Quite new ish to Artics
What is an effective way to measure your vehicle / trailer if your not sure on the height ?
Former firm i used to work for had all trailers + height properly marked up.
New firm simply has: (EXAMPLE) 13’11 based on 1250mm 5th wheel height
How can i find the height of the fifth wheel ?
Many thanks in advance.
Tape measure?
You can by height measuring sticks on Ebay - about £70. Just extend it and read off the measurement.
I would be wary of trusting what is on the front of the trailer anyway as a lot I have seen have been wrong 
Many thanks in advance.
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voodoo1:
How can i find the height of the fifth wheel ?[/voodoo1:
How can i find the height of the fifth wheel ?
Buy yourself a tape measure that’s if you haven’t got one kicking about at home and then you’ll know to the nearest millimetre. 
It amazes me all this talk of use a tape measure to ascertain the height of a trailer ,in all my years driving I’ve yet to see a driver measuring a trailer / fifth wheel heightwith a tape measure 
,I agree it’s the right thing to do it just not something I’ve ever seen anyone do
voodoo1:
Quite new ish to ArticsWhat is an effective way to measure your vehicle / trailer if your not sure on the height ?
Former firm i used to work for had all trailers + height properly marked up.
New firm simply has: (EXAMPLE) 13’11 based on 1250mm 5th wheel height
How can i find the height of the fifth wheel ?
Many thanks in advance.
I’ve no idea what truck you have ,but I know years ago we were told to run at all times with the mid- lift down as with it up it would raise the height by about 3 inches on a scania ,maybe something worth taking note of .
On flats I had a 5ft broom for sweeping off the bed marked off in ft.
You can measure your 5th wheel height, simply by connecting trailer up, then at the point of the 5th wheel, measure from bottom of trailer to the floor.
Most are 1270 I think, some (Scania for example) raise when the lift axle is up, so bear that in mind.
I must admit though, I’ve not bothered measuring a trailer since about 6mth after I started.
Most trucks I drive have the 5th wheel height written on them, and most trailers I pull are based on the same height, so I’m confident they’re right, and if not, I don’t think I’d be the one getting done - but I’m not 100% sure on that of course
dozy:
It amazes me all this talk of use a tape measure to ascertain the height of a trailer ,in all my years driving I’ve yet to see a driver measuring a trailer / fifth wheel heightwith a tape measure
Get out more dozy.
Get it in writing and signed off by the office monkey who allocated the trailer for your run. Watch them squirm in discomfort at having to actually be accountable for something. 
Top tips:
When measuring make sure to measure the highest point, sounds daft but stand back from your truck and bloody well look.
Add 2 inches on for good luck.
Stand on unit walkway to take trailer height then 5th wheel if neccesary, dont forget to add together.
Measure in running condition, I.e. build air up and move forward a few feet.
Measure at least twice !!
Not definitive, just a few condescending pointers.
Many years ago I smashed the cab on a JCB on the back of a flat. I’d gone south through the Blackwall, picked up a machine and went back north. I saw the warning signs and flashing signs and big yellow gongs hanging down. Glanced at the height indicator in the cab and believed what it said (can’t remember what it was now) but of course I hadn’t reset it for the load I was carrying.
I smashed the JCB on the big yellow box section things hanging down before the tunnel - oops 
I can’t believe I was that stupid. 
Dipper_Dave:
Top tips:
When measuring make sure to measure the highest point, sounds daft but stand back from your truck and bloody well look.Add 2 inches on for good luck.
Stand on unit walkway to take trailer height then 5th wheel if neccesary, dont forget to add together.
Measure in running condition, I.e. build air up and move forward a few feet.
Measure at least twice !!
Not definitive, just a few condescending pointers.
Sounds like a lot of effort, can’t I just park it next to one that’s got the height on it and guestimate it ?
waynedl:
Dipper_Dave:
Top tips:
When measuring make sure to measure the highest point, sounds daft but stand back from your truck and bloody well look.Add 2 inches on for good luck.
Stand on unit walkway to take trailer height then 5th wheel if neccesary, dont forget to add together.
