Carryfast:
I think from memory the last/only artics I used on air were DAF 85/95’s.Everything before that was on steel.The bit I don’t get is all this raising of units on the suspension before lowering the legs and dropping the trailer which automatically creates a dodgy high trailer situation when re coupling.When as I remember it,like everyone else,I just left the suspension height at normal when lowering the legs and left the usual slight gap under the legs when lowered and then dropped the trailer just as in the case of steel.Which then left the trailer at the right sort of height to re couple.Although admittedly all had fifth wheel ramps and no one was ever worried about some grease getting on top of wheel arches.The key in all cases being that you have to be absolutely sure that the trailer is actually lifted off its legs either by the ramps or the fifth wheel ‘before’ reversing against the pin.Which still leaves the question what changed and why the need for all the messing about with suspension heights when we never needed to,nor could have even if we’d have wanted to,with steel suspension.
I have just passed my test and was told to lower the suspension after the legs are down when uncoupling, just before pulling out from under the trailer and before coupling to rise it up above the ride setting after the 5th wheel was just under the trailer.
I was told that that stops the grease from the 5th wheel going on to the front of the trailer then transferring to the suzie.
Eat My BB:
I have just passed my test and was told to lower the suspension after the legs are down when uncoupling, just before pulling out from under the trailer and before coupling to rise it up above the ride setting after the 5th wheel was just under the trailer.
I was told that that stops the grease from the 5th wheel going on to the front of the trailer then transferring to the suzie.
I can see the logic in that in a world that no longer seems to have the common fitment of ramps and in which some added time on a shift isn’t spent washing down cat walks etc with a pressure washer.Although realistically a good set of ramps and don’t worry about the grease is probably better than the added variables which adjusting coupling heights when the trailer is actually over the fifth wheel seems to create.IE ideally the trailer needs to be lifted off of its legs before the fifth wheel is under the trailer.
Carryfast:
.Which still leaves the question what changed and why the need for all the messing about with suspension heights when we never needed to,nor could have even if we’d have wanted to,with steel suspension.
I just prefer the air suspension method, it’s the way I was taught and rightly or wrongly having tried the more conventional method it feels like your being more sympathetic towards the kit, no grease is getting smeared anywhere either.
Swampey2418:
I read this thread posted by a new member recently registered and that song just pops into my head from my good old days of being a kid of the 80s…
“Im I story teller and my story must be told” Yes thats right Jackanory…lmao
Right , we have a Mercedes Actross which had been in service for 14 days .
It was pulling a close coupled fridge trailer .
This outfit was then rear ended , whilst stationary by a loaded 8 wheeler doing approx 40 MPH . A driver was injured & taken for X Rays ( does not specify driver of artic , or 8 wheeler ). We are not told who is driving artic at time of incident.
Prior to this not one of the 4 drivers who use this unit report any cab damage .
Drivers are , Dave , Martin , Ricky (OP ) , & 1 other ,( Dave seems unsure of his name )
It is stated it was not any of the 3 named drivers , leaving Mr Unknown in the frame .
After the rear ending incident , Ricky is sent to recover this outfit , with what we are later told has suffered a twisted trailer chassis , a possibility of twisted unit chassis , a burst drivers seat , all 5 th wheel to chassis bolts bent , & whatever damage a 40 MPH 8 wheeler would do to the rear of a fridge . He then took whole outfit to tip , before returning it to yard .
Unit has , according to Dave , suffered approx £ 15 000 worth of damage , & was subsequently off road 4 weeks , being returned , still with damage to rear of cab , which it would appear no one can prove was there prior to the accident .
£ 15 000 damage , the chance of a twisted unit chassis , with bent 5 th wheel bolts , towing an already close coupled fridge trailer with a twisted chassis , going somewhere to tip before returning to yard .
Swampey2418:
I read this thread posted by a new member recently registered and that song just pops into my head from my good old days of being a kid of the 80s…
“Im I story teller and my story must be told” Yes thats right Jackanory…lmao
Casual Observer:
Right , we have a Mercedes Actross which had been in service for 14 days .
It was pulling a close coupled fridge trailer .
This outfit was then rear ended , whilst stationary by a loaded 8 wheeler doing approx 40 MPH . A driver was injured & taken for X Rays ( does not specify driver of artic , or 8 wheeler ). We are not told who is driving artic at time of incident.
Prior to this not one of the 4 drivers who use this unit report any cab damage .
