Lesson 1.4 — Other Equipment

Why this matters

This module covers "the everything else" — the items that aren't brakes, tires, or lights, but still get drivers cited every day. Fire extinguisher, warning triangles, mud flaps, conspicuity tape, wheel seals, windshield wipers, suspension air bags.

Each of these is a quick check — 30 seconds or less per item. Most violations come from items the driver never looked at: an extinguisher that lost pressure six months ago, a mud flap that fell off two stops back, a wheel seal that started weeping last week. The inspector finds it in 10 seconds. You should have found it first.

1 Emergency equipment (inside the cab)

Federal rule 49 CFR 393.95 requires every truck to carry three things. They must be present, in working condition, and accessible.

• Fire extinguisher. Minimum UL rating of 5 B:C for non-hazmat loads, 10 B:C for placarded hazmat. Pressure gauge needle must point in the green zone. Must be securely mounted (not loose on the floor) and easy to reach from the driver's seat.
• Three reflective triangles. Stored in their case, in the cab or sleeper. You set these up if you break down on the shoulder — one 10 feet behind, one 100 feet behind, one 100 feet ahead.
• Spare fuses — at least one of each size your truck uses. Not required if the truck uses only circuit breakers.

If the extinguisher gauge is in the red, the triangles are missing, or the cap is broken — write it on the DVIR. An empty extinguisher is the same as no extinguisher.

2 Windshield, wipers, mirrors, horn

The cab walk-around. Inspectors check these because you cannot drive safely without them.

• Windshield (49 CFR 393.60). No cracks in the driver's direct view. Small chips outside the wiper sweep are usually OK; a crack running into the wiper sweep is a violation.
• Wipers (49 CFR 393.78). Both wipers move smoothly. Blades clear the glass without streaking. Washer fluid sprays both sides. A torn wiper blade in driver's rain is a violation.
• Mirrors. Both side mirrors present, adjustable, mounted firmly. Cracked mirrors are violations.
• Horn. Press it. Must sound.

Windshield damage in the driver's primary view is a violation. Wipers torn or missing is a violation. Both fix in under 10 minutes at a truck stop.

3 Truck-frame items (outside)

Walk around the tractor and trailer. Look for what is missing or hanging.

• Mud flaps. Required behind every rear-most axle on trucks over 26,001 lb in most states and under federal 393.86 for low-clearance vehicles. Flaps must reach within 6 inches of the ground (varies by state). Torn, dragging, missing = violation.
• Conspicuity tape (49 CFR 393.13, 393.11(b)). Red-and-white striped tape on trailer sides and rear. Must be clean and continuous. Peeling or missing sections must be replaced.
• Reflectors. Covered in Module 1.3 but inspector checks them here too — clean, correct color, present.
• Splash and spray devices. Anti-spray flaps required on some configurations. Look for torn or missing pieces hanging.

4 Mechanical seals and suspension

The slow-leak items. Most drivers never notice until a roadside inspection finds them.

• Wheel / hub oil seals (49 CFR 393.65). Walk every wheel hub. Look for oil weeping down the wheel face or around the lug nuts. A wet, oily streak = bad seal. A bad seal at 65 mph can lose the wheel.
• Suspension air bags (49 CFR 393.207). On trucks with air suspension, look at the air bags between the frame and the axles. They should be inflated, not sagging, no visible cuts or chafing. A deflated air bag puts the chassis at the wrong height and shifts brake force.
• Air leveling valve. The valve that controls air-bag height. If you see oil or grease around it, the valve is going bad.
• Springs (mechanical suspension). Look for cracked or broken leaf springs. A single broken main leaf = automatic OOS.

A weeping wheel seal you find today is a 10-minute shop repair. The same seal found at the roadside is OOS and a tow.

Extinguisher gauge in the red zone — lost pressure. Same as having no extinguisher. Get it recharged or replaced today.

Extinguisher loose in the cab — must be securely mounted. A loose extinguisher rolling around the floor is a violation even if charged.

Triangle case empty or missing — automatic violation. Three triangles, every truck.

Wiper blade torn or hanging — looks minor, common citation. $8 fix at any truck stop.

Windshield crack crossing the wiper sweep on the driver's side — automatic violation under 393.60.

Mud flap dragging on the ground or missing — visible from across the yard. Inspectors look here first.

Oil weeping from a wheel hub — bad seal. The wheel is losing lubrication. Catastrophic failure risk.

Conspicuity tape peeling or dirty — must be clean and continuous. Replace peeling sections, don't just patch them.

Visibly sagging air bag — leaking. Truck rides too low on that side. Affects brake force.

1. Check the extinguisher gauge every Monday morning. Takes 5 seconds. A pressure loss is gradual — catch it before the inspector does.
2. Count the triangles before every trip. Open the case. See three triangles. Close it.
3. Walk the trailer with your eyes on the ground. Dragging mud flaps and missing pieces are visible from 20 feet away.
4. Run your finger across each wheel hub. If it comes back oily, you have a leaking seal. Write it on the DVIR.
5. Wiper blades are $8 at any truck stop. If you have to use them in rain and they streak, replace them on the way home.

• ○ 1 B:C
• ✓ 5 B:C
• ○ 10 B:C
• ○ 20 B:C

• ○ 1
• ○ 2
• ✓ 3
• ○ 6

• ○ No violation — the extinguisher is present
• ✓ Same as having no extinguisher — automatic violation under 393.95(a)
• ○ Only a violation if hauling hazmat
• ○ Only a violation if the extinguisher is more than 1 year old

• ○ The tire is over-inflated
• ○ The wheel was recently washed
• ✓ The wheel oil seal is leaking — the wheel could fail at speed
• ○ Nothing — this is normal road grime

• ○ A small chip in the lower-right corner outside the wiper sweep
• ○ A surface scratch on the passenger side
• ✓ A crack running through the driver's primary view in the wiper sweep area
• ○ Light haze that wipes clean