Questions from a newbie - Double decker

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

  1. Trailer brake - when I went to uncouple I was stumped at the first hurdle of B for Brake. Apparently, there wasn’t a pull handle, it’s automatic when you pull the suzie lines (is that specifically the red line■■?). So how much do you have to search around for the trailer brake before you assume it’s automatic? Are they all automatic in the sense that if the red line is not connected the trailer brakes are on even if there is a pull handle?

  2. Lifting axle - in this case there was a mid lift on the unit and I was running empty oop north and 30T darn saff again. Can I just ignore the button on the dash and assume it will sort itself out as required?

  3. Strapping pallets in a curtainsider - the curtains stated rated XL (or at least so I thought) tried to ascertain what everyone else was doing (not using internals afaik) went to try to use the internals and found the first was trapped (not under a load, but part of the trailer) so I just shut my curtains. When I arrived the TM said I would have lost my licence had I been caught.

  4. Cruise control - DAF CF 15’plate - cruise ctrl topped out at 51 - I went through all the settings in the rotary wheel / dash menu and couldn’t find any way of changing it. Ran with Eco Off on the gearstick the whole way. The downhill control was set at +8mph to whatever CC was set, so was that my issue? should I have reduced that to +3? I didn’t touch the middle right steering wheel button - was that the solution?

  5. Overspeed - I have subsequently (and previously participated) in the old threads on here, so am aware of the general consensus that 57-59mph is acceptable unless your specific TM makes it a problem. But I’m not sure if I exceeded 60 or whether I should be worried if I did. Anyway, 5 overspeeds were recorded for the day. Is that too many? or not enough? will post a pic and you can tell me what they say - to me, it looks like they were for zero minutes and no speed recorded.

  6. I inadvertently pressed some heater button on the dash. I thought it was just heat rising from the engine as I sat there being loaded. Anyway set the Aircon on full the whole way back, only to see the heater switch when I arrived [emoji23]

Thanks for any answers, and hope this helps someone else as they transition from learning to working.

2

regards Number 6 If it was. A switch with 3/4 vertical Wavey lines in was the night heater .

It does warm up from vents usually under the seats
If so won’t do any harm really using it as you drive.
As long as remember to switch it off at the end of your shift.

I know it uses diesel to run wether this will affect you telematic fuel rating thing I don’t know. As thank God never worked for a company that bothers with all that rubbish

3

1 - To test if a trailer brake is automatic trying switching it off without a unit connected. If it pops straight back out it’s automatic. You still have to release it manually though. How did you do this if you couldn’t find it ?

Leads me to believe it wasn’t automatic and previous numpty driver left it off seeing as you connected up and drove off without knowing where the brake is. It’s a bad habit which I would implore you don’t pick up.

PS - You can manually release an automatic brake without a unit connected if you depress the shunt valve.

4

2 - Can’t speak for every manufacturer but on the Scania it has to be raised manually and will automatically lower once a certain axle load is reached. You’ll then get a message telling you off if you try and raise it again. Not sure with DAF. I do drive them but mostly 4x2 and even our 6x2s don’t really get loaded enough to bring it down automatically so not sure on the DAF.

5

edd1974:
regards Number 6 If it was. A switch with 3/4 vertical Wavey lines in was the night heater .

It does warm up from vents usually under the seats
If so won’t do any harm really using it as you drive.
As long as remember to switch it off at the end of your shift.

I know it uses diesel to run wether this will affect you telematic fuel rating thing I don’t know. As thank God never worked for a company that bothers with all that rubbish

Yes exactly it had the wavey lines. Only problem was burning my ■■■■■■■■ only alleviated by directing the air con at my crotch. I switched it off as soon as I saw it at the yard. I did suspect the night heater and looked at the heater controls by the bunk but couldn’t figure them out.

6

Terry T:
1 - To test if a trailer brake is automatic trying switching it off without a unit connected. If it pops straight back out it’s automatic. You still have to release it manually though. How did you do this if you couldn’t find it ?

Leads me to believe it wasn’t automatic and previous numpty driver left it off seeing as you connected up and drove off without knowing where the brake is. It’s a bad habit which I would implore you don’t pick up.

PS - You can manually release an automatic brake without a unit connected if you depress the shunt valve.

They were already coupled up for the start of my shift. Yes, I appreciate it should have been part of my checks.
Not sure I follow the rest of what you say because the problem was that I couldn’t find any control for the trailer brake.

7

Terry T:
2 - Can’t speak for every manufacturer but on the Scania it has to be raised manually and will automatically lower once a certain axle load is reached. You’ll then get a message telling you off if you try and raise it again. Not sure with DAF. I do drive them but mostly 4x2 and even our 6x2s don’t really get loaded enough to bring it down automatically so not sure on the DAF.

Good to know. However, I think I was lucky that it was up when empty and down when loaded.

8

1 - All trailer have a brake button somewhere although finding it can be fun. On most I see are front corner passenger side, half way down on passenger side or back corner usually passenger side. Very occasionally I find them on the drivers side, but seems to be rare.

Some are automatic to put brakes on when red line is disconnected but don’t assume or get used to that, but you need a way to turn the brake off. If that came off automatically, that would be seriously dangerous.

