Due to one of our drivers moving on to pastures new, I’ve had a nice little job dropped into my lap - instead of ■■■■■■■ around getting an 18T rigid into various awkward drops mostly in that there Lunnon, I’ll be spending my morning shuttling trailers between two local depots, then in the afternoon doing a trunk run to another depot that’s an hour away. Just a bit concerned as the trunk run is usually done with a double decker (box body with internal lifting deck, not a curtainsider) and I’ve zero experience of operating such a trailer. I’ve had the five minute “training” to show me how to work the thing, but any tips from regular 'decker drivers?
Advice I was given a long time ago, ’ Tha’ll get the ang’ of it lad" 
Yes ray. Youve had your 5 minute whip tound jobs a good one. Get on with it. Either that set up a body cam and over exaggerate everything you do upload it to youtube and become a proper legend.
If you feel the need to ask on here get yourself back into the office and ask your “gaffer” to explain the buttons to push again.
Not rocket science really.
Last time i used a lift hig deck was over to ireland. Had to reverse the ■■■■■■■ a mile back up the road because of low bridge. Rowley probably seen me doing it from the m6.
try and have it on both sides before you leave the yard.
if it tips,the loaders are to blame,if it wont tip,then crack on regardless.job done.
dieseldog999:
try and have it on both sides before you leave the yard.
if it tips,the loaders are to blame,if it wont tip,then crack on regardless.job done.
Received and understood.
It’s not the driving bit that bothers so much - it’s when I rock up at the other end and come across some blindingly obvious (if you’ve used such a trailer regularly) issue that makes me think “Why didn’t I do X, Y and/or Z?”
The only difference I find than using a normal tri-box is that I check the lift mechanism works before I leave the yard, last thing you want is to find you took a duff one. It feels heavier, ours are around 13/14t empty as opposed to 6/7t for a tri-box and make sure your route is clear for 16’2"
If your getting the trailer tipped at your destination always make sure you have an anderson lead to power the deck.Once backed onto a bay plug in said anderson lead and lift trailer suspension up as there is a significant height difference between the bottom deck and the loading bay ramp.When the bottom deck has been unloaded drop all the air out of the trailer suspension till it’s on it’s arse and lower the top deck.Some helpful warehouse staff will do this last step for you but others will not.Depending on trailer type some have audible warnings inside that the top deck is overloaded.When you’ve hooked the unit up to the trailer open up the back door and have a listen.And remember deckers sit a lot lower than a single trailer so watch out for those pesky bananas that mark out the bays
Check your…
Anderson lead. Nothing worse than getting all the way there only to find the previous muppet broke the ■■■■ thing and CBA to tell anyone.
Remove your Anderson lead after you’ve finished, I’ve seen a few ripped out whilst trundling round the yard.
Basically, the Anderson lead is god.
leave your passenger window open a few inches…
if you hear jingle bells as you pull away,just stop and casually go round and lift the lead to coil it away as if you didnt forget.
they dont call it a cow bell for nothing…works for me… 
BeakFreak81:
If your getting the trailer tipped at your destination always make sure you have an anderson lead to power the deck.Once backed onto a bay plug in said anderson lead and lift trailer suspension up as there is a significant height difference between the bottom deck and the loading bay ramp.When the bottom deck has been unloaded drop all the air out of the trailer suspension till it’s on it’s arse and lower the top deck.Some helpful warehouse staff will do this last step for you but others will not.Depending on trailer type some have audible warnings inside that the top deck is overloaded.When you’ve hooked the unit up to the trailer open up the back door and have a listen.And remember deckers sit a lot lower than a single trailer so watch out for those pesky bananas that mark out the bays
All noted - fortunately tipping is done “manually” (ie pump truck to the back door, forkie takes it off), so no worries about bays and dock levellers - although there is a lot more physical graft for the driver (ie me). Still a lot easier work than doing 4 or 5 tail-lift drops in Central London…
Outgoing jobholder has already given me pointers as regards the limited ground clearance (it’s an issue at the depot I’ll be delivering to as there is a pronounced “hump” as you drive through the yard gates).
yourhavingalarf:
Check your…Anderson lead. Nothing worse than getting all the way there only to find the previous muppet broke the ■■■■ thing and CBA to tell anyone.
Remove your Anderson lead after you’ve finished, I’ve seen a few ripped out whilst trundling round the yard.
Basically, the Anderson lead is god.
To my eternal shame, I once forgot to stow the Anderson lead on one of our tail-lift equipped tandem trailers. It pulled out on the road and the loose end flapped around for a while until it came into contact with the chassis and blew one of the fuses on the unit. One of those mistakes you tend to only make once.
Apply trailer park brake when you arrive and connect Anderson lead. When you go to drive off after tipping and forgetting to unplug it, the trailer brake still being on will act as a reminder
Class1postie:
Apply trailer park brake when you arrive and connect Anderson lead. When you go to drive off after tipping and forgetting to unplug it, the trailer brake still being on will act as a reminder
That’s fiendishly simple - and yet effective!
When ever i pull a dd and put the lead on i leave the airkit out so i notice it when i go to pull off, then remember the lead is still on. Only done it once tho! May sound weird, and final destination-ish, i check the pins are in place under the top deck before i get in.
bristolrob:
When ever i pull a dd and put the lead on i leave the airkit out so i notice it when i go to pull off, then remember the lead is still on. Only done it once tho! May sound weird, and final destination-ish, i check the pins are in place under the top deck before i get in.
Pins…?
on a lot of deckers theres safety pins that pop out so the top deck cant come down and squash you if some ■■■■■■ presses the lower button whilst your trying to tug a pallet off up the front.
dieseldog999:
on a lot of deckers theres safety pins that pop out so the top deck cant come down and squash you if some ■■■■■■ presses the lower button whilst your trying to tug a pallet off up the front.
Ah - Nobody has mentioned this in my 5-minute “training”. Thanks - something for me to enquire/check before I embark on my first run tomorrow!
they are usually spring loaded one way things so the deck goes up then they pop out till you reset them.
just remember if its got a motor below the deck to lift the air if you see any humps that you need to go over slow or if you ever go places like onto a ferry or you will rip it clean off…
Some really good tips already, especially leaving the air deflector open when having the anderson lead connected.
My two-penneth (use a lot of moving floor deckers with Asda) If taking off a bay, make sure electrics are disconnected from the back. Places that have a lot of these trailers have power from the bay to the trailer to move the floor without a unit connected.
Warehouse should have levelled suspension on the reset suspension button but normally forget so best to check (will need power from unit connected to do this) Check floor locks are in place before entering the lower deck, theres usually 4 lights on the nearside under the top deck that will show green if properly locked. If all lights not on hold safety button and press deck up button for a couple of seconds, you will hear locks disengage, floor will try to raise and when you let off the raise button the locks should all now engage and give you 4 green lights.
If empty run with the deck in the lowered position to keep some weight lower to the ground and if only loading “as a single” use lowered top deck.
Know your height is the big one, and slow down maybe a little bit more than your normally would for roundabouts and sharper bends. Other than that nothing to it, same as a normally trailer.