Airline problems

I had the same prob. I had to lose weight and get fit because of type 2 and it made me into a weak ####. So, winding the legs, and pushing the Yellow Line and the Red Line was hard (because I had Covid at Christmas too and it ate all my muscle flesh ) so just get your weight behind it and twist the collar quick.
With the legs, I just get angry with it for the first break and then when it’s winding just stay with it. I can’t wait to push distorted extension bars back in, on containers, flippin’ nightmare!

Looks like a very old thread has been reactivated.

Newbie 1:
With the legs, I just get angry with it for the first break and then when it’s winding just stay with it.

I have nowhere near the experience of some on the site, but for the initial break, I use the low gear (pushed in). I would much rather do that than risk doing myself a mischief. It moves the legs a lot slower to the point where you can’t even see them moving, but the legs do move. You can also raise with the weight on in low gear, which might be useful if the trailer is sitting a bit low.

Noremac:
Looks like a very old thread has been reactivated.

Newbie 1:
With the legs, I just get angry with it for the first break and then when it’s winding just stay with it.

I have nowhere near the experience of some on the site, but for the initial break, I use the low gear (pushed in). I would much rather do that than risk doing myself a mischief. It moves the legs a lot slower to the point where you can’t even see them moving, but the legs do move. You can also raise with the weight on in low gear, which might be useful if the trailer is sitting a bit low.

The black thing with a wire coming out of it that’s down the side of the seat which you keep looking at and wondering what it is… that is the air suspension control box. Use it and your trailer leg winding problems don’t happen anymore. :bulb:

Keep the connectors lubed with a light oil, i lube mine every couple of weeks, after that its knack, obviously you’ll have to use your hands to pull the collars back but try and apply pressure to push the lines on with your legs rather than just relying on your arms.

Juddian:
Keep the connectors lubed with a light oil, i lube mine every couple of weeks, after that its knack, obviously you’ll have to use your hands to pull the collars back but try and apply pressure to push the lines on with your legs rather than just relying on your arms.

Yeah, but check the lines aren’t covered in grease first before positioning yourself in that area to get some leverage behind them! A blob of grease on your black trousers won’t end well for you if you don’t spot it, especially not when you get in your car to go home!

DCPCFML:
The black thing with a wire coming out of it that’s down the side of the seat which you keep looking at and wondering what it is… that is the air suspension control box. Use it and your trailer leg winding problems don’t happen anymore.

Maybe some trailers have been left quite high or are heavily loaded? Or maybe the mechanism for raising the legs is stiff?

Noremac:

DCPCFML:
The black thing with a wire coming out of it that’s down the side of the seat which you keep looking at and wondering what it is… that is the air suspension control box. Use it and your trailer leg winding problems don’t happen anymore.

Maybe some trailers have been left quite high or are heavily loaded? Or maybe the mechanism for raising the legs is stiff?

The latter is caused by not using the former.

mr bluecity:
You really need to split couple, makes coupling up a lot easier

Why don’t all companies and/or training schools - offer training on split coupling?

Newbie 1:

mr bluecity:
You really need to split couple, makes coupling up a lot easier

Why don’t all companies and/or training schools - offer training on split coupling?

So they don’t get blamed if you get hurt/killed from doing something stupid.

SquireT:

Newbie 1:

mr bluecity:
You really need to split couple, makes coupling up a lot easier

Why don’t all companies and/or training schools - offer training on split coupling?

So they don’t get blamed if you get hurt/killed from doing something stupid.

This ^. And as 99% of truck drivers are thick as ■■■■, there’d be piles of squished dead bodies lining the boundary fence at every RDC in the country, particularly fridge companies.

DCPCFML:

SquireT:

Newbie 1:

mr bluecity:
You really need to split couple, makes coupling up a lot easier

Why don’t all companies and/or training schools - offer training on split coupling?

So they don’t get blamed if you get hurt/killed from doing something stupid.

This ^. And as 99% of truck drivers are thick as [zb], there’d be piles of squished dead bodies lining the boundary fence at every RDC in the country, particularly fridge companies.

Why?
Split coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Conventional coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Is split coupling really that much more dangerous than the “conventional” way?
Neither way of coupling is immune to stupidity.

Franglais:
Why?
Split coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Conventional coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Is split coupling really that much more dangerous than the “conventional” way?
Neither way of coupling is immune to stupidity.

Chances of getting squished when the trailer is already secured on the fifth wheel are basically zero. There’s about 5 different ways your life could end badly if you miss one or more steps when split coupling. So yes it is much more dangerous.

DCPCFML:

Franglais:
Why?
Split coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Conventional coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Is split coupling really that much more dangerous than the “conventional” way?
Neither way of coupling is immune to stupidity.

Chances of getting squished when the trailer is already secured on the fifth wheel are basically zero. There’s about 5 different ways your life could end badly if you miss one or more steps when split coupling. So yes it is much more dangerous.

You wont get squished between cab and trailer if 5th wheel is correctly engaged, true. But we arent talking about doing things correctly are we?
Conventional coupling incorrectly can cause runaways squishing some one or damaging stuff, even with 5 wheel engaged. Just not between cab and trailer.

I routinely teach split coupling to those who have problems accessing the space or being able to exercise enough pressure without busting themselves. Perfectly acceptable on test provided it’s done correctly.

It’s also what I do as a matter of course.

But, as said, attention to detail is vital.

Pete S :laughing: :laughing:

Franglais:

DCPCFML:

Franglais:
Why?
Split coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Conventional coupling incorrectly is dangerous.
Is split coupling really that much more dangerous than the “conventional” way?
Neither way of coupling is immune to stupidity.

Chances of getting squished when the trailer is already secured on the fifth wheel are basically zero. There’s about 5 different ways your life could end badly if you miss one or more steps when split coupling. So yes it is much more dangerous.

You wont get squished between cab and trailer if 5th wheel is correctly engaged, true. But we arent talking about doing things correctly are we?
Conventional coupling incorrectly can cause runaways squishing some one or damaging stuff, even with 5 wheel engaged. Just not between cab and trailer.

I see you’re planning to drag this out for 10 pages arguing black is white, as per usual, so as always you are 100% right and everyone else is wrong. You win. Congrats.

Pete S:
I routinely teach split coupling to those who have problems accessing the space or being able to exercise enough pressure without busting themselves. Perfectly acceptable on test provided it’s done correctly.

It’s also what I do as a matter of course.

But, as said, attention to detail is vital.

Pete S :laughing: :laughing:

Probably forgotten by the end of the day Pete. It’s hard enough for newbies just to remember the correct sequence for the conventional method. I would say the key thing to drill into them regardless of which method they opt for is check the trailer brake is on before anything else (after first checking truck handbrake is on of course). We all know once you’ve been doing the job a while no-one bothers with it for conventional coupling/uncoupling unless the company you’re at/work at stipulates it. I’ve nearly come unstuck on a couple of occasions where I’ve gone to hitch up and ended up pushing the trailer round the yard :astonished: , after someone has moved it on the shunt button and not bothered to put the brake back on afterwards. Luckily a flat yard and in an area where no real damage could be done… unless someone happened to be walking behind it at the time :astonished: . Hidden dangers everywhere and easy to get complacent :bulb: .