Grease fitting count:
After about 10 different times of counting, and some help from other classmates, I have come to the conclusion that there are 51 total grease fittings on the Peterbuilt. I had several different outcomes from counting from 43-49. I finally realized there are 51 fittings when I saw that there was a fifth universal joint... once again, it is always the simple things that get me.
It would be really nice if all grease fitting locations were this simple :
Peterbuilt Inspection:
While inspecting the Peterbuilt we found several things that were amiss. first off was one of the tires on the drop axle was completely worn, holes everywhere, and in really bad shape.
Another thing that was noticed was that the leaf springs on the driver's side of the rear suspension were loose
and off center.
Also, when we put the truck in reverse, the backup alarm did not sound off, and the back up indicator lights did not turn on.
Raul Soto pointed out that the tie-rod clamps on the front axle were not properly positioned. They are supposed to be pointing down:
We also found that the "glad hands" (the piece that provides the trailer with air) had cracking seals:
Another thing was that the air tanks had not been bled for a while so there was A LOT of water that came out when we bled them. It sprayed everywhere. Here's some of the aftermath of the spray:
The power steering pump has a leak on the supply line. Here's a picture of the leaking line:
On a side note, this is a vein pump. I took one apart a few weeks ago. It looks exactly the same as the one I took apart.
The clutch pedal mechanism needs to be adjusted, when the pedal was pressed, it didn't fully release which could cause major failure.
Overall, I would put this truck out of service until the repairs were made.
Reflections on the Preventive Maintenance course:
This course has actually been really eye-opening. It makes complete sense to me that things need to be service regularly, but I hadn't ever considered that before. I would always think it was time to fix something after it had already broken. I am certain that knowing what I know now will save me hundreds of headaches in the future (also lots of money). I have even been trying to show my family the benefits of preventive maintenance! I will always now remember the "golden rule" of preventive maintenance: Short term costs for long term savings. And another good rule: If it ain't broke, do the work to keep it that way.
What a fantastic quarter!! I have learned more than I could have ever imagined!
Week hours: 40
Total hours: 225
***FOR SOME REASON MY VIDEOS ARE NOT UPLOADING... dang computers***
