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.
Why must it be locked??
I drove a rear steer fridge trailer for 6 years, must have put it on 'a thousand ’ bays and never locked the axles straight.
In Europe ( I’m Belgian based) a lockable system is unheard of & not necessary.
Not blowing my trumpet, but it must be down to the skill (or lack of)of the driver.
I drove one of these again last night. When I was at the hub I locked the steering like most drivers seem to there, but back at the yard I thought I’m going to reverse it into the bay again without the steering locked and the same thing happened. Turned the unit and the trailer turns, straight the unit and notice the steering axle on the trailer is fully locked to one side until I pulled forward again for it to straighten. It hasn’t got one of those “cheese wedge” systems at the fifth wheel by the way. Does that mean it’s a passive rear steer? And what difference does that make? It it best to just get the habit of locking it before wanting to reverse?
DickyNick:
I drove one of these again last night. When I was at the hub I locked the steering like most drivers seem to there, but back at the yard I thought I’m going to reverse it into the bay again without the steering locked and the same thing happened. Turned the unit and the trailer turns, straight the unit and notice the steering axle on the trailer is fully locked to one side until I pulled forward again for it to straighten. It hasn’t got one of those “cheese wedge” systems at the fifth wheel by the way. Does that mean it’s a passive rear steer? And what difference does that make? It it best to just get the habit of locking it before wanting to reverse?
All the rear steers we have (that still work) make sure unit trailer all straight, move forward, engage reverse, there’s a clunk as pin drops to lock axle, all’s well till you go forward and it unlocks, then it’s throw a six, straighten it up again, clunk go again, Or get out pull the button pin stays locked.
DickyNick:
I drove one of these again last night. When I was at the hub I locked the steering like most drivers seem to there, but back at the yard I thought I’m going to reverse it into the bay again without the steering locked and the same thing happened. Turned the unit and the trailer turns, straight the unit and notice the steering axle on the trailer is fully locked to one side until I pulled forward again for it to straighten. It hasn’t got one of those “cheese wedge” systems at the fifth wheel by the way. Does that mean it’s a passive rear steer? And what difference does that make? It it best to just get the habit of locking it before wanting to reverse?
All the rear steers we have (that still work) make sure unit trailer all straight, move forward, engage reverse, there’s a clunk as pin drops to lock axle, all’s well till you go forward and it unlocks, then it’s throw a six, straighten it up again, clunk go again, Or get out pull the button pin stays locked.
So basically whether you line up for the auto lock to apply, or if you manually lock it, these are best reversed with the steering locked?
Is that only way to stop this annoying thing with the wheels happening though? Because your not always going to be able to get straight before going in reverse, so in this case do you just have to keep taking shunts forwards when you notice the wheels have turned?
Yes, you do want to lock a passive steer trailer before you reverse.
It should be the same type as I’m used to, and that someone has mentioned above - once you’ve locked it, it will stay locked so long as you stay under 20kmh. Knowing this, you should (hopefully!) always be able to lock it out before you get a bend on. I can’t immediately think of anywhere I’ve been lately where I’d not be able to do that.
Active steer is a whole different kettle of ballgames… locking that off doesn’t make much sense!
Spoke to a(Belgian) Schmitz trailer salesman recently about this very subject.
It turns out that locking the rear steer axle before reversing is pretty much a British thing , rear steer trailers come standard in Europe without the locking mechanism.
A bit like ‘Ramps’ leading up to the 5th wheel. European spec. trucks don’t have them. As British trucks do.
Geoffo:
Spoke to a(Belgian) Schmitz trailer salesman recently about this very subject.
It turns out that locking the rear steer axle before reversing is pretty much a British thing , rear steer trailers come standard in Europe without the locking mechanism. .
Hi Geoffo, I need to use the supermarket trolley analogy again. When you push it forward the wheels steer forward. When you stop it and pull it back the wheels twist around to steer the other way. On a lorry trailer they cant twist right around so they have to be locked to prevent them trying to.
If its a positively steered trailer then the steering is controlled forwards and backwards by the angle of the unit relative to the trailer.
