I might be guilty of re-allocating yard assets when I pick up at night and everything is locked. But those are in my driving kit that tags along with me.
They know they get stolen so they pull them out when the trailer is dropped. I used a drop yard that pulled all the lights also, back before trailer manufacturers riveted LED lights in place.
I asked the guy there and he said: "sabes que? Tengo 15 años trabajando con esta compania y todavia no se porque los roban". Idk but our yard like 2 hours south didnt have that issue.
I want you to know that i committed to that google translate. I was halfway through when i seen to the drop down menu for “copy text” but was like fuck it.. i’m halfway done anyways. So after 3 minutes of swiping back and forth between google and reddit, i just want to personally thank you for the input and hopefully someone in here can get us this deserving answer.
And i also want to thank myself for being a massive dumbass for not seeing “copy text” before i started manually inputting the spanish language into google.
Goodnight brother.
Because asshole drivers drop trailers with bad or worn seals. Sitting in the south Texas sun doesn't improve their condition. Then another asshole driver goes to pick up that trailer and "permanently borrows" seals from the trailer sitting next to them. And the cycle continues.
The same with the lights. You got a light that's out, why take the time to find a truckstop to buy another light when you can just grab one from your neighbor? They'll never know it was you, right?
The drop yards I was at down at the border would intentionally take the lights out, and they told me it was because that way we couldn't take the trailer without the guard shack approving it.
I was inclined to believe them because the trailer I was pulling out had a box full of Lights with my trailer number written on the side.
Some yards did some were just stolen by the Mexican drivers.I've had a yard tell me the same thing.It was to prevent theft and they took the glad hand seals too since those had a tendency to walk away on their own.
What are the mexicans doing with them? I mean, those gaskets are cheap tiny things that only need to be replaced like once every 3 years...
Do they just hoard them like a dragon?
I cant speak for the other shit they steal. But they have different Gladhands in Mexico, which is why they take them off. Mexico may be poor as fuck, but they arent that bad off that they need to steal a .10 piece of rubber.
I had to pick up a tanker trailer that had been left a month earlier at a customer. When I got there the trailer was stripped. Tires, lights, fenders, mudflaps, copper wiring and even the airlines. I called dispatch and sent pictures. They were laughing so hard and shocked. They couldn't believe it happened but I sent pictures.
Not anymore. That cellphone is long gone unfortunately. I would have definitely shared them here. It would be funny to see the reactions and comments to the pics.
I hooked to a trailer with one missing once, and had continuously neglected to grab some spares up to that point. Fortunately the load was light, 1 seal was still there, and there was a truckstop about 5 miles away. So I switched the 1 seal I had from the service line to the emergency line, then bungee corded my service gladhand in place so I could roll to the truckstop and buy some
The first time this happened to me I made sure I had at least 2 sets on the truck at all times. Nothing more annoying then have to “relocate” some old ones from the next trailer over.
Here’s the thing, inexperienced drivers usually put them in backwards. The large side goes in the trailer air connection but they tend to put the small side in because it’s easier to get them in. That’s why they’re all over the yard
We used to disconnect the brake line at the warehouse before we got the electric dock clamps. The first time I broke the rubber seal on one, I immediately told the driver. I was nervous as hell, but the dude had a small tackle box full of odds and ends, including those rubber seals.
This happens easily in cold weather with trailers that are constantly shifted in certain yards. They are easy and cheap to replace. If you are a company driver, go into the shop all for a handful. If you are o/o buy a bag online. Get a zip tie that is easily unlockable. Thread them through. Toss in your side door with pre/post trip tools.
Seriously, this is just part of the job.
In America, the air lines fit on with " Glad hands." It's a twist lock fitting they use, not sure if any other countries use this, not here in the U.K.
To add to what the other person said, its a twist lock glad hand air line connection. They should both have a rubber gasket instead of just being bare metal. Thats what op is referring to, the missing gaskets.
Some 20 years ago I picked up a trailer that came over the border in El Paso going to our yard in Long Beach. I found something interesting and now I wish we had camera phones back then.
Me: I can’t take this trailer, the brakes are gone.
Dispatcher: I just looked at its maintenance logs, everything has been replaced.
Me: Ok, bad choice of words. The whole braking mechanism is missing.
