Vehicle & Equipment · Driver Training VideoSteering, Kingpin & Fifth-Wheel Pre-Trip
Steering and coupling failures give little warning, and they are out-of-service defects. Drivers learn to check steering play, the kingpin, locking jaws, and the gap between fifth wheel plates before the truck moves.
Branded with your logo & company nameWhat drivers learn
Start with steering
Before you ever move the truck, grab the wheel and turn it. You're checking for play — how far it moves before the front wheels actually respond.
Now the coupling
This is the connection holding two vehicles together at highway speed, and it fails silently until it doesn't. Check the kingpin itself — no cracks, no unusual wear, not bent.
Here's the rule to know: there should be no visible gap between the upper and lower fifth-wheel plates, checked all the way around. Any space there and the trailer may be riding on top of the jaws instead of locked in.
Your company standard: steering and coupling defects are out-of-service items, full stop. You do not drive it, and you do not "keep an eye on it" down the road — you tag it and you call it in before the truck moves again.
A loose kingpin connection doesn't give you a warning light. The first sign is sometimes a trailer in your mirror that isn't attached to you anymore. Thirty seconds with your hand on that fifth wheel is the cheapest insurance you'll buy all day.
FMCSA regulations this training supports
Assign it after a roadside inspection to coach the exact issue and document corrective training.
Sample quiz questions
3 of the 10 questions drivers answer after the video. Quizzes run in the driver's own language.
- Any play up to 6 inches is fine
- No play at all is allowed, ever
- About 10 degrees of rotation, roughly 2 inches at the rim of a 20-inch wheel
- Play is only checked after the truck is loaded
Show answer
About 10 degrees of rotation, roughly 2 inches at the rim of a 20-inch wheel
- Brake chamber, slack adjuster, S-cam
- Leaf springs, shackles, U-bolts
- Alternator, serpentine belt, water pump
- Steering box mounting, pitman arm, drag link, tie-rod ends
Show answer
Steering box mounting, pitman arm, drag link, tie-rod ends
- Treat it as a defect and address it before driving
- Note it for the next driver
- Keep driving and recheck it at the next stop
- Only flag it if it's also loose
Show answer
Treat it as a defect and address it before driving
How fleets use this training
Pick Steering, Kingpin & Fifth-Wheel Pre-Trip and send each driver a personal link by email, or copy the link and text it yourself.
Drivers watch on their phone and answer the quiz in their own language. No app, no login.
They sign on screen and get a certificate with your logo. Every completion is saved for DOT and insurance.
Train your drivers on Steering, Kingpin & Fifth-Wheel Pre-Trip
Included in the Full Library plan ($129.99/mo, unlimited drivers). Unlimited drivers, cancel anytime. Prefer to own it? Order it branded for $4.99, one time.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Steering, Kingpin & Fifth-Wheel Pre-Trip training video?
About 3 min. Drivers watch it on their phone from a personal link, then take a 10-question quiz.
Is there a quiz and a completion certificate?
Yes. Every driver takes a 10-question quiz in their own language, signs on screen, and gets a completion certificate with your company name and logo. Records are saved for DOT audits and insurance.
Which FMCSA regulations does it cover?
It supports training for roadside violations including Coupling & fifth wheel (§393.70); Coupling & fifth wheel (§393.71); Steering system (§393.209).
Which languages is it available in?
Ready today in English. You can also order it branded in any other language for $2.99 per extra language.
How much does it cost?
Included in the Full Library plan ($129.99/mo, unlimited drivers). You can also order this video branded with your logo and company name in the voiceover for a one-time $4.99, yours to keep.