Two different systems. European rear steers must all be positively steered then, hence no need for locking.
Geoffo:
Spoke to a(Belgian) Schmitz trailer salesman recently about this very subject.
It turns out that locking the rear steer axle before reversing is pretty much a British thing , rear steer trailers come standard in Europe without the locking mechanism. .
Hi Geoffo, I need to use the supermarket trolley analogy again. When you push it forward the wheels steer forward. When you stop it and pull it back the wheels twist around to steer the other way. On a lorry trailer they cant twist right around so they have to be locked to prevent them trying to.
If its a positively steered trailer then the steering is controlled forwards and backwards by the angle of the unit relative to the trailer.
Two different systems. European rear steers must all be positively steered then, hence no need for locking.
Yes Steevo, that must be the reason why.
Never met anybody over here that’s had to lock the wheels including myself.
Rear steer I’ve been driving recently. 24 Euro pallet City trailer.
With positive steering, apparently …
( one which doesn’t lock the axle straight when you want to reverse).
Easy way to check, does it have a “wedge” just behind the kingpin? Does it have hydraulic hoses from the front of the trailer to the steering rams that steer the rear wheels (it’s always the wheels that are steered, not the axle… ). If yes, your trailer is an “active steer” axle, and therefore doesn’t need to be locked.
I think locking rear steer axles are a typical British thing, because they are cheap and simple…
Rear steer I’ve been driving recently. 24 Euro pallet City trailer.
With positive steering, apparently …
( one which doesn’t lock the axle straight when you want to reverse).
Totoally normal for supermarket work. And a total doddle to reverse once you get your head around it. I find them easier than a normal tri axle actually.
Now if you want to have some fun try the single axle version… Used them a lot at Sainsburys. By the time you’d checked one mirror and moved to looking at the other the trailer would be at an obscene angle.
Without those trailers you wouldn’t be able to get into some places (both forwards or backwards). And there should be an awful lot more of them. I often find myself going to obscenely tight places now (farm type work) and wishing I had it. With rear steer it’s annoying at first - but becomes a massive massive help once you get your head around it.
Rear steer I’ve been driving recently. 24 Euro pallet City trailer.
With positive steering, apparently …
( one which doesn’t lock the axle straight when you want to reverse).
There are a number of different systems of positively steered trailer axles, but it is not the case that it is always the wheels and not the axles which are steered.
I have an 11m flat with positively steered rear axle. It has a “Tridec” system which is excellent.
If you imagine a turntable drawbar trailer, but with the turntable at the rear, this is it. The whole axle moves with the turntable and there are no kingpins or trackrods etc.
As others have said, it is controlled by a wedge behind the pin, which pushes and pulls a long bar attached to the rear turntable, and is actuated by the relevant angle between the unit and the trailer. It cannot be locked.
Like all the best inventions, it is very simple and very reliable, needing only routine greasing. It is quite remarkable where it will go. The same system is becoming very common and I see a lot of them around now.
the nodding donkey:
Easy way to check, does it have a “wedge” just behind the kingpin? Does it have hydraulic hoses from the front of the trailer to the steering rams that steer the rear wheels (it’s always the wheels that are steered, not the axle… ).
…
Not true. The steering axles on ours were rigid axles mounted on a turntable arrangement. This was linked to the wedge behind the kingpin via a simple straight rod (no hydraulics). No locking needed (or indeed fitted).
the nodding donkey:
Easy way to check, does it have a “wedge” just behind the kingpin? Does it have hydraulic hoses from the front of the trailer to the steering rams that steer the rear wheels (it’s always the wheels that are steered, not the axle… ).
…
Not true. The steering axles on ours were rigid axles mounted on a turntable arrangement. This was linked to the wedge behind the kingpin via a simple straight rod (no hydraulics). No locking needed (or indeed fitted).
Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
Ooops
I forgot about that one…
(Just a small slice of that humble pie for me please… )
). If yes, your trailer is an “active steer” axle, and therefore doesn’t need to be locked.