Just looking for any last minute pointers.
I remember the BLACK (not forgetting number plate)
What concerns me is getting the ride height and fifth wheel plate height correct to slide under and engage the pin.
Too low and I’m gonna miss and the pin will ride over the top.
Too high and it’s gonna embed into the rear of the trailer.
I’ve seen it done a couple of times in the yard where the fifth wheel plate just pivots as it catches the bottom of the trailer and then slides without lifting the trailer.
Now I know they have had years of practice but I really don’t want to get this wrong.
Oh and just a minor thought. When I did my 4 hour crossover training back in November, I remember having to pull the handle twice for the jaws to unlock. He didn’t mention whether this was a niggle with this particular unit or whether it was standard practice.
If its standard practice… Can someone give me an explanation for this as I find it easier to remember if I know why.
Sorry it’s so long winded.
All help appreciated.
When I was on my artic course Dean, it always looked like the suspension was slightly higher than the trailer so that the plate with the angle it sits at flattened out as it lifted the trailer up.
I’m no better qualified that you are but the student that was on my training with me always seemed to back into it fairly slowly and gently and he was never ever really pulled up about it.
Our instructor never altered the suspension on the unit so now I wish I had asked him to do it so we could try.
Thanks Sam.
I reckon I’ll be ok. But you know how it is. You build up loads of scenarios in your head and think the worst 
Before you back under get out look see if the mudgards are going to hit the trailer adjust as ness next slide under slowly but not too far again adjust the height so you slide under then test to make sure you wont come off the pin asuming you have put the trailer brake on first. My insrtucter said coupling is easy count to five 1 is your 5th wheel dog clip two electrical leads three legs four trailer brake and five number plate and if think you forgotten something go over it again uncoupling is just the reverse rembering to put trailer brake on first dog clip last and the other thing I do is move the unit forward slightly so as to disengage the pin then slowly lower your ride height ive seen people come from under their trailer too fast and the trailer tip upwards because of the weight inside or the battery is on the rear of the unit and gets broken thats how I do things anyway and it seems to work for me.
Hi Dean,
When I used to drive I used to raise the suspension about an inch or two so when I backed under it would just raise the trailer and then slide under makes it easier for winding the legs up no right or wrong way you will find what suits you best … good luck mate
Hmmm,
I drop the units suspension right down, reverse under then lift suspension right up which lifts the legs off the floor, I dont use the skids. Then back on to pin untill it clicks & do 2 tugs. Then I go under trailer with a torch & check jaws have engaged properly.
Most importantly before you do anything check trailer brake is on.
If you can’t go in at running height and lift it from there do the following…
Lower your suspension a little, reverse back short of the pin.
Get out and check.
Whilst your out take the remote and raise the unit just so it touches the bottom of the trailer and no more (If trailer is loaded lift a bit more yet)
Jump back in and reverse.
The second you hear the click lift it up to the max then do your tug test.
When your uncoupling, do so and just inch forward a little still holding the trailer, drop the suspension way down and drive out.
Thanks for the replies people.
Hoping I don’t mess up today.
Come on Dean, we’re all waiting - how did it go?
Like other things in life mate get it straight and pound it in, it’s a very approximate game and a fair but of room for error in height an line
When picking up a trailer the first thing you should do is forget the stuff you was taught for the test 
- Reverse nearly up-to the trailer and check that the trailer break is on.
- Lower the unit air suspension.
- Reverse until the 5th wheel is under the trailer plate but hasn’t yet reached the trailer pin.
- Raise the unit air suspension until the trailer legs are clear of the ground.
- Reverse slowly until you hear the 5th wheel mechanism click locked. (That’s a click not a loud bang)
- Do a tug test or two and put the break on, then get out and check the 5th wheel and put the dog clip on if there is one.
- Connect the suzies and wind the trailer legs up then release the trailer break.
Uncoupling is the reverse, lower the trailer legs then after releasing the suzies and releasing the 5th wheel clamp pull slowly forward until you’re clear of the pin then lower the unit air suspension and pull forward until you’re clear of the trailer, you can then reset the unit to ride height.
tachograph:
When picking up a trailer the first thing you should do is forget the stuff you was taught for the test
- Reverse nearly up-to the trailer and check that the trailer break is on.