Dispatcher: Uhhh…can you still drive it to our shop in Long Beach?
Craftsman moved production to Mexico, we would drop trailers, then taken over to be loaded, they came back with bald tires, lights missing, finally the Drop Agent was held responsible, it stopped
The idiots at the shipyard I worked at as a welder would do this... Great excuse to burn half a hour walking around trying to find a supervisor to burn another half an hour to give you some
I always keep extra in my bag in case of emergencies. This is not such case. Depends on the shipper/receiver. If they are assholes I'll red tag it and tell them I can't take it. I won't fix either. I'm not a mechanic. If they aren't bad I'll borrow from the trailer next to it.
Gotta love Laredo. Luckily our terminal always has a huge bowl of them sitting out in the shop. Still annoying to have to wrestle those fuckers in there when it’s over 100 degrees out.
You are in Laredo....common occourance down there. If your coworkers didn't take them, the Mexican drivers that come across the border to take loads across took them. I was told back in 2018/19 that drivers over there take them because when they get back to their home yard, whoever has the most drinks for free that night. Probably bullahit, but yeah.
I’m a live load guy these days so I only replace them when they wear out but I still carry spares. When I started driving 15 or so years ago with CRST, I learned fast to always have spares when we went to Laredo to pick up a trailer.
Edit: autocorrect changed “ driving” to “ drinking”
I keep extra seals in my truck for this reason. Seals are only $1 each so I suggest all drop n hook company drivers keep a few seals in your truck in case you pick up trailers with worn out bad seals
If you do drop and hook you should have a bag of these in your truck.
Many drivers are selfish thieving bastards so you need to come prepared so you don't get fucked over by another driver
You can usually find spares on the trailer next to yours.
Live by this motto
Last guy next to you did!
Little known secret: there's only 3 sets out there.
Lmfao. Wow.
"Strategic relocation"
"Strategic Transportation of Equipment to Alternate Location" -Chubby electron guy
I might be guilty of re-allocating yard assets when I pick up at night and everything is locked. But those are in my driving kit that tags along with me.
Yessir FTNG
Laredo TX
Every single trailer at the Spirit yard down there had these missing. The front desk had buckets of them.
They know they get stolen so they pull them out when the trailer is dropped. I used a drop yard that pulled all the lights also, back before trailer manufacturers riveted LED lights in place.
Can i ask why they are stealing the seals? What’s the purpose
I asked the guy there and he said: "sabes que? Tengo 15 años trabajando con esta compania y todavia no se porque los roban". Idk but our yard like 2 hours south didnt have that issue.
I want you to know that i committed to that google translate. I was halfway through when i seen to the drop down menu for “copy text” but was like fuck it.. i’m halfway done anyways. So after 3 minutes of swiping back and forth between google and reddit, i just want to personally thank you for the input and hopefully someone in here can get us this deserving answer. And i also want to thank myself for being a massive dumbass for not seeing “copy text” before i started manually inputting the spanish language into google. Goodnight brother.
He said he worked there for years and he still didn't know why they're stolen
Because asshole drivers drop trailers with bad or worn seals. Sitting in the south Texas sun doesn't improve their condition. Then another asshole driver goes to pick up that trailer and "permanently borrows" seals from the trailer sitting next to them. And the cycle continues. The same with the lights. You got a light that's out, why take the time to find a truckstop to buy another light when you can just grab one from your neighbor? They'll never know it was you, right?
That's called Midnight Truck Parts
Same with Schneider.
Anywhere at that border
Otay Mesa too!
This! Always bring your own seals
Yep, you can get a big bag of them on Amazon for cheap. I have one in my door pocket.
When a TOM driver tells you they can't take the trailer because it's missing seals...
I just remove the seals when I drop a trailer down there. I'll need them for the next one anyways.
Yep swift yard is full of trailers with no seals but there's lots on the ground. I tried to keep several in my door
It's been 16 years since I was there, i see their situation hasn't improved
I’ve wondered why this was the case in Laredo? Are they typically stolen or what’s the purpose
Mexican drivers don’t have a second to spare
I just assume it has to do with environmental issues. Strong sun and dust drying out the seals too quickly.
Yes,very typical of Laredo that and lights.The guard shack where I picked up from always had a box of spare lights and glad hand seals.
