My first 45' Box. Warning contains schoolboy errors

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hello,
To clarify im not discussing a ginormous clunge ive encountered, this is about a 45’ container on a Renault T460 unit and standard Dennison sliding skelly.

So after 2 years on boxes which have always been standard 20’ or 40’ sizes im greeted with my planner informing me a 45’ box is my next job out of Felixstowe.

First off dont panic, but as this is my first time theres a few things I need to check and double check.

Now bear in mind some drivers stick a 45’ box on the 40’ position as the twistlocks are the same, in my situation I have to do it properly and use the very front twistlocks and trailer pegs in the 20’ position, sounds confusing but basically the 20’ running position is about 6 inches in front of the 40’ to allow use of the very front and rear twistlocks. Its all to do with box length / trailer length to pin I think but irrelevant as im doing it proper anyway.

Now as luck would have it when I get to Felixstowe my position for loading on me ticket is ‘THA’ (Temporary Holding Area), which is great as im empty skell and have time to set my truck up for the 45 footer.

So off I pop to THA and park in a quiet spot to sort things out.
Now having measured 2.5foot overhang from the front twistlocks to the cab side deflectors (a 45’ box overhangs 2.5 at front and 2.5 at rear, quite logical really) I realise the 5th wheel needs adjusting as it will be too close for comfort on the unit. Bear in mind feedback from other drivers has confirmed this already as standard position of the 5th wheel is to close for 45’s.

Now how far should I move it, well as its a Fontaine sliding 5th wheel (just slipping that in for the techys amongst us) I decide on 4 inches (or double the length of my todger when flacid for the dirty minded amongst us).
Right so trailer brake on, pull handle on 5th wheel (I must stress here that this is not the same handle to release the pin, its the other one) and jerk her forward a bit. After 2 attempts it aint far off so release handle then jerk her off a bit to lock, tug test for the sake of it, then re-engage clip and 5th wheel is set.

Ok now to set the trailer, front and rear pins up, extend bumper and extend suzie bar at front and we are good to go.

By now I have received my text to confirm I can leave THA and proceed to my slot. So off we go, slot located I park slightly forward of position and await crane / sky god to load.
Luckily crane is further down the row so a quick double check to make sure my twistlocks havent bounced down over the bumps and I wait, well by wait I watch a bit of ■■■■ on me phone. Sweet video of aggresive tribbing if anyones interested (google it at your peril).

20 minutes later the crane moves overhead to inform me im on the right slot but the wrong row, omg in 2 years I havent made this ■■■■ up. So I perform the drive of shame to the correct row where im loaded and off I go.

Theres no real moral to the story apart from even after 20 years on the game its important to check and double check when faced with a new experience. Well that and dont get distracted by an obsessive ■■■■ addiction.

2

Aggressive tribbing :laughing:

Class.

As for the drive of shame? Wear it with pride, its like a badge of honour :wink:

3

Well,…
There is just one Thing. You moved the weight from the Front Axle to the rear axle. (by 4 Inch,as you said)
As the Middle Axle has anywhy too much pressure in the Air-Bags i wouldnt like to drive them on a bendy A Road when Rain or otherwise slippery. (I suggest to keep an Eye on Axleweight when you go over Weighbridge :slight_smile: )
Now,just to inform you :slight_smile:
Im full with Milk and Trailer near the Cab,but when i pull from M25 J23 R/Bout into A1 North on the second Lane the lorry goes first stright before front-Axle takes controll. Now think you moved weight back.

4

Thats part of the issue immigrant, moving the 5th was essential and if anything I should have moved it back further as even when moved the corners of the box was pinching the airline on the unit couplings when on full lock.

Moving the 5th wheel back will take weight off the steering axle which one has to be carefull of, in this case the box was max weight and extra caution was needed, given time I would like to see how much weight was changed using an axle weighbridge but in this instance I believe I was fully road legal and next time would move the 5th wheel further back to avoid the airline pinching.

