Operation and Usage of Hydraulic Valves

The hydraulic valve is like a traffic control signal at a four-way intersection. It might allow east and westbound traffic lanes to continuously flow until the light changes, which would permit the north or southbound lanes to flow. The east and westbound traffic flow represents circulating hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic…

Gear Pumps Maintenance

A gear pump is a rotary pump consisting of two meshing gear wheels in a suitable casing whose contra-rotation entrains the fluid on one side and discharges it on the other. It is a positive displacement pump that uses two meshing gears to pump both low and high viscosity liquids….

Gear Pumps

Gear pumps are used to pump oil, or other thick liquids. The separating gears on the input side of the pump creates a vacuum which pulls in the liquid, which is then carried by the gears to the output side of the pump, where the meshing of the gears pushes…

Mudguards and Mud Flaps

Mud guards, mud flaps or splash guards are small plastic or rubber flaps designed to fit in the wheel well of a vehicle and prevent dirt and debris from getting on the side of the vehicle and damaging the paint. Mud flaps can be particularly useful in wet and muddy…

Air Brake Chambers

Air brake chambers are the primary part of the air brake system in highway and long-haul 18-wheelers. While the front and rear brake chambers of a vehicle are slightly different, they function in conjunction with a set of oversize drum-brakes, taking the place of a normal breaking system’s hydraulic assist…

Building and Installing Tow Hitches

A tow hitch gives you the capability to hook up quickly to a trailer or other piece of equipment designed for you to pull behind your vehicle and get on the road. You can build your own tow hitch with a few simple materials and brackets that can be found…

Trailer Hitches Particularization

The towing industry specifies different classifications of trailer hitches: Class I, Class II, Class III, Class IV, Class V, fifth wheel and gooseneck. These hitches correspond to vehicle types. All five are classified as weight-carrying, but Classes 3, 4 and 5 can be fitted with weight-distributing attachments that allow them…

Trailer Leaf Springs

Trailers are great all-purpose haulers, but just like any other vehicle, they need maintenance. A trailer can end up with a broken or worn-out leaf spring. The leaf springs on a trailer are an important part of the suspension, holding the axle straight and also supporting the trailer and the…

Trailer Jacks

Trailer jacks are essential tools for raising and lowering the tongue on a trailer. Having a smoothly operating jack makes positioning the tongue for towing or parking much easier. Installing a new jack onto a trailer is not too difficult as long as you purchase the right size jack for…

Charging And Changing Truck Battery

Your truck cannot operate properly without a healthy, functioning battery beneath the hood. In order to ensure that the battery sustains a full charge and remains useful, you must perform regular maintenance. A poorly maintained battery will repeatedly lose its charge, which leads to corrosion and deterioration within the battery….

Trailer Bearings Maintenance

Driving with a trailer increases your risk factors, due in part to the reduced braking and cornering of your vehicle. One way to mitigate this risk is to always ensure your trailer is operating in proper mechanical order. A regular requirement for maintaining your trailer is to inspect and lubricate…

Trailer Wheels Maintenance

A utility trailer is a non-motorized apparatus that attaches to another vehicle to move heavy cargo from one location to another. As with any device with moving parts, regular maintenance, including proper lubrication of the wheel bearings, is imperative. Greasing the bearings must be done at regular intervals for proper…

Wiring Up Electric Trailer Brakes

Whether you have a travel trailer or one that just carries cargo, adding electric brakes to it will give you quicker stopping power and control. Properly wiring the trailer’s electric brakes is critical but not difficult. The color of the wires is what they will usually be, but occasionally the…

Electric Trailer Brakes

The electric brakes on your trailer are similar to the drum brakes on your automobile. The basic difference is that your automotive brakes are actuated by an electromagnet. Trailer brakes are designed to work in synchronization with tow vehicle brakes. Never use tow vehicle or trailer brakes alone to stop…

Repairing and Changing Trailer Tires

Trailers are a useful and economical way of hauling a variety of cargo. However, as with every vehicle, parts can wear out or break. Either due to excessive wear or to having a blow out, the trailer tires will eventually need to be changed. Changing these mid-sized tires is not…

Changing and Fixing Trailer Lights

Properly working trailer lights bulbs is crucial to maintaining road safety. If both bulbs are not functioning or even one is burned out, motorists behind you may not be aware when you are slowing down or planning to turn. Checking your trailer’s light bulbs and replacing them when necessary is…

Trailer Lights Installation

Trailer lights are installed on trailers to provide breaking, turn signal and caution lights on a trailer. Trailer lights must be connected to the wiring harness of the tow vehicle so that the control functions of the tow vehicle are connected to it. Many vehicles have a wiring harness already…

Fixing Trailer Axle Problems

Aligning Trailer Tongue to an Axle There is virtually no tolerance for misalignment. If the tongue is not mounted properly to the frame, the trailer will not track properly behind the tow vehicle. The further the attachment point is off-center from the axle, the more the trailer will sway while…

Setting and Replacing Trailer Axles

Trailer Axles: An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at…

Truck Echelon

Vehicle manufacturers in the United States categorize trucks by gross vehicle weight rating, defined as the combined weight of the truck and its maximum cargo. The Federal Highway Administration categorizes them by their configuration, including the total number of axles and tires and whether the truck typically pulls a trailer….

Trucking Dispatcher

Truck dispatching is a rapidly growing business. Many companies hire their own dispatcher, but other companies and some individuals who own and operate their own trucks hire the services of a dispatching company. Before the Internet, truck dispatchers kept charts to keep track of drivers and loads. Today, with high…

Trailer Categories

If you are considering joining the trucking industry it is smart to become familiar with the different  trailer categories and types that can be found on the roads throughout the United States. In order to become a truck driver, there are several factors to consider, including what type of trailer…

Surety Bond

Surety Bond is a bond issued by an entity on behalf of a second party, guaranteeing that the second party will fulfill an obligation or series of obligations to a third party. In the event that the obligations are not met, the third party will recover its losses via the…

Securing Truck Tools

A worker cannot do a job without the proper tools. A working man’s tools represent an investment in his business and the lifeline of his income. Many workers store their tools in the back of their work trucks. Having these tools stolen out of the back of your truck can…

Owner-Operator Venture

An owner-operator is a business owner who owns a semi-truck (or trucks) and performs contract transportation services. Work can be local delivery of goods, over-the-road distribution or other service that requires the movement of objects. Before you quit your day job you should, at the very least, know all that…