2 - Axle will depend on truck. No harm pressing it as truck will decide if its light enough and it’ll save wheel spin. Not seen a DAF for example that does it automatically.

3 - XL is a tricky one. Its got to be both the curtain and the trailer and needs a certificate on the trailer having all details. But there’s various requirements such as full load and some load types don’t qualify. Pretty sure you still are supposed to use internals.

Do remember, even if its legit to use XL, when you open the curtain the pallets could fall out. Personally I ignored it and followed the standard rule of ratchet strap over 400KG and internals for others. Its much much safer for you. Yes it takes longer, but so be it.

What others do is up to them, that doesn’t affect your licence. Let them screw up, gives you more job security as they get fired.

4 - If CC is set to 51 thats probably something the company has set for economy. Non oulf ours hsd the options you mention, but would just trundle along and save some fuel.

5 - Overspeed l, as you say unless the company specify non for daft reasons, don’t worry about them. Keep it below 60 and alls good plus its just saving fuel.

6 - Heated seats, WTF!? You got some fancy DAF there. Only ever had that on a Renault. Btw, it’ll break within 6 months if a DAF.

9

If you start over-speeding downhill start counting 1 thru to 15, then once you reach 15 start braking to bring it back down to normal speed, try to keep it to 4-5kph max overspeed, if it creeps up to 100kph slow it down.
Don’t get in the habit of assuming that the trailer brake is on when you pull the airline, remember BLACK, so when you drop the trailer at the end of the shift find the trailer brake button pull it out, wind down the legs, before you disconnect the airlines and pull the pin.
If the innermost curtain straps are trapped and you can’t buckle them up, find a forkie and ask them to lift up the pallet so you can free them, ensure that you can pull the inner curtain across before the forkie disappears, some deckers have vertical sheets know as” kites” hanging down on the top & bottom decks, if there is make sure that the straps for those are hooked forward of the pallet they are behind. It’s good practice with these when you open the curtains and unhook the kite straps, to hook them back onto themselves so they don’t snag when the load is being unloaded as it stops the hooks snagging the pallet as the forkie lifts the pallet off, and they won’t get trapped under the pallet when loading

10

Christ. Sounds like it’s easier to rope and sheet!

11
  1. XL curtains alone don’t make it an XL trailer. It also has to have a certified XL body too and there has to be a compliance certificate on the trailer body, usually the headboard. With a XL body there’s more strengthening put into the roof and curtain/internal strap rails and they also have non-slip flooring fitted in the trailers too.

Strap all loads down with internals and/or ratchetseven if it’s an XL trailer and the load is compliant. DVSA regularly conduct witch hunts on pallet network companies as they’re easy pickings due to the fact a lot of their drivers can’t be arsed and don’t bother. Sod what everyone else does, it’s your licence and your money at risk. The police have a very small booklet they were given by the DVSA for guidance and it covers very little so do you want to risk getting stopped by the police, forced to secure it anyway but with a fixed penalty notice which will mean you’ve worked that day for nothing and whilst you can fight a fine issued that costs you money too.

12

stu675:

  1. Trailer brake - when I went to uncouple I was stumped at the first hurdle of B for Brake. Apparently, there wasn’t a pull handle, it’s automatic when you pull the suzie lines (is that specifically the red line■■?). So how much do you have to search around for the trailer brake before you assume it’s automatic? Are they all automatic in the sense that if the red line is not connected the trailer brakes are on even if there is a pull handle?

  2. Lifting axle - in this case there was a mid lift on the unit and I was running empty oop north and 30T darn saff again. Can I just ignore the button on the dash and assume it will sort itself out as required?

  3. Strapping pallets in a curtainsider - the curtains stated rated XL (or at least so I thought) tried to ascertain what everyone else was doing (not using internals afaik) went to try to use the internals and found the first was trapped (not under a load, but part of the trailer) so I just shut my curtains. When I arrived the TM said I would have lost my licence had I been caught.

  4. Cruise control - DAF CF 15’plate - cruise ctrl topped out at 51 - I went through all the settings in the rotary wheel / dash menu and couldn’t find any way of changing it. Ran with Eco Off on the gearstick the whole way. The downhill control was set at +8mph to whatever CC was set, so was that my issue? should I have reduced that to +3? I didn’t touch the middle right steering wheel button - was that the solution?

  5. Overspeed - I have subsequently (and previously participated) in the old threads on here, so am aware of the general consensus that 57-59mph is acceptable unless your specific TM makes it a problem. But I’m not sure if I exceeded 60 or whether I should be worried if I did. Anyway, 5 overspeeds were recorded for the day. Is that too many? or not enough? will post a pic and you can tell me what they say - to me, it looks like they were for zero minutes and no speed recorded.

  6. I inadvertently pressed some heater button on the dash. I thought it was just heat rising from the engine as I sat there being loaded. Anyway set the Aircon on full the whole way back, only to see the heater switch when I arrived [emoji23]

Thanks for any answers, and hope this helps someone else as they transition from learning to working.

About 5.On UK it is no problem.But if you drive in Italy over 96 or 97km/h that fibes 1000K + for ny overpeeding.