5

Immigrant:
Well,…
There is just one Thing. You moved the weight from the Front Axle to the rear axle. (by 4 Inch,as you said)
As the Middle Axle has anywhy too much pressure in the Air-Bags i wouldnt like to drive them on a bendy A Road when Rain or otherwise slippery. (I suggest to keep an Eye on Axleweight when you go over Weighbridge :slight_smile: )
Now,just to inform you :slight_smile:
.

:open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

OK, I see what you’re thinking, ■■■■ the back of the cab, with front of the 45’ box, but at least you’d have more weight on the midlift. Has anyone ever called a *************** before :unamused:

Dave will tell you, that it drove just fine where he put it, regardless of how much weight you think he might have taken from the mid lift :wink:

Dipper_Dave:
20 minutes later the crane moves overhead to inform me im on the right slot but the wrong row, omg in 2 years I havent made this ■■■■ up. So I perform the drive of shame to the correct row where im loaded and off I go…

:laughing: :laughing: 2 rights of passage in one day, well done mate :smiley:

6

Dipper_Dave:
Thats part of the issue immigrant, moving the 5th was essential and if anything I should have moved it back further as even when moved the corners of the box was pinching the airline on the unit couplings when on full lock.

Moving the 5th wheel back will take weight off the steering axle which one has to be carefull of, in this case the box was max weight and extra caution was needed, given time I would like to see how much weight was changed using an axle weighbridge but in this instance I believe I was fully road legal and next time would move the 5th wheel further back to avoid the airline pinching.

I have my 5th wheel set in one position, never move it, and never have problems with weight distribution. Maybe the Scania has a longer wheelbase than the Renault.

Not sure if Immigrant has done boxes, but to me, he really wasn’t making any sense, you have to load the box where it can travel, quite clearly that means not fouling the cab. Being a driver is about understanding how your vehicle will/is reacting to different load scenarios, but hey, telling you this is like teaching your granny to ■■■■ eggs :smiley:

7

You get 50 footer containers now! See them in the terminal but I’ve never seen one out on the road to see what the skelly looks like.

8

eddie snax:
I have my 5th wheel set in one position, never move it, and never have problems with weight distribution. Maybe the Scania has a longer wheelbase than the Renault.

Funnily enough I was delivering to Malcoms at Dirft and I was on the bay right next to a Scania with a 45 on. Our 5th wheels where virtually the same about midway between drive and midlift but he had a good 6inches on me (between box and side deflector).

Visual only, couldnt be exact without getting tape measure out, but measuring another blokes outfit is frowned upon in polite society so ive found.

9

If the front of the container was close, or in this case, maybe too close to the cab, you could not do more to ensure even weight distribution. Would of course be a different case if it was a standard 40’ and you slid fifth wheel back that far. Extra twist locks on front trailer bolster and the small adjustment required to trailer length are to satisfy turning circle construction and use regs.

10

Janos:
If the front of the container was close, or in this case, maybe too close to the cab, you could not do more to ensure even weight distribution. Would of course be a different case if it was a standard 40’ and you slid fifth wheel back that far. Extra twist locks on front trailer bolster and the small adjustment required to trailer length are to satisfy turning circle construction and use regs.

Think im going to leave the 5th wheel in its new position for now as we have all been concerned about it being to far forward for a 45 from factory setting. In this case I would have hit the airline coupling and risked dramatic tea spillage if not moved.

Wont be long till I encounter an axle weigher with a 40 (asda etc) so I can make a carefull note and check. Next 45 the 5th wheels going back further as the pinching moved the protective shroud by the coupling and caused me some worry of the pipe cutting on the metal coupling bit on the unit.

What surprised me was ive pulled reefers for Culina on agency that didnt worry me as much as this, even having to split couple them. No risk of this 45 hitting the cab just didnt like the airline pinching.

