Was talking to a mate of mine today, a fairly reliable fellow, who said that an artic had come on to Leicester Forest services, and as it was turning to drive into a bay the trailer came off, luckily no one was nearby so no one was hurt, and the trailer was empty, so it was just a case of the driver winding the legs up and connecting up, the legs and lines were also undamaged the only damaged thing on the tractor was the offside wing and rear lights.
How the hell did the driver get so far before the trailer came away ? apparently the dog clip was on and the king pin still intact. Did anyone else see this? It was northbound by the way.
If the dog clip was in I fail to see how on earth it could of just dis-connected? Is that even possible? And surely once you check the arm is locked and pin is in it isnt possible to unlock as thats what dog clip is for isnt it?
It could of caused carnage empty or not I would love to know full details cause if I check the trailer when ive hooked up in a morning and it seems right but this could happen how do I know if Im safe to go?
Would also feel a right wally having to put it back together in services with every one watching
Ive lost a trailer that was “correctly” connected up, the handle was in and dog clip connected. Came off after 5 seconds of moving away though!
The 5th wheel was really worn, id defected it a million times but nothing was ever done… I wonder whod end up in prison if it came off on the M6 and killed 4 motorists?
If you dont lift the trailer with the air suspension when coupling this can happen as the kingpin can filck the jaws shut and sit nicely on the top but still looking ok.
I always check to make sure the trailer is sitting on the fifth wheel and hasn’t left a gap this is very important on uneven ground !
MrReliable:
If you dont lift the trailer with the air suspension when coupling this can happen as the kingpin can filck the jaws shut and sit nicely on the top but still looking ok.
I always check to make sure the trailer is sitting on the fifth wheel and hasn’t left a gap this is very important on uneven ground !
This happened to a driver I knew. Coupled up in Sheffield on a slope; handle went in, clip was put on. Drove down the M1 to Alfreton; stopped at the gatehouse. Pulled away when the barrier went up and dumped the trailer on the ground.
The pin had been sitting on the jaws. Just so lucky it did not come off while on the motorway.
it happened to me last december, i had connected properly everything in place and set of got round the roundabout at conbase and my trailer fell off. i got the blame but covently all the gubbins and springs under the fifth wheel got changed.
to my dying day i will never admit fault for that cos i know i did nothing wrong and when i set everything was coupled correctly.
When I pulled in at Maidstone services yesterday there was a Symphony drag trailer in one of the bays, a short while later when I opened my eyes there was a Symphony wag and drag in front of me at right angles. The driver had obviously returned to collect the trailer and pulled it out of the bay before connecting up properly and checking his lights etc. When he pulled away the drag stayed put and gently nosed to the floor, the driver calmly got out and wound the legs back down, recoupled tugged the trailer, wound the legs up and left.
I’m certain that the trailer wasn’t in front of me when I arrived, so it would seem he was able to move it out OK to start with.
i use whatever wagon comes in 1st as i trunk up & down the road, 1 of the wagons a 51 plate kept seeming to rattle on the 5th wheel, a mechanic came out to fix an air leak i asked him to have a look,as the vehicle had been booked off several times,he got me to rock it on the pin only to find the 5th wheel slider had not been locked in properly this had been going on for weeks & only myself & 1 other had booked it off.
Lankytim:
Ive lost a trailer that was “correctly” connected up, the handle was in and dog clip connected. Came off after 5 seconds of moving away though!
The 5th wheel was really worn, id defected it a million times but nothing was ever done… I wonder who’d end up in prison if it came [/size]offon the M6 and killed 4 motorists?
[/quote]
That would be you, for using a vehicle/trailer which you KNEW was defective.
Sad but true.
MrReliable:
If you dont lift the trailer with the air suspension when coupling this can happen as the kingpin can filck the jaws shut and sit nicely on the top but still looking ok.
I always check to make sure the trailer is sitting on the fifth wheel and hasn’t left a gap this is very important on uneven ground !
I have posted on here before about checking the plastic wear ring located in the 5th wheel jaw. They can break and the trailer can come off while the jaws are locked.
Lankytim:
Ive lost a trailer that was “correctly” connected up, the handle was in and dog clip connected. Came off after 5 seconds of moving away though!
The 5th wheel was really worn, id defected it a million times but nothing was ever done… I wonder who’d end up in prison if it came [/size]offon the M6 and killed 4 motorists?
[/quote]
That would be you, for using a vehicle/trailer which you KNEW was defective.
Sad but true.
[/quote]
Yes, very true. However my employer put me in a difficult situation by insisting that it was “fine” and “they all do that”. There was no spare unit so my only option would have been to walk out and risk the wrath of my agency. It takes alot of bottle to stand up and REFUSE to take a motor out, because in your opinion its dangerous.
A few years ago I defected a deawbar trailer several times because of a sloppy drawbad coupling. Nothing was done. “just take it out today and wel fix it for tomorrow” The usual BS. One day while coupling up I pulled the whole thing off. They still acted like it was somehow my fault though!
