Hi all newby here how often should you bleed air tanks is it after each shift or once per week.
Ta V
Depends how often truck is used, when I did agency for TX MAXX, the units were used for near on 24/7 so never bothered, but if I knew nobody was using it until I did the next day I would do it daily deffo when it was cold like now.
Most, if not all, trucks have an air dryer fitted, so there should be no water in the tanks.
Once every Sheffield flood is when I do mine and the air has always been dry so far.
Regards,
Nick.
only when your in a lay-by and ya desperate for a whizz. 
whenever u feel like ,like i did / used 2 do (not do)UNTIL , a copper , not VOSA, talking 2 me as i leaned against my truck as i took my break ,parked in a layby , put the toe off his boot against the outlet valve and OH YES ,!!! he seen a small waterfall! and , my licence (new-ish) flashed before my eyes!!! nowt happened , he said "before u set off drive, "i"d drain them down , if i were u , wouldn"t wan"t to see u further up the road , on my watch"needless to say!!! appart from safety angle (my poe faced old boy angle!!) it can be hard to explain , methinks , why i hadnt done my “vehicle ok 4 road” checks prior to leaving yard , AND, from bitter experience , VOSA officers have i think, heard it all before !they ARE 2 us, the law! droned on a bit , i know , but it"s always your call "
Haven’t drained one for years.
ive only ever drained them once in nearly 500 yrs of driving and that was only because i got my finger stuck in that ring thingy bob … 
Hi there volvomanuk!
Welcome onto the forum matey.
Last Time I did this was about 1994 I think. I kind of miss the grey sludge 
Most motors have a drier fitted so there is no need to drain the tanks.I have been driving for 15 years and have never drained tanks.
Are they not usually drained at a six week check?
Ours is
blueovalcraig:
Are they not usually drained at a six week check?Ours is
Mine wasnt
I check them often. If they all of a sudden start having more than the odd drop of water in them, it’s a early indication that something is on the way out and as most of my driving nowadays comes under the heading of ‘Cannot not be there’, every little helps… I had a core plug go last year, but knew something was weaping a bit as the water use went from zero to half a cup, a bit more etc, etc. She was an old girl ,but if you keep an eye on everything possible, it pays dividends.
Wheel Nut:
Last Time I did this was about 1994 I think. I kind of miss the grey sludge
Volvo were the best for the sludge in my experience, a mate of mine pulled the little ring on his once and covered some office dude in grey sludge, quite amusing…for two of the three involved anyway 
I do mine every once in a while, usually when I’m bored when waiting to tip or load, had my airdryer play up a while ago and it self destructed, still had no moisture in the tanks though 
ok with risk of someone having a go at me for not knowing this but have never done this how exactly do you bleed airtanks what do you look for ?
jen x
Jennie:
ok with risk of someone having a go at me for not knowing this but have never done this how exactly do you bleed airtanks what do you look for ?jen x
on the bottom of an air tank there should be a small ring (like a keyring), it may have a cable attached so that you can pull from a distance, a long piece of string is a good idea if it hasn’t, just stand back and pull it, a mix of air, water and grey sludge will come out !
although I can’t remember the last time I drained an air tank, it was probably when I was driving the F10
Denis F:
Jennie:
ok with risk of someone having a go at me for not knowing this but have never done this how exactly do you bleed airtanks what do you look for ?jen x
on the bottom of an air tank there should be a small ring (like a keyring), it may have a cable attached so that you can pull from a distance, a long piece of string is a good idea if it hasn’t, just stand back and pull it, a mix of air, water and grey sludge will come out !
although I can’t remember the last time I drained an air tank, it was probably when I was driving the F10
Cheers Denis 
Definitely stand back though. The first time I did it, it caught me off guard
so your driving around what symptoms would arise that would indicate that your tanks should need bleeding ? and what could happen if this wasnt done ?
jen x
For me the needles kept bouncing up and down on the air tank gauges. One would show full and the other would show empty. Then they would swap over.
Gears were getting stiff. Clutch unresponsive. Brakes intermittent. Suspension raising and lowering on level ground.
Rang the TM who suggested bleeding the tanks.