Drivers are , Dave , Martin , Ricky (OP ) , & 1 other ,( Dave seems unsure of his name )
It is stated it was not any of the 3 named drivers , leaving Mr Unknown in the frame .
After the rear ending incident , Ricky is sent to recover this outfit , with what we are later told has suffered a twisted trailer chassis , a possibility of twisted unit chassis , a burst drivers seat , all 5 th wheel to chassis bolts bent , & whatever damage a 40 MPH 8 wheeler would do to the rear of a fridge . He then took whole outfit to tip , before returning it to yard .
Unit has , according to Dave , suffered approx £ 15 000 worth of damage , & was subsequently off road 4 weeks , being returned , still with damage to rear of cab , which it would appear no one can prove was there prior to the accident .
£ 15 000 damage , the chance of a twisted unit chassis , with bent 5 th wheel bolts , towing an already close coupled fridge trailer with a twisted chassis , going somewhere to tip before returning to yard .
Picture the scene if it ever goes to an employment tribunal.The guvnor says the vehicle was allegedly damaged by the driver under running the pin when coupling.The result being at least a part if not all of the above listed damage.
The driver then says in his defence that it is known and proven that the vehicle was run into from behind while stationary by a loaded tipper travelling at an estimated 40 mph.
Casual Observer:
After the rear ending incident , Ricky is sent to recover this outfit , with what we are later told has suffered a twisted trailer chassis , a possibility of twisted unit chassis , a burst drivers seat , all 5 th wheel to chassis bolts bent , & whatever damage a 40 MPH 8 wheeler would do to the rear of a fridge . He then took whole outfit to tip , before returning it to yard .
Unit has , according to Dave , suffered approx £ 15 000 worth of damage , & was subsequently off road 4 weeks , being returned , still with damage to rear of cab , which it would appear no one can prove was there prior to the accident .
£ 15 000 damage , the chance of a twisted unit chassis , with bent 5 th wheel bolts , towing an already close coupled fridge trailer with a twisted chassis , going somewhere to tip before returning to yard .
I don’t get this bit, given the amount of damage, most of which should have been very obvious to the OP when sent to recover the vehicle, he still jumped in and completed the run with it■■?
eddie snax:
What about complacence, I nearly did a missed pin event a few weeks ago. I hook up using the air suspension lowered and raise as I go under the rubbing plate, I’d lowered to drop 1 trailer and raised once clear, then as I reversed onto the next I lowered, but in between doing that and then wanting to raise the suspension to final click I must have caught the off button on the hand held controls, hence I’m going backwards and assuming its going up, but in fact nothing was happening. I thought it didn’t feel right so stop dead, got out and the Pin was resting on the 5th wheel Cab side off the jaws, another 6" and it would have been over, and with our set ups, a set off lights smashed . Though no harm was done, it made Me be little less Complacent
Complacency? NO. You didn’t hit the bugger.
You felt something wasn’t right, presumably because you actually give a toss and maybe like a dwindling number of drivers take a pride in your work, so you stopped and checked…the clowns i’m on about i’ve seen them in our yard, reversing up purely on their mirrors alone to pick up a fully loaded tanker or curtain sider, just keep going till it stops…you’d think something might go ‘ting’’ in what passes for a mind when that fully loaded trailer isn’t offering any resistance at all but no, they can’t be arsed to open the bloody door or lean out the window so they have no idea how far they are from pick up point…let alone actually get their fat arse out and have a look see whats going on Christ no.
I think from memory the last/only artics I used on air were DAF 85/95’s.Everything before that was on steel.The bit I don’t get is all this raising of units on the suspension before lowering the legs and dropping the trailer which automatically creates a dodgy high trailer situation when re coupling.When as I remember it,like everyone else,I just left the suspension height at normal when lowering the legs and left the usual slight gap under the legs when lowered and then dropped the trailer just as in the case of steel.Which then left the trailer at the right sort of height to re couple.Although admittedly all had fifth wheel ramps and no one was ever worried about some grease getting on top of wheel arches.The key in all cases being that you have to be absolutely sure that the trailer is actually lifted off its legs either by the ramps or the fifth wheel ‘before’ reversing against the pin.Which still leaves the question what changed and why the need for all the messing about with suspension heights when we never needed to,nor could have even if we’d have wanted to,with steel suspension.
I too remember the days off good old steel springs, and on unaccompanied work hoping the tug driver didn’t drop the trailer high so you had to crank the trailer down lower enough to pick up.
