Last year I dropped an empty low loader after hooking it up at a hire company in Bawtry.
Thankfully no damage was done apart from a little kick in my pride.
I like to think I did everything possible make sure I had it properly but I always wonder to this day if there was something more I could have done.
Trailer was parked on loose gravel, and to make things more complicated my fifth wheel was known to be temperamental, hence I was always in the habbit of doing a visual on it after hooking any trailer regardless.
I went under it harder and firmer than I normally would to decrease the chance the fifth wheel would play up, did my normal proceedure including a visual check on the fifth wheel, tried to give a standard couple of tugs to ensure I had it properly but had no traction, engaged the diff lock and selected an appropriate gear and managed a couple of half hearted tugs, pulled away and dropped it 5ft later.
Fifth wheel was changed for a new one later that week thankfully !!
Anything I should have done better ■■? Still naggs me that one !!
a case of bad luck mate, at least think yourself lucky it did,nt wait untill you were out on the open road before it separated.
i agree with the above post, you say you did a visual check, of the pin handle i presume, but something i ALLWAYS do is pull on the handle when backed up and the jaws have locked, after doing the ‘tug’ test, to satisfy myself it has engaged properly, many times ive done this, only to find it hasnt engaged properly, and the ‘tug’ test hadnt shown it properly, due to landing legs holding me back
mjbaron:
i agree with the above post, you say you did a visual check, of the pin handle i presume, but something i ALLWAYS do is pull on the handle when backed up and the jaws have locked, after doing the ‘tug’ test, to satisfy myself it has engaged properly, many times ive done this, only to find it hasnt engaged properly, and the ‘tug’ test hadnt shown it properly, due to landing legs holding me back
I always put the fifth wheel under, lift the suspension and then back the rest of the way under, lifts the legs off the floor.
Yer that’s what I do re: legs, mainly because I scared myself with a split couple and never wanted to shoot the pin.
Re: giving the handle a wiggle, didn’t do that to be honest, did a visual only and inserted the dog clip only, thanks, bear that one in mind when I next come across a gravel moment, he’ll might even include it in my normal routine.
The thought of losing a trailer at speed scares me silly, still amazes me even after 12 years at this the damned thing is only held on by that pin !!
Look from the back and make sure the bar is across. 
I would advise the company that they need to get rid of the gravel and get some hard standing.
Always do a couple of tugs,then get out and have a look at the jaws from the back,using a torch.This time of year the grease can be stiff so better to be safe than…oh shoot 