Just picked a unit and trailer up from a work colleague who run out of time asked if it was all hooked yer just brought it down from yhr docks jumped in took it to the yard no problem UNTILL I unhooked it NO dog clip fastened in and the number plate didn’t even match the unit what the ■■■■ teach me not to check I just assumed everything would be ok lesson learned thankfully didn’t get pulled and no accidents.
That dog clip is a drivers get out of jail free card, about 5yrs back a mate of mine went out of our yard in a hooked up truck that DIDNT have a dog clip on it went down the A500 to just before jct 15 roundabout and the unit separated from the trailer!
Caused all sorts of mayhem and was immediately suspended and if it wasn’t for the union stepping in he would have been sacked. When he rung me later that day to tell me what happened I said why the hell did you take the unit out for?? His reply was I didn’t thing the clip was THAT important, he learnt by his very costly mistake. ALWAYS CHECK don’t assume some monkey has done it for you guys.
I don’t pull a trailer anywhere until I have used the torch on my phone to have a look underneath, many think thats OTT but for the 5 seconds it takes whilst walking around it gives me piece of mind.
I did take an empty trailer to a drop once though The trailer id’s weren’t even close either, complete balls up!
I’ll always check the clip if I’ve ever left the truck alone. Always better than leaving a trailer behind somewhere you shouldn’t.
Thing is the guy was still with the unit I would of ran him home like I said in my previous post I asked him if it was all hooked up yes was his reply I’ve just run out of time wtf!!!
I coupled a unit and trailer once but when I put the dog clip on and tried to pull the pin it still came out. I had a word with maintenance who gave me the ‘it’ll be fine’ speech. Apparently, dog clips are useless and 1 in 10 drivers don’t bother using them at all.
Anyway I refused to drive it until it was checked out and they had a bit of a moan but so what, they didn’t have to drive it, I did.
Anyway I refused to drive it until it was checked out and they had a bit of a moan but so what, they didn’t have to drive it, I did.
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These maintenance muppets don’t realise its our arses on offer as soon as we leave our depots. They wont get prosecuted we will. At my place we have the most miserable moaning maintenance guy on the face of the planet, you ask him to fit a light bulb and he’s tutting and whinging like you asked him for his wallet.
A mate of mine thrives on it by checking his cab every shift LOOKING for trivial faults as an excuse to get him to do stuff just to ■■■■ him off lol
Taking over any vehicle its still a full walk round + 5min or a brew no matter how far its come.
rob22888:
I don’t pull a trailer anywhere until I have used the torch on my phone to have a look underneath, many think thats OTT but for the 5 seconds it takes whilst walking around it gives me piece of mind.
I always get underneath with my torch to check the pin has gone across it only takes seconds, and I’ve learnt to duck also as most of our trailers have a D shackle hanging down right where my head needs to go.
Always remember the BLACK. BRAKES LEGS AIRLINES CHAIN KINGPIN
Dog clips are useless to prove you’ve coupled up. If you can fit them just means the mechanism has activated, kind of like a mouse trap. The only way is looking underneath and checking lock bar across pin. Anything else is just a symptom; handle in, pin fits etc. Before someone jumps in this isn’t abut willy size . I didn’t do it until I watched a jost YouTube vid to work out how the hell the things work.
scally2:
Just picked a unit and trailer up from a work colleague who run out of time asked if it was all hooked yer just brought it down from yhr docks jumped in took it to the yard no problem UNTILL I unhooked it NO dog clip fastened in and the number plate didn’t even match the unit what the [zb] teach me not to check I just assumed everything would be ok lesson learned thankfully didn’t get pulled and no accidents.
When you take over another vehicle no matter how short a run NEVER take it for granted what the previous driver says is correct ALWAYS MAKE YOUR OWN CHECKS
bald bloke:
‘…I always get underneath with my torch to check the pin has gone across it only takes seconds…’
Here too - although I too often feel like a panicky novice, whilst too frequently banging my swede and getting grubby paws doing it
As a hitherto mechanical engineer, I reason those mechanisms are fallible and so refuse blindly hope that failure wont happen to me like many colleagues seem to get-by on
m1cks:
I’ll always check the clip if I’ve ever left the truck alone. Always better than leaving a trailer behind somewhere you shouldn’t.
especially after a 45 min break on the services! and having a night out TOO! you NEVER know
nick2008:
Taking over any vehicle its still a full walk round + 5min or a brew no matter how far its come.
That’s my way of thinking too
Never in all my years have i needed to get underneath with a torch, and neither have i failed to secure a trailer…i merely get under the trailer, do a good tug test, then put the dog clip on, i think some of you guys need a reality check, you all seem so nervous when picking up a trailer, but i suppose we all have our own way of doing things.
If it stays put after 2 good tugs, I usually assume the mechanism is pretty well across. In my time in the garage, and at Freuhauf, I never saw a trailer that come off due to anything other than poor coupling procedure. Not to say the mechanism cannot fail, but it is highly unlikely, dog clip or not.
truckyboy:
Never in all my years have i needed to get underneath with a torch, and neither have i failed to secure a trailer…i merely get under the trailer, do a good tug test, then put the dog clip on, i think some of you guys need a reality check, you all seem so nervous when picking up a trailer, but i suppose we all have our own way of doing things.
No reality check needed nor am I " nervous when picking up a trailer " I was taught by my Dad years ago to check if the pin has gone across,takes a minute and has served me well over the years.It’s ALL about how you were trained,imho.
Each to their own though.
I check to see if somebody has pulled the fifth wheel release handle if stopped for the loo or a coffee.
You never know who is about,a disgruntled ex employee owed wages or kids for a laugh.
Takes a second to look but hours of grief and expense to sort out a dropped trailer.
Then a failed delivery.Loss of a reload.Loss of a contract.
Not nervous at all. Just prefer to check the thing that holds it all. Takes 10 seconds. Each to own.