Normally I always get out and watch the suspension rise under the trailer.
This morning I watched it rise but it must have given up.
A little reverse to lock it and bang the fifth wheel went over the pin.
After first panicking and feeling deflated. I figured it out to lower the suspension and wind up the trailer legs.
Can’t wait to go home and forget that mishap
wont be the 1st , wont be the last , 
nothing worse than shooting the bolt too low 
I bet you dont do it again,any damage 
Why was it left up so high in the first place?
Trailers are designed for the truck to lift them up as you back under. It’s not doing any damage and it’s nothing that didn’t use to happen before adjustable air bags were commonplace.
Luckily i stopped a chap last week about 1/2" from smashing his back lights on the landing legs, he assumed the trailer was at the right height and just banged straight past the pin.
The only time i never get out to check is if i’ve dropped the trailer meself with the same tractor, otherwise its get the 5th wheel under the front, get out and have a look.
Amazing just how high some people drop trailers, quite why i’ve never worked out.
Don’t do it with a fridge trailer or there will be a BIG bang !
Its a mistake that should not happen,no ifs or buts , 
i
7did it once£ 1800 s damage to air cleaner on a merc
Last year got a new Mercedes with 70km on the clock,passed it on to day driver. The next night pulled into office , did you miss the pin last night ? , no I didn’t. Turned out day driver did, he admitted it straight away , told day staff who didn’t tell night staff , the usual.Brand new truck all mangled, transport not best pleased !
m1cks:
Why was it left up so high in the first place?
Trailers are designed for the truck to lift them up as you back under. It’s not doing any damage and it’s nothing that didn’t use to happen before adjustable air bags were commonplace.
If it’s anything like our place drivers lower the suspension on the trailer to help the loaders, but the unit suspension rises. This is fine if you leave a couple of inches when lowering the legs, but so many drivers don’t! Also our daf fifth wheel height is lower than the volvos 
Legs all the way down when loaded, a small gap of roughly 50mm when empty, when un-coupling move forward till the pin comes out of the jaws then lower the suspension before continuing.
Or you can become an instant member of club plant pot at my place and attempt to put the fridge unit on the bunk, you operate any machine by feel and sight if you don’t feel resistance or see the trailer lift then you need to act, a basic skill is it not.
Question: If a trailer is being dropped with a 6x2 unit, should the midlift be up or down or does it matter at all?
Whenever I back under a trailer I lift unit suspension and watch to see the front of the trailer rises up before backing in to the pin.
jay0:
Question: If a trailer is being dropped with a 6x2 unit, should the midlift be up or down or does it matter at all?
Whenever I back under a trailer I lift unit suspension and watch to see the front of the trailer rises up before backing in to the pin.
Better to have it up especially if its wet or icy this will improve traction for the tug test, regarding lifting the suspension this should be done when the 5th wheel is under the trailer this gives the clutch less grief and will save you slamming the pin, it also prevents the grease being scraped off the 5th wheel and onto the lip of the plate on the trailer, which in turn will stop grease getting all over your lines.
mike68:
jay0:
Question: If a trailer is being dropped with a 6x2 unit, should the midlift be up or down or does it matter at all?
Whenever I back under a trailer I lift unit suspension and watch to see the front of the trailer rises up before backing in to the pin.Better to have it up especially if its wet or icy this will improve traction for the tug test, regarding lifting the suspension this should be done when the 5th wheel is under the trailer this gives the clutch less grief and will save you slamming the pin, it also prevents the grease being scraped off the 5th wheel and onto the lip of the plate on the trailer, which in turn will stop grease getting all over your lines.
Yes but if I’m DROPPING a trailer should the midlift be down to leave it at a nice height for a 4x2 unit to pick up or does it matter?
And yes I do put the fifth wheel under the trailer before lifting the suspension. What i do is I drop the unit suspension down and then reverse under until the fifth wheel is under the trailer then I stop and lift the suspension watching the front of the trailer in my mirror to make sure it rises up and then I reverse back into the pin and keep rising the unit suspension up until the trailer legs are clear of the ground and then I do the tug test.
Shouldnt talking about how to drop and connect a trailer should be on the newby section,if a bloke who been driving a while has to ask if hes doing it right and needs guidance theres something wrong 
seth 70:
Shouldnt talking about how to drop and connect a trailer should be on the newby section,if a bloke who been driving a while has to ask if hes doing it right and needs guidance theres something wrong
If you’re referring to me I know how to drop and connect trailers. But I’ve only recently started driving a 6x2 unit and I wanted to find out if I should be dropping trailers with the midlift down to leave it at a nice height for a 4x2 unit so as to not be causing a nuisence for the next driver that picks it up.
seth 70:
Its a mistake that should not happen,no ifs or buts ,
No it shouldnt Mr Perfect but it does happen
Not long after I started driving I reversed under a trailer ( I had not dropped it ) backed under yep it was night ok not really an excuse the trailer was fully loaded I missed the pin 
it was also a fridge unit no damage to either the trailer or unit
I have never done it again always double check
I now tend to go part way under trailer get out & look raise suspension check in right place then go back a lesson well learnt
animal:
seth 70:
Its a mistake that should not happen,no ifs or buts ,No it shouldnt Mr Perfect but it does happen
Not long after I started driving I reversed under a trailer ( I had not dropped it ) backed under yep it was night ok not really an excuse the trailer was fully loaded I missed the pin
I have never done it again always double check
I now tend to go part way under trailer get out & look raise suspension check in right place then go back a lesson well learnt
Mr perfect ,cheers,for your info ive done it and thats what my then boss said to me and he was right,ive never done it since
seth 70:
animal:
seth 70:
Its a mistake that should not happen,no ifs or buts ,No it shouldnt Mr Perfect but it does happen
Not long after I started driving I reversed under a trailer ( I had not dropped it ) backed under yep it was night ok not really an excuse the trailer was fully loaded I missed the pin
I have never done it again always double check
I now tend to go part way under trailer get out & look raise suspension check in right place then go back a lesson well learnt
Mr perfect ,cheers,for your info ive done it and thats what my then boss said to me and he was right,ive never done it since
Sorry no I have not done it since I did learn the hard way by it mind
Ive also clipped a bridge because the tag lift was up on a scania,i wont do that again either ,all in the first month of driving