I’ll keep using My air suspension, but as you say, wind down legs at running height, and as I drive a scania I allways leave a gap, as the Scania when runs high with the lift axle up
A missed pin event will result in a crease in the lower rear cab panel and possibly deflectors as shown in bald blokes photos, surprisingly the rear window doesn’t usually break and there is no damage to rear lights from trailer legs. Ask the muppets at Sainsbury’s, Dartford, they are specialists in this particular field.
A rear end shunt may cause damage to upper rear cab panel if trailer body is pushed forward and also if unit is lifted while towing.
I can’t think of any way in which an accident would cause 5th wheel bolts to be bent and drivers seat to come undone so I think there is more to this than we are being told.
Also if the front vehicle’s driver’s seat was totalled, what the hell happened to that driver?! Maybe he was the one with the “bruising”, not the poor bugger in the tipper, who is lucky to be alive by all accounts.
If the impact forces were such that it did rip the drivers seat off, why would the insurance company worry about a dent in the rear cab panel - there would be bigger fish to fry surely■■?
wing-nut:
A missed pin event will result in a crease in the lower rear cab panel and possibly deflectors as shown in bald blokes photos, surprisingly the rear window doesn’t usually break and there is no damage to rear lights from trailer legs. Ask the muppets at Sainsbury’s, Dartford, they are specialists in this particular field.
Not really, 5th wheels are not always in the same place, either fixed or moveable ones, same goes for trailer kingpins, some can be deeper than others, therefore it depends from truck to truck whether the first thing to hit the trailer is the rear lights or the back of the cab/A-frame.
In 8yrs i’ve only missed the pin once and it was only a nearly. I personally use the lower the suspension, go under, raise and then lock it in method, I do not like using the early risers and scraping all the 5th wheel grease off onto the leading edge of the trailer for obvious reasons (mess and 5th wheel lubrication). I once quite recently had a truck with a sliding 5th wheel and for some reason someone had moved it right to the back, it was one of the normal trucks I often use and it didn’t register when I did my walk round that it was so far back. I backed under the trailer, suspension low, raised it so the trailer lifted and started pushing it home, the trailer seemed to be getting abnormally close though so I stopped, the pin was on the cab side of the 5th wheel and the landling legs were resting right on the rear lights at this point, was still a good foot between the cab and the headboard though, close call, still no idea why anyone had moved the 5th wheel at all let alone all the way to the back as the trailers run with a huge gap as it is so with the wheel right back there the gap would’ve been over 5ft.
wing-nut:
A missed pin event will result in a crease in the lower rear cab panel and possibly deflectors as shown in bald blokes photos, surprisingly the rear window doesn’t usually break and there is no damage to rear lights from trailer legs. Ask the muppets at Sainsbury’s, Dartford, they are specialists in this particular field.
Not really, 5th wheels are not always in the same place, either fixed or moveable ones, same goes for trailer kingpins, some can be deeper than others, therefore it depends from truck to truck whether the first thing to hit the trailer is the rear lights or the back of the cab/A-frame.
In 8yrs i’ve only missed the pin once and it was only a nearly. I personally use the lower the suspension, go under, raise and then lock it in method, I do not like using the early risers and scraping all the 5th wheel grease off onto the leading edge of the trailer for obvious reasons (mess and 5th wheel lubrication). I once quite recently had a truck with a sliding 5th wheel and for some reason someone had moved it right to the back, it was one of the normal trucks I often use and it didn’t register when I did my walk round that it was so far back. I backed under the trailer, suspension low, raised it so the trailer lifted and started pushing it home, the trailer seemed to be getting abnormally close though so I stopped, the pin was on the cab side of the 5th wheel and the landling legs were resting right on the rear lights at this point, was still a good foot between the cab and the headboard though, close call, still no idea why anyone had moved the 5th wheel at all let alone all the way to the back as the trailers run with a huge gap as it is so with the wheel right back there the gap would’ve been over 5ft.
rj_gibson2003:
Can anybody help. I share a Mercedes Actross with 3 other drivers. It was slammed up the rear a couple of weeks ago and now the company is saying the damage is a missed pin event. The unit was pulling a close coupled fridge and was stationary when hit by a loaded 8 wheeler doing around 40mph. Trailer chassis is twisted and there is damage to the back of the cab. The drivers seat is busted and all the bolts fixing fifth wheel to chassis were bent. Company says no way has the trailer hit the cab in the accident so it is a missed pin event. We are having a disciplinary interview on Monday.