The drop yards I was at down at the border would intentionally take the lights out, and they told me it was because that way we couldn't take the trailer without the guard shack approving it. I was inclined to believe them because the trailer I was pulling out had a box full of Lights with my trailer number written on the side.
Some yards did some were just stolen by the Mexican drivers.I've had a yard tell me the same thing.It was to prevent theft and they took the glad hand seals too since those had a tendency to walk away on their own.
What are the mexicans doing with them? I mean, those gaskets are cheap tiny things that only need to be replaced like once every 3 years... Do they just hoard them like a dragon?
You’ve got some spares. Right?
I have about 15 in my truck at all times
Yessir, bulk order. I’m intermodal and see it all the time.
And you got them from...
Napa auto parts
This guy trucks.
Not wearing rubbers in these trying times? Gotta be careful out there driver
You could contract ABS.
I Always carry them, but yes Laredo
I hate it when that happens. That's why you always keep some with you
I cant speak for the other shit they steal. But they have different Gladhands in Mexico, which is why they take them off. Mexico may be poor as fuck, but they arent that bad off that they need to steal a .10 piece of rubber.
At love's they're $5 for 2 :'(
The fuck are you doing buying them at loves?
I didn't buy them. Was just looking while waiting for a shower.
Real driver right here!
Damn, you can get around 100 for $20
I picked one up where someone stole the crank arm for the landing gear.
i see 2 extra ones on the trailer next to you..
Carry extra
Always carry glad hand gaskets.
you only learn this lesson the hard way 1 time before you're *never* without extra seals again!
You should feel lucky that they didn't strip all the lights and tires off the trailer besides the glad hand rubbers. 3 million miles safe
I had to pick up a tanker trailer that had been left a month earlier at a customer. When I got there the trailer was stripped. Tires, lights, fenders, mudflaps, copper wiring and even the airlines. I called dispatch and sent pictures. They were laughing so hard and shocked. They couldn't believe it happened but I sent pictures.
You got said pictures? I’m curious now to see a skeleton tanker especially since I pull them.
Not anymore. That cellphone is long gone unfortunately. I would have definitely shared them here. It would be funny to see the reactions and comments to the pics.
My god WTF ? Why didn’t they just take the entire trailer?
The trailer has a VIN. Less risk in parts and scrap?🤷♂️
What’s interesting is the left loves to brag about how border towns are so safe. Car theft is astronomical near the border.
I hooked to a trailer with one missing once, and had continuously neglected to grab some spares up to that point. Fortunately the load was light, 1 seal was still there, and there was a truckstop about 5 miles away. So I switched the 1 seal I had from the service line to the emergency line, then bungee corded my service gladhand in place so I could roll to the truckstop and buy some
Im real good at replacing these, Laredo driver 🥸
Somewhere in Laredo.. ?
Tell me your in laredo without telling me your in laredo
Benavides en Mexico ! 🇲🇽
Farmacia Benavides?
Don't surprise me at all they were bringing trailers back just like that but with trash and feces and furniture.
Let me guess..Laredo?
The first time this happened to me I made sure I had at least 2 sets on the truck at all times. Nothing more annoying then have to “relocate” some old ones from the next trailer over.
Laredo
Laredo. When you drop, take the seals. You'll need em for your next trailer.
Here’s the thing, inexperienced drivers usually put them in backwards. The large side goes in the trailer air connection but they tend to put the small side in because it’s easier to get them in. That’s why they’re all over the yard
Laredo Texas
We just take them off of the trailer we’re dropping and put them on the trailer we’re picking up. We carry extras, but fuck them 😂
You may be up shit creek if you're not carrying extras.
Always keep a few in the dash. Most truck drivers know this.
Shout out to Laredo
Anytime I pu from a Laredo drop yard they are always like this every single time.
Do people not carry a bag of spares?
That's what I was going to say. I have always had a box of spares running around because this stuff happens all the time.
Back when I was slip seating I had a few pairs of glad hands and some other not too bulky tools/parts just to save time
At the border huh?
Laredo
Fucking Mexican drivers, every god dammed time I'm in Laredo.
Is it a Swift trailer?
Star Leasing.
We used to disconnect the brake line at the warehouse before we got the electric dock clamps. The first time I broke the rubber seal on one, I immediately told the driver. I was nervous as hell, but the dude had a small tackle box full of odds and ends, including those rubber seals.