- Lower the unit air suspension.
- Reverse until the 5th wheel is under the trailer plate but hasn’t yet reached the trailer pin.
- Raise the unit air suspension until the trailer legs are clear of the ground.
- Reverse slowly until you hear the 5th wheel mechanism click locked. (That’s a click not a loud bang)
- Do a tug test or two and put the break on, then get out and check the 5th wheel and put the dog clip on if there is one.
- Connect the suzies and wind the trailer legs up then release the trailer break.
Uncoupling is the reverse, lower the trailer legs then after releasing the suzies and releasing the 5th wheel clamp pull slowly forward until you’re clear of the pin then lower the unit air suspension and pull forward until you’re clear of the trailer, you can then reset the unit to ride height.
Cool. Thats the method I used (apart from raising trailer off the ground). I waited until I had checked pin had been clamped before raising. Didn’t want it running away as it was not the newest of trailers and I had no idea if brakes were an good.
Agree with all the above.
Most important - Trailer brake and handbrake, I still find myself double checking both, and sometimes checking again to make absolutely sure!!!
and dont forget - NOT ALL UNITS HAVE SKIDS/RAMPS always worth a quick look to save the embarrassment of explaining why your mudgaurds etc have disappeared 
Tachograph saved me typing a long reply as to how to pick a trailer up properly 
The reason you should ALWAYS use the units air suspension is quite a simple one really. If you lower the unit as you approach the trailer and then raise it once underneath it, you stop what is one of the most annoying things that can happen to a driver. Dirty, filthy plate grease!!!
If you just run back and use the skids etc to get under the trailer, the leading edge of the trailer scrapes the top of the fifth wheel and that awful horrid stuff sticks to the leading edge of the trailer (imagine scraping a knife over a well buttered piece of toast). Then when you are driving along, the susies touch the leading edge as you turn corners etc and now you have it noit only on the trailer but all over the susies too. It doesn’t take long to get on your paws from there!! Have a look at the leading edge of a trailer next time you pick it up and you’ll see what I mean. Or when you get in someone elses motor and his lines are all tangled and black, you’ll know why.
There is nothing that riles me more than tangled filthy lines. I have driven the same motor for 6 years now and my lines are immaculate still. I never screw it round thus I don’t stretch them to ridiculous lengths and for the price of £20 I bought two ‘linehuggas’ from here linehugga.com/buy.html . They take 10 minutes to fit and they do actually work!!! I only got two as I figured that just covering the airlines would be enough and it was.
Thanks for the continued input into this thread.
I have learned so much from being on this forum and it’s refreshing to find people who don’t try to patronise
My coupling skills are getting better and quicker (though still being careful and checking thoroughly) as I am doing a couple of trailer swaps a day.
Just one other thing. If a trailer has sunk or been dropped so low that, even with the tractor suspension at its lowest, you still can’t get under… What do you do?
Not had it yet but can see the potential as the yard is just ■■■■■■■■ and mud.
dar1976:
Just one other thing. If a trailer has sunk or been dropped so low that, even with the tractor suspension at its lowest, you still can’t get under… What do you do?
Not had it yet but can see the potential as the yard is just ■■■■■■■■ and mud.
That, my old china, is when you are in the proverbial LOLOL … all you can do is put the winder into low gear and wind away til it has raised enough to get under it. You’ll be surprised … even if loaded it will go up. IF it has sunk, then it cannot be your fault so ask for help from the Office.
Luckily, I drive a XF95 and the unit drops very low on them. I dropped a trailer once (made the fatal mistake of stopping to talk and then just pulling out … hadn’t wound legs down or disconnected susies) and with just a few winds of the handle, I was able to pick it up again.
If the trailer legs have sunk be very careful that it doesn’t go over whilst you’re working by it, if the yard is that bad the trailer legs should be dropped on timbers not straight on the ground.
If you can’t get the vehicle under the trailer because it’s been dropped too low first try lowering the air suspension on the trailer if you can, lowering the rear end of the trailer might raise the front end just enough to get the vehicle under it, otherwise I’m afraid you have to resort to putting the trailer handle winding mechanism in low gear and winding the trailer up until you can get the vehicle under it.