Class 1 test tomorrow and I’m struggling to get the coupling procedure correct in my mind.
Are there any tips on how to remember it?
One i read somewhere on here was B.L.A.C.K. to uncouple, then reverse it to couple, although there is more to it , IE positioning the tactor etc, as many will point out.
Brakes (apply trailer brake)
Legs ( wind down legs)
Air Lines (disconnect)
Clips (loosen clips)
Kingpin ( release kingpin)
Artic or w+d?
Pete 
Some suggest B.L.A.N.K. instead:
Brakes
Legs
Airlines
Number plate
Kingpin (Clip)
Coupling is simply the same thing in reverse…
Remember to check your fifth wheel height before reversing under the trailer (yes, of course it will be right because you’ve just dropped the trailer, but check it anyway so the examiner can see you doing it).
Don’t forget your walk around checks of the trailer (wheel nuts, tyres, body condition and any loose fittings, MOT, air leaks, lights…ask the examiner to check your brake lights).
I was taught BLEAK. Brakes, Legs, Electrics & Air, Kingpin. Obviously remember the plate after that.
I always use the B.L.A.C.K procedure and incorporate the number plate in when doing airlines. I still use it now 3 years later and always in that order. In my mind,If I stick to that ill never drop a trailer on its snout,rip air lines out or suffer a rollaway.
I’ve never forgotten my number plate either but I have unhooked the odd trailer on a bay only to have to hook it all back up again when I remember I should have taken the number plate off BEFORE sealing it against the dock! 
Good luck tomorrow. Let us know how you get on
Thanks, that should help.
Should have said it’s a wag ‘n’ drag I’m doing it in.
The primary cause of problems with w+d is forgetting to a) set the pin on the truck and b) not checking park brake c) not re-setting the pin following a failed attempt at coupling.
For purposes of test, remember park brake first and last and you cant go wrong. The order of legs/air lines is irrelevant. Don’t get involved in number plates.
So, to uncouple:
PARKBRAKE ON TRAILER
Leg/s down and electrics and air off - - there is no set order for any of this but don’t leave the lines on the ground
Release pin
Drive away and reverse parallel with trailer. The examiner will ask you to pick the trailer up as if you’d never seen it before.
So, to couple:
TWO P’s - PARKBRAKE ON TRAILER and PIN on truck
Quick walk round check on trailer
Reverse towards trailer and stop no more than about 6 feet from it.
Check height and lateral position (at this point you will also notice if you haven’t set the pin - so do it now! No penalty)
Couple up, two gentle tugs forward (just enough to stretch the suspension - not to try and drive it)
Visual check of coupling making sure that any warning lugs have settled into position
Lines on and leg/s up - there is still no set order for any of this
Release trailer brake
Ask the examiner to check lights
IME, folks get confused with which order to do legs/lines etc. It doesn’t matter. As long as they’re done with the park brake ON.
Others spend far too long checking the trailer. There’s no marks for this on a test. The mark comes ONLY for not checking the park brake. Why risk forgetting the park brake because we’ve got a head full of number plates that don’t attract a mark?
This is all that is required to pass the test. It’s NOT enough in the real world. Trailer would need a more thorough check and number plates removed/replaced. But, without passing the test, that’s irrelevant.
All the best with the test, Pete
That’s interesting Pete. My instructor has been telling me I’ve got to tell the examiner about the number plates and lowering the bumper too. He also said I would fail if I didn’t point out the MOT on the walk round check. Reading this thread has helped to get it right in my head at least.
This is the biggest problem with some trainers. They overdo it. As a result, confusion sets in and the really important stuff gets missed.
At a recent team meeting at the training centre we had to address just this issue.
For trainers, it’s hard. We want you to know everything there is to know - what can be wrong with that?
But, in this particular case, my experience is that it’s best to keep it simple and concise. But, of course, there’s nothing to stop you mentioning the underun bar and number plate once you’ve done everything else. Pete
This part of the test causes some candidates mental stress. One reason is that once the drive is over all candidates are thinking about is the test result but they have to switch onto something they may have only done a couple of times.
Pete has made the important point that certain key actions are in the PASS/FAIL category. Trailer brake, coupling pin, the tug test and others while other actions although technically correct will not affect the result. Ie number plates, MOT check, under run bar etc.
