Still have a few questions for my skills test this thursday

[Farmtruckin]

On the truck and trailer i'm using, there's no way to check the brake drum linings (brake pads) without taking the wheels off and drum apart. How should I explain this to the tester?

It was just done on the annual inspection... should I say this?

Also generally speaking.. how is a test scored. I understand you get points for mistakes. How many can you have per section and do they carry over or accumulate from one section to another?

[Uturn2001]

You are trying to say that you can not crawl under the truck/trailer and look at the inside of the wheel and not see the brake pads to see if they are of legal thickness and are not cracked? I have never seen a tractor trailer with this design, but I suppose it is possible.

If you can not, then what I would do is say to the inspector " If possible I would take a look at the brake shoes by crawling under the truck and looking behind the wheel/hub assembly to make sure the pads are at least 1/4 inch thick and are not cracked in any areas. Unfortunately the brake design on this truck does not permit this.

[jorlee]

On the truck and trailer i'm using, there's no way to check the brake drum linings (brake pads) without taking the wheels off and drum apart. How should I explain this to the tester?

Even if there is a shield on the backside there should be an access hole for looking at the pads, might want to look again.
It was just done on the annual inspection... should I say this? No, your doing a pretrip, and explaining why your examining what parts your looking at, and what the specs are for some parts to be considered legal.

Also generally speaking.. how is a test scored. They have a check sheet of which they have you go through. You usually get X number of attempts for some of the skills tests. You will have to do a certain number of turns stops, etc on the driving part. If you don't pass the pretrip inspection you don't go on to the skills test. If the skills test is failed you don't go onto the driving test. I understand you get points for mistakes. How many can you have per section and do they carry over or accumulate from one section to another? Each section has so many points, with so many to pass if you fail a section I do believe the test is over. Points are also totaled if you don't get enough to fail a section, and might still fail, don't quote me though. Call your DMV with your questions they should be able to answer them.

You might also want to read that handbook a few more times to make sure you don't miss anything.

[Farmtruckin]

ahh yes.. found the sight slots for the brakes.. thanks!

[Fozzy]

On the truck and trailer i'm using, there's no way to check the brake drum linings (brake pads) without taking the wheels off and drum apart. How should I explain this to the tester?

It was just done on the annual inspection... should I say this?

Also generally speaking.. how is a test scored. I understand you get points for mistakes. How many can you have per section and do they carry over or accumulate from one section to another?

Either you start at ZERO and accumulate points UP or You start at 100 and work your way down...

Each "infraction" carries a set loss of points .. from one to 6 (if I remember right) or of course the instant fail which you get no score and the test ends at that point!

The biggest tip I can give you is DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE EXAMINER!!!! He or She will be writing things during the test, they have to check off maneuvers as they are completed. Just because the person is writing something down does not mean that you have done something wrong! Also if you make a mistake. leave the mistake where you left it! You do this for a couple of reasons;

1. the place you screwed up may not me on a scored part of the test! Basically you are scored for four left turns and four right turns, if you happen to make an ugly turn and its not one of the graded one's, you MAY just get out of losing points

2. The Examiner may miss it! OR may cut you a break (they sometime do that)

Also if you start worrying about what you have messed up and mentally drag that single screw up all along the whole test route, you'll miss other things and screw them up as well!

Just go out and drive the darned truck! You now how to do it, you've been doing it every day for however long you've been in school!

[Larry Heyns]

It seems that outboard mounted drums are more popular now. Computer brakes require shoes and drums made with softer metal. Drums now wear out quicker and are thrown away when new shoes are installed.

When I was a wash-boy in the 1950s, inboard mounted drums were popular with spoke wheels on trailers. Shoes were replaced several times before drums wore out. It is easier to work on inboard mounted brakes from the outside rather than from underneath. Perhaps beverage trailers, furniture trailers, etc. come with inboard mounted brakes.

[golfhobo]

Well.... it's FRIDAY!!!

Please tell us some GOOD NEWS!!!! How did it go??