A safe, basic way to check for an air leak roadside before calling for repair.
If your air system is losing pressure faster than normal, there's a safe, basic check you can do roadside to help narrow down where the leak might be — without getting under the truck or trailer or touching anything under pressure.
Listen before you look
With the truck parked safely, engine off or idling per your normal shutdown routine, listen along the length of the truck and trailer for a hissing sound. Air leaks are often audible before they're visible, especially at fittings, valves, and gladhand connections.
Check the obvious, external connection points
The gladhand connections between tractor and trailer, and any visible fittings along accessible air lines, are safe to visually check for obvious damage, disconnection, or a hose that's clearly cracked or split. This is a look-and-listen check, not a hands-on repair.
If you can see a line that's obviously damaged, chafed through, or disconnected, that's valuable information — but don't attempt to reconnect or repair pressurized air components yourself.
What NOT to do
Don't get under the truck or trailer to inspect brake chambers or lines close to moving components, don't attempt to adjust or repair anything in the air system, and don't rely on a soap-and-water leak test if you're not familiar with doing it safely around a loaded truck.
Report what you heard and saw
Call #1 Taz with where you heard the hiss (front, rear, driver or passenger side, near the gladhands) and anything visibly damaged. That's enough for a real diagnostic to start in the right place, whether the fix happens mobile or back at the Cottonwood shop.
#1 Taz Truck & Trailer Repair
Cottonwood, CA