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Reminder of why pre-trip inspection is very important


CHIEFWAHO

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Before my last trip I was doing a visual inspection of the truck and trailer.

I'm sure I am never thorough enough but glad I did catch this before out on the road.

 

Guessing it broke sometime on my return trip from Colorado.

 

I was lucky and found a replacement spring (only 1 they had) at the local home and farm store the day before I was to leave.

I now have spare trailer springs in the toolbox.

 

broke%20trailer%20spring%201.jpg

 

broke%20trailer%20spring%202.jpg

 

 

1999 Volvo VNL610, Cummins M11 - 350/400 HP, 10 speed Rockwell - 'CHIEF'

Custom flatbed with TrailerSaver air hitch.

3 cyl 8000 watt Kubota diesel generator.

New Mexico April 2019.jpg

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Wow! Good catch. I've had a couple of broken pins and even a broken spring eye but never actually broke a spring.

 

I know on mine at least one of the broken pins was directly a result of hitting the hitch way too hard with the HDT. Wonder if that could be the case here?

 

I try to check the trailer springs every trip.

Dennis & Nancy
Tucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.

1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.
2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS
2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud
(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06

and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)
Our Travel Blog

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Hmm, I try to remember to do a pre trip inspection several days before the trip, as well as one just before departure. I will do a better job of inspecting things from now on. Thanks for the reminder and pictures. Be safe, Charlie

Don't ever tell a soldier that he doesn't understand the cost of war.

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Went to leave a camp ground last year and on my pretrip I found a trailer main leaf bent badly.

Luckily I found it. I was able to use a block of wood and a jack to bend it back straight.

Now I carry a spare spring and parts.

 

Last week on pretrip for our yearly trip. My brake lights worked fine until I hooked up to my trailers then nothing.

After a long time searching I found that my Circuit breaker on the truck for the brake lights did not pop but was in fact bad anyway.

I put in a temporary circuit breaker for the trip and will replace all of the circuit breaker's before the truck leaves again.

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Just to share a tidbit of info........ Some trailers use springs and axles from Lippert, which are 1" shorter than the "standard" length of Dexter and those carried by the majority of trailer repair and service shops. While you can replace Lippert springs with Dexter, the clearance between the tires is reduced and the action of the center-point is compromised.

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Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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Just to share a tidbit of info........ Some trailers use springs and axles from Lippert, which are 1" shorter than the "standard" length of Dexter and those carried by the majority of trailer repair and service shops. While you can replace Lippert springs with Dexter, the clearance between the tires is reduced and the action of the center-point is compromised.

That's good to know thanks

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