So last night I was reversing a rear steer trailer into a bay, trailer was going exactly where I wanted it to, straightened up the unit and started heading straight back with the trailer, then heard a scraping noise and noticed in the mirrors the steering axle was fully turned even though trailer and unit were straight, but with trailer going straight it was obviously just pushing the tyres across the floor. Went forwards until they were straight then straight back.
What did I do wrong? Why didn’t the wheels on the trailer turn back when I straightened the unit?
Obviously without the rear steer I wouldn’t have needed the extra shunt forward to straighten those wheel because the trailer and unit were where I wanted them to be.
we use 10m trailers with rear stear…must say i hate them. Reversing is unpredictable, problem may be that we jump from nonstear to stear.
Never had OP problem, but we have problems with few trailers(fairly new) when stear axle got somehow lose and developed shake that it was almost undrivable…
Ours are hydraulic and operate via a ‘cheese wedge’ which is conveniently locate behind the 5th wheel. Therefore as the unit steers, the trailer steers. Straightening the bend straightens the wheels. If our did what yours did then I’d suspect a hydraulic leak somewhere under the frame between said ‘cheese wedge’ and the rear steer.
DickyNick:
So last night I was reversing a rear steer trailer into a bay, trailer was going exactly where I wanted it to, straightened up the unit and started heading straight back with the trailer, then heard a scraping noise and noticed in the mirrors the steering axle was fully turned even though trailer and unit were straight, but with trailer going straight it was obviously just pushing the tyres across the floor. Went forwards until they were straight then straight back.
What did I do wrong? Why didn’t the wheels on the trailer turn back when I straightened the unit?
Obviously without the rear steer I wouldn’t have needed the extra shunt forward to straighten those wheel because the trailer and unit were where I wanted them to be.
Only ones I’ve driven were coop and they would straighten up automatically. Main difference was it turned the backend much quicker and makes you look like a newbie.
What you’re describing I’ve heard of but it was with really ancient trailers where you had to go dead straight forward before it would lock the wheels into position (not sure if the mechanism). Thought they’d gone to the scrapyard years ago. (Unless you work for RSL).
Would ask in yard as it might be broken esp if someone has forced it onto a bay instead of adjusting position.
Once straightened up and about to reverse, you select reverse and listen for a blast of air (axle locker)…. If not, we have to get out and manually lock it by pulling a shunt type button under trailer next to shunt and brake buttons…
The LST trailers at Turners have a small black air operated switch adjacent to the shunt and park brake buttons. Pull forward until axle is straight, activate the switch which locks axle position then reverse as normal,
DickyNick:
So last night I was reversing a rear steer trailer into a bay, trailer was going exactly where I wanted it to, straightened up the unit and started heading straight back with the trailer, then heard a scraping noise and noticed in the mirrors the steering axle was fully turned even though trailer and unit were straight, but with trailer going straight it was obviously just pushing the tyres across the floor. Went forwards until they were straight then straight back.
What did I do wrong? Why didn’t the wheels on the trailer turn back when I straightened the unit?
Obviously without the rear steer I wouldn’t have needed the extra shunt forward to straighten those wheel because the trailer and unit were where I wanted them to be.
I drive the New fifty footers quite often. The ones I drive, you stop at a slight angle to the trailer and put it in reverse, wait a few seconds then as you go backwards turn the steering in the opposite lock, as the unit goes straight to the trailer a pin drops into the rear axle and locks it into the position. If you don’t do that the rear wheels just twists round. It suppose to work off a sensor on the reversing lights. when you put the unit into forward gear you can hear the pin release. When you get the hang of it, its easy as long as you have plenty of room.
Salveson’s used to have a few. They were a real pain for not locking up on a reverse. I had a bolt in my bag that I used to drop into a hole in the locking mechanism.
Were you on the shunt valve? Or were all your suzies plugged in?
I remember shunting one once. I couldn’t for the life of me park it because the rear wheels were going everywhere except for where I wanted them to. Luckily somebody who saw me struggling told me to plug the electrical suzies in as the rear steering relied on them. Then it went straight in.
The 11 metre rear steers at our place, where the trailer pin is its a plate that sit on the 5th wheel and turns,which operates a rod/bar and turns the rear axle if that makes sense. when reversing the rear axle turns the opposit way to the unit wheels and doesnt lock in place.
m4rkj:
The 11 metre rear steers at our place, where the trailer pin is its a plate that sit on the 5th wheel and turns,which operates a rod/bar and turns the rear axle if that makes sense. when reversing the rear axle turns the opposit way to the unit wheels and doesnt lock in place.
Yes when I was at tescos 10 yrs back they used that system on the 33 footers, worked well but you had to be careful when you hitched up because the fifth wheel pin sometimes didn’t lock in properly
I drove rear steer regularly a few years ago, but never had one that locked the wheels straight when reversing. Didn’t know they existed.
What’s the point anyway of locking them??
Geoffo:
I drove rear steer regularly a few years ago, but never had one that locked the wheels straight when reversing. Didn’t know they existed.
What’s the point anyway of locking them??
Cheaper system, wheels are self tracking going forward like a supermarket trolley, when you go backwards they need to be locked. Positively steered means they steer going both ways but more complicated so more expensive.
I have no idea what you are all going on about locking them. I can only assume you are using a different type of trailer.
I use rear steers. You cannot lock them - they are either twin or single axle. They turn stupidly quickly and if you try and reverse them like a normal trailer you look a fool as I have found out. However, they make the impossible, possible and serve a purpose.
Frankly, I’d rather stick to a normal tri axle given the chance.
The ones we use do have a button next to the trailer brake and shunt brake where you can lock the steering axle. It says next to the button that it’s for shunting purposes only and will automatically unlock at 20mph.
You have to make sure the unit and trailer and totally straight before you lock it though. I wasn’t able to get in that position at point where I could get out to lock it on this occasion. But you should still be able to reverse them without locking it. The trailer was where I wanted, it’s just the wheels didn’t turn back after my unit and trailer were straight. Pulled forward a few feet and they straightened then.