Measure in running condition, I.e. build air up and move forward a few feet.
Measure at least twice !!
Not definitive, just a few condescending pointers.
Sounds like a lot of effort, can’t I just park it next to one that’s got the height on it and guestimate it ?
Course thats what I do, but dont tell the noobs.
Funnily enough I had a moment today, came over Newcastle swing bridge and its 14 foot 3 inch in nearside lane, now being 14.6 (but work on 14.
I wondered if I could chance it even though sat nav said it was ok I deceided to barge my way over (as you do) and not risk it, although looking at the damage done to the low point of the steel I appear to be in the minority.
Funnily enough, I checked mine last night (was discussing it with another driver) as there is no height indicator on it…bit of an arse trying to do it on your own but seems to be around 13’ 8". Had the cab indicator set at 14’ anyway so it can stay at that. When it was delivered a couple of weeks ago it was parked next to my old one and looked pretty much identical (hence cab indicator being at 14’) but curiosity got me and out came the tape!
Where I used to work we had two identical (almost) MAN rigid curtainsiders delivered on the same day. They were both marked at 12’ 9" and from the ground they looked the same.
There is a 12’ 6" bridge locally with an electronic height beam and it was a lot quicker to go under it than round, so I measured the one I was using by standing on some pallets and using a steel tape. It was empty (cart springs on the front) and it measured 14’ 6", and it didn’t set off the alarms.
A few weeks later, I was in the other one and when I approached the bridge the alarms went mad. I didn’t have the nuts to carry on, so had to back up, and go the long way round. When I got back to the yard I measured it at 14’ 8".
Looking the same is not the same as being the same.
I did once get my tape measure out and measure my trailer just to see how accurate the label on the front was, I was bored, had hours to kill and had only just started driving trucks. I’d been told all our standard trailers were 14’6 and that’s what the sticker said, I measured it and it was 13’9, now that i’ve been driving for quite a few years I have never really felt the need to measure a trailer, or a 5th wheel. I can see roughly how high a trailer it based on how it looks and comparing it to the unit it’s hooked upto (and by checking the sticker), i’ve also always gone on the theory that Scanias raise 3 inches when the tag axle is up, I keep the axle down when I have a 16ft trailer. I check my routes for bridge heights so if I see a bridge that is anywhere remotely near how tall my trailer is, unless i’m absolutely sure what my trailer height is and the bridge is at least 3" higher i’ll just go around it, exceptions are if I have no other choice. I used to have to go somewhere in Leytonstone sometimes with one of these 14’6 trailers (that actually measured 13’9), it meant going under a 13’9 bridge, needless to say I didn’t like doing it, i’d drop the suspension down as I went under and take it real slow, I think if i’d belted through at ride height something would’ve hit something, a bus driver coming the other way flashed me one day because he was convinced I wasn’t going to make it, just did the usual though, suspension down, open the sunroof and listen for any scraping noises
Do any of you lot use a smart apps to measure your height .I did try and try and got 2.4 metres for a 16 foot doube decker.
There are lots of apps out there to measure your height .
fingermissing:
Do any of you lot use a smart apps to measure your height .I did try and try and got 2.4 metres for a 16 foot doube decker.
There are lots of apps out there to measure your height .
No I’ve tried a smart arse, but never a smart app
Average containers HC are 9’ 6" and I always allow something like 4’ 6" for the fifth wheel then I add a bit so I usually count it as 14.6 to be comfortable but most are marked in the cabs as 13’ 6" needless to say I never take notice of what the sign in the cab says. I regularly get work at a large hauliers in Yorkshire who have such a variety of heights, 14’ 10", 15’ 3", 15’ 8" etc. you got to be on your toes. I have twice had to reverse from a low bridge in traffic and it is not fun.
Alder, do the vehicles you drive not have adjustable in cab height markers? I can well imagine that some (mainly rigids) don’t, but I can’t remember the last time I drove a vehicle that didn’t have an adjustable one. I did hear in an RDC once that it was an offence to drive with in incorrect height displayed. Obviously I may well be wrong with that little gem.