on that one.
Push rod travel 1/2" to 3/4" on that one.
- Inter actual differential secure, not damaged.
Frame rails, secure.
Cross members, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Airbags all inflated.
Wires, lines, and hoses, all secure, not damaged.
Rear diff all good, secure, not damaged.
Inside of the tires.
No lumps, bumps, cracks on either side.
Brake lining, secure, not damaged.
Brakes, secure, not damaged.
And push rod travel 1/2" to 3/4" inch on the passenger side.
And push rod travel 1/2" to 3/4" inch on the driver's side.
Pulling ourselves through.
Under Front of Semi-Trailer
Frame rails, wires, lines, hoses, all secure, not damaged.
Airbags inflated.
Cross members on the top of the trailer are all secure, not damaged, not broken.
No new damage here.
Cross members, all secure, not damaged.
Hoses, lines, and wires.
All secure, not damaged.
Cross members under the trailer.
Secure, not damage.
Inspecting Under Semi-Trailer
Hydraulic cylinders, not leaking, not damaged.
- Cross members, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Cross members subfloor all good, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Cross members, secure, not damaged, not broken.
Airlines secure, not damage, not leaking.
Air tanks secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Suspension, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
No members damaged or broken.
Push rod travel on the right 1/2" to 3/4", 1/2" to 3/4" inch.
Airbag secure, not damaged.
Inflated.
1/2" to 3/4" inch on the driver's side.
Okay? Frame rails, brake chambers, hoses, the lines and wires.
All secure, not damaged.
Frame rails, secure, not damaged.
Suspension components, all secure, not damaged.
Push rod travel 1/2" to 3/4" inch on the driver's side.
Push rod travel 1/2" to 3/4" inch on the passenger side.
Suspension components, all secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Airbags are full, secure, not damaged, not leaking.
Plate secure, not damaged.
Solid, secure.
Cross members all secure, not damaged.
Airlines, secure, not damaged.
Wires and deck and members all secure, not damaged.
And we climb out.
Last step on the pre-trip inspection.
You got to take the wheel chocks out.
Make sure you apply the brakes before you take the wheel chocks out.
It's an automatic fail on a driver's test.
If you don't apply those brakes and you pull those wheel chocks out.
So apply the brakes, then pull the wheel chocks.
Stow your tools and you got to do your last four brake checks.
Finishing Up the Class A Pre-Trip Inspection
Service brakes on the trailer, service brakes on the truck, which is a response test and then tug test on the tractor.
Parking brakes, and then a tug test on the trailer.
Parking brakes.
Parking brakes applied.
Now we're going to remove the chocks.
And you might need a hammer or you might need to move the truck with this.
And we might need to move the truck.
Do not get in the truck with your gloves and your overalls on.
Because, you're a professional and you want to keep the dirt outside the truck.
We store our wheel chocks.
Okay.
The 4-Brake Test for the Class A Pre-Trip Inspection
K, And we use bull (lo gear) for this.
So into bull gear.
Okay.
Trailer brakes off.
Truck parking brake on.
Clutch out and just try and move forward.
Okay.
Tug test works.
Truck parking brakes off.
Trailer parking brakes out.
You'll have to hold in the yellow parking brake knob.
Okay.
Out.
Trailer parking brakes work.
Off with both.
Trailer service brakes.
We need to roll forward a little bit.
Service brakes work and we roll forward again.
And we push down and the service brakes works.
Apply the parking brakes and put the transmission into neutral.
Truck engine off.
And we fill out our pre-trip inspection form.
And I'll put a card up in the corner for you on how to fill out the pre-trip inspection form.
But this is the last piece.
Once you're finished this, you sign it.
Once you hand it to the examiner, it's all done.
But if you go through here and there wasn't, there was something that you missed.
You can go back and check it.
Okay.
After you're finished with this, you can just have a quick look about this.
And if there was something that you forgot, go back and check it.
So for example, in here, I didn't check the mirrors, say that they were adjusted for my driving.
So, oh, that was one thing that I might have missed.
But other than that, you can just have a quick look at it.
And like I said, at the end of the pre-trip inspection, before you hand this to the examiner, just go through, have a quick look, make sure you checked everything and then hand it to the examiner and say, you're done.
You can look at this as a reminder when you're finished your pre-trip.
- Ah, that's going to bleed.
