Also CF your comment regarding…
Carryfast:
Firstly all the forces you’ve referred to are obviously catered for at the design stage.
You’ve obviosly never pulled a Schmitz CargoBull euro/taught liner then because those things are designed with one goal in mind, to be as light as possible, (less weight of the trailer empty means greater cargo weight loaded = profit) those bloody things are flimsy as hell.
You ask anyone that’s gone under a loaded one how much front end sag of the trailer you have to deal with, you honestly would not get under it on steel without having to slow wind the legs a fair bit first, if you tried ramming it up the ramps like you seem to think it should still be done you will put serious stresses on the trailer assuming of course that you didn’t stove in the headboard first.
Your way “worked” (albeit unsympathetically to the equipment involved) when things were built with one thing in mind… Strength.
Our way “works” because things have evolved (for better or worse is not the discussion point here) and we’ve adapted sympathetically and accordingly.
And talking of discussion point, the discussion was about whether automatically activated trailer brakes (or at the very least the valve button on the headboard) should now be an industry standard, not how you used to butcher the job to save a bit of back ache in your Atkinson Borderer.
But either way the point to all of this is simple, if you couple up using the “go under lowered and then lift” method and do so correctly you will never miss the pin or mis-hitch, and if you apply the park brake it will never roll forwards or backwards no matter what method you use.
People have said their methods so I will add mine…
- Back up to trailer and stop about a foot short of it.
- check tacho is on other work mode.
- Apply hand/park brake and switch off engine.
- Get out and walk down the offside of the trailer visually checking for obvious bits hanging off or out or broken and check tyres/wheels.
- Walk round the back and look in the back if it’s not sealed just checking that the office bods actually gave me the right load/trailer (a lot of places I’ve worked leave the paperwork in the back so obviously retrieve that as well)
- Walk back up the nearside and check/pull the park brake as I go past (most Schmitz, SDC’s & Lawrence Davids I’ve used have these on the nearside near the rear) and also check the shunt button while I’m there, check tyres/wheels on this side.
- If it’s a reefer check fridge fuel tank level, and test/check settings/fault codes.
- A quick visual check of the height difference (if any) between the trailer and the 5th wheel plate.
- Jump back in start her up, lights and Hazards on (if they weren’t already on) grab the remote and dump the air.
- Back up until I get to the point that I know the fifth wheel is now fully under the trailer by seeing where the trailer is and knowing where and how far I need to go, stop and lift the rear.
- Once the air has lifted my arse end and the trailer with it proceed backwards until you hear the undisputable “clunk, twang” of the pin and fifth wheel engaging and locking.
- Tug test. (I always tug twice, not saying it’s right or wrong or necessary/unnecessary, it’s just what I’ve always done)
- Hand/park brake on, out of gear, engine off, exit cab.
- Visual check of the fifth wheel and check the handle is seated right and apply dog clip if fitted.
- I should at this point get under and check the jaws visually but, I’ll be honest here, I don’t (I do intend to start implementing that though)
- Climb up on catwalk and attach lines.
- Wind up legs ever so effortlessly (unless a numpty has been slam hitching it and [zb]ed up the legs)
- Walk around checking all lights, release the trailer brake and affix number plate.
- Go back to the cab hit the level/ride height button on your remote.
- Wedge something (I have an old wooden hammer handle) on the brake pedal and check all brake lights (unless you’re a fancy pants with the keyfob light test thingy)
- Adjust height indicator to new trailer if different from the previous.
- Drive 'er like you stole 'er in a safe and legal and fuel efficient manner…
A quick explanation of the parts I highlighted in orange…
When I did a stint working nights as a shunter I saw a few times a driver hook up to a trailer, apply the suzies wind the legs up only then to notice they had a flat tyre or broken light cluster or even been given the wrong load and or trailer, then whinge and moan because they had to drop the trailer again, my highlighted part means I save a load of time and effort if something is bad enough that I’d have otherwise had to disconnect and grab another trailer.
Trust me it took about ten times longer to read that than actually to do it, all in all it probably took me about a minute longer to complete my routine than it would a “slam dunker” to do his (assuming he was as vigilant in his walkaround checks too)
Hand on heart if you were an employer with hundreds of thousands invested in the equipment would you prefer CF’s method or mine?