My fiance is new to trucking. He has completed training, and now drives on his own. His birthday is coming up, and I would like to buy him some tools, but am completely lost. I want to buy a durable brand. He mentioned socket wrenches before. So, I go to amazon.com and look through socket wrenches and there are so many different brands and sizes of tool sets. I was hoping someone could point me into the right direction.
Information that would be much appreciated:
Durable brands of tools (stanley, craftman, etc?) Are socket wrenches pretty standard, or are there special ones for Semi Trucks? Other tools that truckers need?
Thank you!!
I don't think I can help you with the socket wrenches, but one thing that has helped me out a lot is a good pair of vice grips. Sometimes when you pick up an old trailer, the tandem arm groove is so worn down that it won't stay in the locked out position so you have to find someone else to pull it out while you slide the tandems. You can use the vice grips to hold it open youself. I have had to do that many many times and it is a must have tool if he does not already have some.
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
I like the vicegrips idea. I haven't even entered training yet so this might not be any help, but I'm packing:
Black rubber gloves from Sally's Beauty Supply to fuel with, just because I had them around, in addition to hardier work gloves
Combination digital tire pressure gauge, flashlight, emergency hammer, seatbelt cutter
Plunger-style tire tread depth gauge
And just about everything else recommended in the threads on "packing" that popped up when I used the search bar.
I like the vicegrips idea. I haven't even entered training yet so this might not be any help, but I'm packing:
Black rubber gloves from Sally's Beauty Supply to fuel with, just because I had them around, in addition to hardier work gloves
Combination digital tire pressure gauge, flashlight, emergency hammer, seatbelt cutter
Plunger-style tire tread depth gauge
And just about everything else recommended in the threads on "packing" that popped up when I used the search bar.
The black rubber gloves from Sally's are genius! I kept trying to decide what gloves to use to fuel.
He won't be using the socket wrenches a lot unless he's an owner op. But they are handy to have for regular mechanic/household work back home. Craftsman is a good brand of tool and offers a lifetime warranty on all hand tools. Kobalt (sold by Lowes) and Husky (Home Depot) are the same way.
Other tools/useful stuff: bungee cords, a small pair of snippers for metal seals, tire thumper, collapsible push broom, claw hammer, thick leather work gloves, grime boss hand wipes, cordless hand vacuum for inside the cab (if he is able to charge one). And yes to the vice grips mentioned earlier, they will come in handy.
The black gloves were especially purchased for hair dyeing and I admire their strength. They came in a pack with two pairs so I'm wrapping up a set for my team mate.
Speaking of admirable strength, C.S. clearly knows what she's talking about. I'm intimidated :p
Thank you so much for all the support and knowledge everyone shared! It has really helped! The gloves from sally's suggestion is brilliant, I would have never thought of that!
Harbor Freight Tools, sells rubber powdered or non-powdered mechanic / dr gloves 100 to a box for under $10 bucks, on sale usually for $5-6 bucks....Or even lightweight rubberized garden type gloves that ya can use to fuel and not have to throw away. A spray can of WD-40 or Nut Buster, I'd carry, to loosen up rusty , sticky pins
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Get him an assortment of screw drivers. Flat head (long and short), Phillips head (Star type), Needle nose vice grips too. Regular pliers, expandable type grip pliers, wire strippers, black electrical tape, a few sizes of Crescent adjustable wrenches. Over time he can pick up some plastic zip ties, and a small roll of baling wire and duct tape (You laugh but it comes on handy on a dark road). (Craftsmen is very good for what he'll need them for). You don't even need to go that expensive, he's not a full time mechanic. Assorted Hand wrenches YES....go Craftsmen at least. Hopefully he's not gonna spend to many hours on the side of the road fixing his equipment up. Good luck
My fiance is new to trucking. He has completed training, and now drives on his own. His birthday is coming up, and I would like to buy him some tools, but am completely lost. I want to buy a durable brand. He mentioned socket wrenches before. So, I go to amazon.com and look through socket wrenches and there are so many different brands and sizes of tool sets. I was hoping someone could point me into the right direction.
Information that would be much appreciated:
Durable brands of tools (stanley, craftman, etc?) Are socket wrenches pretty standard, or are there special ones for Semi Trucks? Other tools that truckers need?
Thank you!!
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My fiance is new to trucking. He has completed training, and now drives on his own. His birthday is coming up, and I would like to buy him some tools, but am completely lost. I want to buy a durable brand. He mentioned socket wrenches before. So, I go to amazon.com and look through socket wrenches and there are so many different brands and sizes of tool sets. I was hoping someone could point me into the right direction.
Information that would be much appreciated:
Durable brands of tools (stanley, craftman, etc?) Are socket wrenches pretty standard, or are there special ones for Semi Trucks? Other tools that truckers need?
Thank you!!