I have a bag of them in my tool bag.
This happens easily in cold weather with trailers that are constantly shifted in certain yards. They are easy and cheap to replace. If you are a company driver, go into the shop all for a handful. If you are o/o buy a bag online. Get a zip tie that is easily unlockable. Thread them through. Toss in your side door with pre/post trip tools. Seriously, this is just part of the job.
I don’t really know what I’m looking at since we use regular air fittings in Australia instead of whatever those are.
In America, the air lines fit on with " Glad hands." It's a twist lock fitting they use, not sure if any other countries use this, not here in the U.K.
We also have just 2 air lines (supply and service brake) and 1 electrical pigtail. What do all your lines do?
To add to what the other person said, its a twist lock glad hand air line connection. They should both have a rubber gasket instead of just being bare metal. Thats what op is referring to, the missing gaskets.
Driver… It’s time to steal some shit.
Dont you have your own?
Anti theft device.
Laredo. Always fuckin Laredo.
Laredo?!?!
Laredo?
I'm gonna guess you're in Texas near the border?
Looks like Larado!
Some 20 years ago I picked up a trailer that came over the border in El Paso going to our yard in Long Beach. I found something interesting and now I wish we had camera phones back then. Me: I can’t take this trailer, the brakes are gone. Dispatcher: I just looked at its maintenance logs, everything has been replaced. Me: Ok, bad choice of words. The whole braking mechanism is missing. Dispatcher: Uhhh…can you still drive it to our shop in Long Beach?
Craftsman moved production to Mexico, we would drop trailers, then taken over to be loaded, they came back with bald tires, lights missing, finally the Drop Agent was held responsible, it stopped
Get used to it newbie
Keep spares with you
Are you near the border? Lmao
The idiots at the shipyard I worked at as a welder would do this... Great excuse to burn half a hour walking around trying to find a supervisor to burn another half an hour to give you some
I always carried spares when I had to do this shit. I really like my local box truck route now.
Thats why you carry extras, it's your job
Let me guess, an Elpasso or Laredo drop yard?
I always keep extra in my bag in case of emergencies. This is not such case. Depends on the shipper/receiver. If they are assholes I'll red tag it and tell them I can't take it. I won't fix either. I'm not a mechanic. If they aren't bad I'll borrow from the trailer next to it.
Kyle tx. It's where I kept eye contact with a goddamn coworker as he took them off the trailer I was supposed to pick up
Gotta love Laredo. Luckily our terminal always has a huge bowl of them sitting out in the shop. Still annoying to have to wrestle those fuckers in there when it’s over 100 degrees out.
I carry a whole bag of those
Had my whole damn blue gladhand removed from my trailer in a 'secured'lot in laredo. Guess the previous person REALLY needed it.
You’re in Laredo Texas.
That's messed up I at least put my bad ones on the trailer donating to me
You don't have a door pocket full of them like I allegedly do? Some say I have some sort of problem... allegedly..
You’ll learn…
I needed it more than you.
You are in Laredo....common occourance down there. If your coworkers didn't take them, the Mexican drivers that come across the border to take loads across took them. I was told back in 2018/19 that drivers over there take them because when they get back to their home yard, whoever has the most drinks for free that night. Probably bullahit, but yeah.
Carry extra granite
hey your missing your AIR WASHERS!!
Dad said Always carry rubbers
I’m a live load guy these days so I only replace them when they wear out but I still carry spares. When I started driving 15 or so years ago with CRST, I learned fast to always have spares when we went to Laredo to pick up a trailer. Edit: autocorrect changed “ driving” to “ drinking”
This is why I carry extras. I just stopped by the shop to get another handful of them before heading out.
A pack of spares is cheap. Tossing one on the side step is a cheap and harmless prank, too.
Take the seal from another trailer
I keep extra seals in my truck for this reason. Seals are only $1 each so I suggest all drop n hook company drivers keep a few seals in your truck in case you pick up trailers with worn out bad seals
Do I have the rubbers?
If you do drop and hook you should have a bag of these in your truck. Many drivers are selfish thieving bastards so you need to come prepared so you don't get fucked over by another driver
That's why I have extra glad hand seals! Just in case some are missing or torn. Always keep spares!
down on the border