Learn and memorise the vital points and if you feel really comfortable add in the padding items.
At our particular test centre, the coupling/uncoupling takes place after the reverse and before the drive 99% of the time. So our candidates are still re-running the reverse in their head possibly.
The order of events varies throughout the country and, sometimes, within test centres. So best not to make assumptions.
Pete
Thanks Pete, I think you’ve just answered a longstanding question I’ve had about my training.
At no stage did the trainer ever explain the buttons or requirements for raising and lowering the cab suspension. I had to learn this from my first real work shift. I’m guessing it is because the suspension is not part of the test, and the trailer height is guaranteed to always be the same, so there’s no need to complicate things. Sadly, though, in my case I soon got flustered on the job with all the additional things to do and had an incident missing the pin because I had forgotten to raise the suspension up again after lowering it.
The exhaust brake wasn’t really covered either…
The description I offered above refers only to w+d. With an artic I would certainly involve the use of suspension.
The mistake you made is a common newbie error and, whilst it wouldn’t happen in a perfect world, things like this can and do happen. Experienced drivers also continue to make daft mistakes from time to time.
To my shame, I ripped an ABS lead off a w+d a couple of years back. It happens.
Pete
The exhaust brake wasn’t really covered either…
The function and basic workings of the exhaust brake is covered in the theory test; all the trainer should have to do is to point out the control and make a recommendation as to it’s best setting.
Pete
Another interesting thread, I always prefer not to use BLANK, BLACK or any other acronym as non of them work perfectly, where is the letter for the brake lights or trailer condition? It just isn’t comprehensive enough.
i would suggest always mentioning replacing the trailer number plate as the examiner will say to the candidate ‘I would like you to treat this trailer as a different trailer and safely re-couple’. So this means the driver should not know if the trailer has MOT, safe condition, hand brake applied, no number plate on the trailer etc. obviously you can do the bare minimum but it’s not really going to prepare you for the real world.
Driving examiners aren’t fussed what order you do the procedure so long as you first apply the handbrake before anything else and check it before coupling which according to the DVSA DT1 book (Google it, it’s the examiners guide book) can be done either visually or physically.
I always used to find the hardest part of coupling a drawbar truck was lining it up, it was easy when you didn’t have to park alongside the trailer on the uncouple, lining up the artic unit is a lot easier, and as for resetting the pin on a drawbar, we had loads of customers forgetting that on test. Glad we use artics now, makes it a lot easier but the reverse is harder so it’s 6 of one half dozen…
We teach about using the air suspension, which is a good element of now being loaded for driving test, makes it bit more real life than before with no real weight over the fifth wheel. The new globetrotter is very easy as there is a button on the dash to lower the suspension and it resets to auto ride height once the truck passes 20mph or so, just in case it’s too low after uncoupling or too high after recoupling.
Tockwith Training:
I always used to find the hardest part of coupling a drawbar truck was lining it up,
I agree this can be a bit tricky but I have a couple of little tips for this. Firstly when pulling up to begin the uncouple, if there is a natural line either painted on the floor or even a tarmac straight line on the floor, place the offside wheels of both rigid and drawbar trailer on this line. When reversing back towards the trailer you can use this line as a guide for the towing vehicle. Secondly when reversing towards the trailer to recouple use the offside mirror to look along the body of the truck. Try to position the truck so that the trailer body looks like a continuation of the truck, in effect it looks like 1 single vehicle. You will hit the correct spot almost always.
Another good little tip is when uncoupling, after brake, legs, removing airlines etc and lifting the pin, but BEFORE pulling forward, place your gloves alongside the front offside wheel. When reversing back to couple the gloves act as guide to let you know how far you are from the trailer. Stop 3 feet from the gloves and the pin will be that distance from the hole in the trailer. Never had an examiner question it and anyway, why would you get into the cab with dirty gloves on.
There are other little tricks but these are a couple to digest for now.
Very good LGVTrainer, we used to use the reversing area lines just as you discuss but never thought of using a pair of gloves! I like it a lot.
I use this method from time to time but don’t do it when it’s windy.
Paul 