Kentucky CDL DMV Combination 1

A tractor protection valve keeps air in a tractor or truck air brake system should the trailer break away or develop a bad leak. The valve will close automatically if the pressure drops to an unsafe level.

The trailer hand valve (also referred to as the "trolley valve" or "Johnson bar") works the trailer brakes and should be used only when testing them. Using the trailer hand valve while driving could result in a skid.

If your trailer begins to drift while you are backing, you should correct the drift immediately by turning the top of the steering wheel in the direction of the drift.

A tractor protection valve keeps air in a tractor or truck air brake system should the trailer break away or develop a bad leak. The valve will close automatically if the pressure drops to an unsafe level.

You should always steer gently and smoothly while pulling a trailer. Making sudden steering moves could cause the trailer to tip over.

Fully-loaded rigs are more vulnerable to rolling over than empty rigs because the weight of the cargo gives the vehicles higher centers of gravity.

Never use the trailer hand valve while parking because doing so may release the air pressure from the braking system, releasing the brakes that are holding the vehicle in place. Instead, use the parking brake or wheel chocks.

If you are unsure of your path while you are driving in reverse, you should stop, exit the vehicle, and recheck your path of travel.

Cargo weight should be evenly distributed within a trailer to reduce the risk of a rollover. Do not place too much weight on one side of a trailer.

Driving combination vehicles requires more skill than driving single commercial vehicles. Combinations are generally longer, generally heavier, and are more vulnerable to rollover.

Before a trip, you should ensure that air reaches all air brakes on all trailers by opening up the rear emergency line and service line shut-off valves and listening for escaping air. Close both shut-off valves before beginning to drive.

Combination vehicles need more space on the road than other commercial vehicles because they are longer and need more space to turn and stop. It is especially important to properly manage space when you are operating a combination vehicle.

When coupling, be sure to couple the proper glad hands. When glad hands are connected, the seals should be pressed together at a 90-degree angle.

When backing a vehicle without a trailer, a driver must turn the vehicle in the direction that they want to go. However, when backing with a trailer, the driver must begin by turning in the opposite direction. Once the trailer starts to turn, they should turn the wheel in the other direction to follow the trailer.

Incorrect coupling and uncoupling of combination vehicles can have extremely dangerous consequences.

When a vehicle goes around a corner, the rear wheels follow a different path than the front wheels. This is called off-tracking. This effect is especially pronounced on vehicles with trailers.

Air lines are sometimes color-coded to help drivers avoid mistakes when coupling glad hands. Typically, blue is used for service lines and red is used for emergency lines.

Older trailers do not have spring brakes. This means that if the air supply in an older trailer's air tank has leaked away, there will be no working brakes connected to the trailer and its wheels will turn freely.

The trailer hand valve, also called the trolley valve or Johnson bar, is used to work the trailer brakes. It should be used only to test the brakes. Using it while a vehicle is in motion could cause a skid.

Air lines are sometimes color-coded to help drivers avoid mistakes when coupling glad hands. Typically, blue is used for service lines and red is used for emergency lines.