Any W&D tips?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Not long passed class 1, so still a bit(!) green… but will possibly be sent to drive a W&D next week. Any tips for a newbie / anything I should be aware of would be much appreciated… so that I have a half chance of not making a complete ■■■■ of it? :smiley:

Thanks,
Chris :grimacing:

2

I passed in a W&D…Absolute doddle to drive from my personal point of view. I find you don’t need to over compensate the length personally when turning. Coupling up is pretty much the same. Remember your BLAP.

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Chris1207:
Not long passed class 1, so still a bit(!) green… but will possibly be sent to drive a W&D next week. Any tips for a newbie / anything I should be aware of would be much appreciated… so that I have a half chance of not making a complete [zb] of it? :smiley:

Thanks,
Chris :grimacing:

Just take it easy till you get a feel for it,then relax and enjoy,it’s a doddle :smiley: :smiley:

4

Unless it’s got a steering front axle on the drag (which I doubt) it’s a complete doddle believe me I’ve had both, it follows you well and easy to reverse just remember it might be a bit longer than a unit & trailer. My A frame used to drop when unhooked so I kept several sticks that went under the front of the A frame so it was the correct height for coupling back up but again I don’t think they’re like this anymore.

If you can drive an artic you’ll find it easy and you’ll be fine.

5

Thanks, dunno if it’s a straight drawbar or A-Frame. Is there much difference? Are air/leccy lines any different?

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Experient Jack knife it in the yard so you know just what only just misses what ect ,it’s very easy to do damage especially the ones that won’t do 90 degrees and on the angle gradient too .

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Chris1207:
Thanks, dunno if it’s a straight drawbar or A-Frame. Is there much difference? Are air/leccy lines any different?

Yes, A-frames are harder to reverse so I’ve been told but they are better going forward.

8

Punchy Dan:
Experient Jack knife it in the yard so you know just what only just misses what ect ,it’s very easy to do damage especially the ones that won’t do 90 degrees and on the angle gradient too .

Good idea. I take it from that some can’t be turned quite as much as an artic without the trailer battering into the rigid?

Hopefully won’t have much tight turning to do anyway, if I do get asked to do it, it’ll be a trunk from Manc to Glasgow, loaded? … who knows? :laughing:

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If you’re not sure about something, ask the other drivers or a shunter. They will know the combination, and it’s better to ask than to damage.

Tufnell have special tug shunters for their A-frame trailers. They rather get their shunter to do it quikly, then have drivers hold up the operation whilst they take ten minutes to reverse…

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Sometimes the trailer head board can catch the lorry body or the underun bar in its folded up position will catch the draw bar and crunch the suzies ,the draw bar can also catch the coupling and hanger brackets ,or body catches leg handle or ladder ,it’s normaly when turning off road on the angle these things happen ,if it’s been checked and matched properly by the owner you should be fine .

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Radar19:

Chris1207:
Yes, A-frames are harder to reverse so I’ve been told but they are better going forward.

You have been informed correctly !
Bloody ■■■■■■■ 'orrible ■■■■■■■ things going ■■■■■■■ backwards but follow the prime mover a lot better going forwards :slight_smile:

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If you have to drop the trailer, then re-couple later, make sure you put your under-run bar back up, they bend easily, apparently :sunglasses:, this is even worse if you are in Sweden when it happens!