I have an assessment next week for a company willing to give me a go after passing c+e just over a week ago. Trouble is its my first time driving an Artic as I passed in wag & drag. I’ve watched some vids of the couple & uncouple but im unsure if I should try using the air suspension or not?
Any tips to help me? Thanks.
Find a trainer with an artic and have a couple of hours training. No amount of utube will match that. A relatively small amount of money spent on training will increase your prospects no end.
On the point of using air suspension, absolutely YES you should use it.
Hope it goes well, Pete 
Thanks Pete. No time for training though, its on Tuesday. Just looking for general tips on what to expect from the artic.
Make sure you give the outfit plenty of room on turns - making the unit go the long way round. Check carefully to ensure you’re clearing all the obstructions and also to make sure you’re not so wide that another vehicle can get down the side of you.
The coupling/uncoupling follows the same order as for w+d. You will need to know how to operate the suspension controls and how to operate safety devices on the 5th wheel.
My overall advice in your situation is to go for the assessment confidently but tell the assessor immediately that you passed in w+d. A good assessor will be able to see the difference in a) your overall driving ability and b) how much work they will have to do to get you up to standard on artic. Often this is very little.
Maybe offer to ride shotgun and/or drive supervised for a shift. You may well get this job by demonstrating a positive attitude with honesty.
All the very best with it, Pete
Thanks Pete that sounds good advice.
Good luck! I’ve only done two weeks as a class one, so not sure how much help I can be.
Air suspension:- put your legs down on the floor but don’t wind them down all the way - leave them about half an inch above the floor. Pull forward till the fifth wheel is under the very front of the trailer without it showing. Then drop the suspension down and pull clear. Do that in reverse when coupling. Use lowest gears for pulling out and reversing and try to keep it moving slowly, rather than in short movements. That depends on how well-greased the fifth wheel is to some degree, but lowest gear helps.
Ask questions, show you want to know.
Manoeuvering:- try not to have too much of an angle between the tractor and the trailer. Unless you really need to of course!
PS Ask questions, unless told not to.
Best advice I can offer mate, is to attend the assessment and clarify to your assessor that you’ve never used a traditional artic and that you would really appreciate them demonstrating the coupling procedures and that it was they can advise you at all on positioning it would make a big difference.
But don’t stress yourself out over it, I’ve never found one or the other to be anymore difficult to drive. Just different. Make sure you keep an eye on the front end of the trailer when manoeuvring.
Good luck
I passed in a W&D never driven one since the main difference I found was the amount of extra room you needed when turning a corner or roundabout
The couple / uncouple in principle is the same & defo use the air suspension
Stop stressing
I find lower suspension go under a little ( get out & check if 5th wheel is lined up raise suspension the go rest of way back until you here the pin click in wind legs up before you lower your suspension
Thanks guys some good advice. I’m not stressing, they know im newly passed so I just want to show them im a safe driver and competent doing the job. The tractor unit is a Daf CF auto and I’ve been driving an 18ton Daf CF manual for the past 3 years so I imagine it’ll feel abit familiar, until it starts bending [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]
Its the reverse im mainly concerned about as there doesn’t look like much room to maneuver in the yard.
The reverse in an arctic it is not as forgiving as the W&D but just take time watch get out & look if necessary
The secret to a good reverse is the start lining up right small turns on the steering wheel give it time to react
If you have a toy 1 get it out & move round the floor it helps
So how did you get on??
Pete
I got the job! But what a day! The assessment turned out to be a run to heysham docks from Skelmersdale but because the trailer needed to be on the ferry by 12.30 the driver who was doing my assessment said he’ll drive there and I’ll drive back. But then we ended up doing a drop to Fleetwood so I drove back from there. 10 mins into the drive and we had a blowout! And waited 3 hrs for 3 ats to come out! I continued to drive it back to skelmsdale which went well. I’m back with the same driver tomorrow who’s going to show me the ropes and he really seems to know his stuff so looking forward to it.
Really pleased for you =- but a bit of a baptism of fire with a blowout first time out.
Take care and enjoy.
Pete
Good grief!
A blowout on assessment! You poor soul!
Buy congrats! Welcome to the big boys club, I hope you enjoy it!