you may be lucky on the day and someone will be around, first up make sure the cowbell is the right way around when connecting to the trailer, hanging on the handle when it’s wrong will wreck the female connector on the trailer. And make sure it works before leaving.
On underslung lifts lower the lift down as low a practicably possible to avoid cable damage, and leave a folding step down or a wind deflector open this will remind you taht it,s connected.
peirre:
always plug the lead for the tailift in as part of your walk round checks, and make sure the tailift is working, as its probably part of your check sheet anyhow, if nessesary open it out and fully check it moves through the full range of directions that its supposed to move through inc tilt/up/down. be careful not to lift it to the top if you have barn doors, and the doors are closed as it can crush & bend the catches at the bottom and make it harder to close them, make sure the handrails fit and are in working order. some store drops (wilkos) keep a set of handrails onsite so that you dont need to carry them. Whatever you do make sure the tailift is working and you have an isolator key before you leave the yard! You can get these on evil bay for 50p as theyre the same as the (red) battery isolator keys.
Also visually check the hydraulic hoses for leaks, splits & wear, as theres nothing worse than dropping a full pallet of cola, or growbags on a tailift only for the hoses to burst under the strain and whole thing drops to the floor. Believe me its scarey! Id also suggest carrying a spare 15A blade fuse in your pocket, as these are the commonest size used in the control box. Some tailifts are opperated with your foot via buttons on the bed. **1x deadman, 1x up, & 1x down**. Its not uncommon for someone to shove a penny into the deadman button so they only need to stand on up or down (another wilkos trick). Other tailifts are opperated via a wanda lead so take care and not to trap it as you lift up or your screwed. Newer tailifts Ive use for tosco have around 8-10 buttons, these control the rams that opperate the cat flaps on both sides, and the end as well as the up/down, and slide out. Again have a play around with it in the yard before you leave to familiarise yourself. A word of caution, if the tailift is an underslung, make sure you lower it a few inches before inching it out, otherwise you`ll bend the 2"x2" box section bump stops near the back lights
Some are only 2 foot buttons, you have to stand on both, but depending which order depends whether it goes up or down, ie left 1st, then right, goes up, right 1st, then left goes down.
waynedl:
peirre:
always plug the lead for the tailift in as part of your walk round checks, and make sure the tailift is working, as its probably part of your check sheet anyhow, if nessesary open it out and fully check it moves through the full range of directions that its supposed to move through inc tilt/up/down. be careful not to lift it to the top if you have barn doors, and the doors are closed as it can crush & bend the catches at the bottom and make it harder to close them, make sure the handrails fit and are in working order. some store drops (wilkos) keep a set of handrails onsite so that you dont need to carry them. Whatever you do make sure the tailift is working and you have an isolator key before you leave the yard! You can get these on evil bay for 50p as theyre the same as the (red) battery isolator keys.
Also visually check the hydraulic hoses for leaks, splits & wear, as theres nothing worse than dropping a full pallet of cola, or growbags on a tailift only for the hoses to burst under the strain and whole thing drops to the floor. Believe me its scarey! Id also suggest carrying a spare 15A blade fuse in your pocket, as these are the commonest size used in the control box. Some tailifts are opperated with your foot via buttons on the bed. **1x deadman, 1x up, & 1x down**. Its not uncommon for someone to shove a penny into the deadman button so they only need to stand on up or down (another wilkos trick). Other tailifts are opperated via a wanda lead so take care and not to trap it as you lift up or your screwed. Newer tailifts Ive use for tosco have around 8-10 buttons, these control the rams that opperate the cat flaps on both sides, and the end as well as the up/down, and slide out. Again have a play around with it in the yard before you leave to familiarise yourself. A word of caution, if the tailift is an underslung, make sure you lower it a few inches before inching it out, otherwise you`ll bend the 2"x2" box section bump stops near the back lightsSome are only 2 foot buttons, you have to stand on both, but depending which order depends whether it goes up or down, ie left 1st, then right, goes up, right 1st, then left goes down.
Oh I know the ones you mean. The one that makes you look like you are tap dancing in the tail lift trying to get the buttons pressed in the right sequence. 
damoq:
waynedl:
peirre:
always plug the lead for the tailift in as part of your walk round checks, and make sure the tailift is working, as its probably part of your check sheet anyhow, if nessesary open it out and fully check it moves through the full range of directions that its supposed to move through inc tilt/up/down. be careful not to lift it to the top if you have barn doors, and the doors are closed as it can crush & bend the catches at the bottom and make it harder to close them, make sure the handrails fit and are in working order. some store drops (wilkos) keep a set of handrails onsite so that you dont need to carry them. Whatever you do make sure the tailift is working and you have an isolator key before you leave the yard! You can get these on evil bay for 50p as theyre the same as the (red) battery isolator keys.