11

Normally run with hinge pin of 5th wheel directly over centre line between 2nd and 3rd axles. Never have any problem with axle weights, clearance or tea spilling (unless hit speed bump!). When I bought my last unit it had fixed 5th wheel and that was where it was.

12

Never pulled a container or had a clue what you where on about but worth the read for the double entendre chuckle value :laughing:

13

Hiya Dave,
Apart from the very minor error with the wrong row,
Sounds to me like you did everything else right,
With a 45ft box yep front and rear twist locks and newish Dennison skel positioned for a 20ft and you adjusted the sliding 5th wheel so the box cleared the back of the unit.
I also have my 5th wheel set in the same position which is ideal for 20ft,40ft and 45ft although the 45ft is close so its a squeeze when coupling the air lines,
The picture shows how far back i keep my 5th wheel back,
Which is fine with axle weights and the trucks handling and traction,
I have seen guys running with their 5th wheel all the way back with a 45ft then keeping it in this position but it must be a scary drive with a heavy 20ft on.

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14

Beau Nydel:
Normally run with hinge pin of 5th wheel directly over centre line between 2nd and 3rd axles. Never have any problem with axle weights, clearance or tea spilling (unless hit speed bump!). When I bought my last unit it had fixed 5th wheel and that was where it was.

Yep thats how me Actros was set, the renault was about 4inches forward which set the alarm bells ringing, well that and the tape measure, but even in the equivalent position it seems to close. Perhaps im panicking over nothing but any airline risk is has the alarm bells ringing.

Also need to allow a bit of swing for loading / unloading.

15

bigKris:
Hiya Dave,
Apart from the very minor error with the wrong row,
Sounds to me like you did everything else right,
With a 45ft box yep front and rear twist locks and newish Dennison skel positioned for a 20ft and you adjusted the sliding 5th wheel so the box cleared the back of the unit.
I also have my 5th wheel set in the same position which is ideal for 20ft,40ft and 45ft although the 45ft is close so its a squeeze when coupling the air lines,
The picture shows how far back i keep my 5th wheel back,
Which is fine with axle weights and the trucks handling and traction,
I have seen guys running with their 5th wheel all the way back with a 45ft then keeping it in this position but it must be a scary drive with a heavy 20ft on.

Cheers Kris thats bout where mine is now, before adjustment the front hole on the sliding plate was covered.

16

I fully agree,
When you see a heavy lift swinging about with a heavy 45ft inches from your rear spoilers it means you’ve got to put your trust in the guy in the heavy lift,
Which is great if he’s competent in his machine but well scary if he’s not,
And i bet if he did hit the back of your cab it would be “your fault” as it always seems to be in our job.

17

Drift:
Never pulled a container or had a clue what you where on about but worth the read for the double entendre chuckle value :laughing:

Cheers, would you believe im sat here typing on the tinternet whilst the wife is sunbathing in the back garden with her baps out ready to embrace my sausage.
I mean barbecue not titwank you dirty lot.

18

bigKris:
I fully agree,
When you see a heavy lift swinging about with a heavy 45ft inches from your rear spoilers it means you’ve got to put your trust in the guy in the heavy lift,
Which is great if he’s competent in his machine but well scary if he’s not,
And i bet if he did hit the back of your cab it would be “your fault” as it always seems to be in our job.

+1
If in doubt blame the driver or should I say ‘Can not Win’ without giving away who im on for. The moment you realise your just a number and the truck is king is the road to true enlightenment.

19

The 45 box always goes on the very front pins so shrink trailer one notch back

They ddon’t sit too close dipper those 45 Ft boxes are driver assist no ifs or buts enjoy Aldi and Lidl tips

sent from my Lumia 950XL using tapatalk for windows 10 mobile

20

alix776:
They ddon’t sit too close dipper those 45 Ft boxes are driver assist no ifs or buts enjoy Aldi and Lidl

Only the samskip ones, and only if it’s written on the cmr. If it’s not written, the customer hasn’t paid. I do deep sea 45s. Definitely not getting in the back of those