Also visually check the hydraulic hoses for leaks, splits & wear, as theres nothing worse than dropping a full pallet of cola, or growbags on a tailift only for the hoses to burst under the strain and whole thing drops to the floor. Believe me its scarey! Id also suggest carrying a spare 15A blade fuse in your pocket, as these are the commonest size used in the control box. Some tailifts are opperated with your foot via buttons on the bed. **1x deadman, 1x up, & 1x down**. Its not uncommon for someone to shove a penny into the deadman button so they only need to stand on up or down (another wilkos trick). Other tailifts are opperated via a wanda lead so take care and not to trap it as you lift up or your screwed. Newer tailifts Ive use for tosco have around 8-10 buttons, these control the rams that opperate the cat flaps on both sides, and the end as well as the up/down, and slide out. Again have a play around with it in the yard before you leave to familiarise yourself. A word of caution, if the tailift is an underslung, make sure you lower it a few inches before inching it out, otherwise you`ll bend the 2"x2" box section bump stops near the back lightsSome are only 2 foot buttons, you have to stand on both, but depending which order depends whether it goes up or down, ie left 1st, then right, goes up, right 1st, then left goes down.
Oh I know the ones you mean. The one that makes you look like you are tap dancing in the tail lift trying to get the buttons pressed in the right sequence.
Trying being the operative word, rarely succeeding due to the buttons being knackered, so when you do get it right, it moves 1cm, cuts off and goes the other way 
This is the fixed Anderson connector, uppermost with the bolts through the fixing holes, with the wandering trailer lead, lowermost. Be aware that there will be a fuse in the wiring from the battery box, on my outfit 150 amps, that can blow if the lead is shorted. There may also be a fuse on the trailer as well. The connection is a simple push fit but check the condition of the lead and connectors for exposed conductor.
Here is the external control box of the under-slung that I was using yesterday. The right hand knob is the “location” control. in the central position, as shown, the taillift is effectively switched off. To operate from the ground this switch is turned, and held, clockwise against a spring and with one of the other switches deployed. To operate the tail-lift from the platform this switch is turned anti clockwise and holds in this position.
While on the ground to lower the platform the joystick on the left is, with the location knob turned clockwise, moved down. To raise the platform move the joystick up. The angle of the tail-lift platform can be changed by moving the joystick to the left to raise the back edge of the tail-lift moving to the right will lower the back edge of the tail-lift. This is useful for sloping ground.
The middle knob is the extend/retract control. Turning clockwise, with the location knob also turned clockwise, will extend the platform. Anticlockwise returns to the stowing position. When extending make sure that you fully extend as the arc of the platform is such that it will not reach the trailer deck level unless it is fully extended.
To operate from the platform there are 2 buttons inside the trailer body up & down.
This is but 1 type that I encounter some of our column tail-lifts have hydraulic deployment other manual, some have additional internal switches, all have the potential to ruin your day. Check that it works before you go anywhere, check the side/back flaps hold in the upright positions, check that any stowage locking mechanisms work ( you wouldn’t want to have a platform drop while on the road ) and keep your hands, feet and head out of harms way.
If you want any more tips just ask.
When I was on agency I must have encountered dozens of different sets of controls etc. It isn’t usually too hard to work out but be aware that some have an on/off switch in the cab. As others have said - make sure you work it out before you use it in anger, or you will look a right ■■■. The other thing is to try and be as level as you can - use the air suspension if necessary. A slight slope down to the back when tipping and to the front when loading makes the job easier.
The very first one I ever used was made by a firm called Anthony Hoists - their main business was tippers and the tail lift was solid steel and ran off a PTO which worked a ■■■■ great ram underneath. The controls were two levers - one engaged the PTO and the other worked up/down. I once put a power press on it and lifted the front wheels up.
Thanks for all the information and pics ect there
very much appreciated and I have printed it all off
encase any problems but should be ok now thanks to you all.
Not been trained on tail lifts properly like having a full induction
like a full time employee might as each side thinks its the other
sides responsibility to cover it. I did a driving assessment after I
had been working on multiple contracts for about 3 weeks and
can work on all there sites now after a quick 2 hour induction of
that’s the smokeing area, that’s the one way system and that’s
the transport office and he was more interested in his breakfast
and coffee.