seth 70:
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
Never done that came close 1 day in cardiff mind but got under by the skin the bridge was not marked untill past point of no return
1 of our drivers tried to take a DD under a 14ā9 bridge 
at 35 mph it is now a flat bed not guilty
jay0:
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 wrongIf youāre referring to me I know how to drop and connect trailers. But Iāve 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.
If itās a Scania, lift axle down, for some reason when itās up, the 5th wheel is higherā¦
Other units, I donāt believe thereās any difference, but stand to be corrected.
Different units have different height 5th wheels anyway, so care is always required
Look adjust manoeuvre. Not rocket science. Anything less is sloppyness
Most 5th wheels on UK units are 1.25m high. (Never driven a scania 6x2 but I believe they do sit higher when lift axle is up)
All of this reversing under and lifting up is unnecessary. On your driving test, one of the things you do on the trailer attach procedure is to check the height between the 5th wheel and trailer before backing under. I can reverse with a nice gentle clunk and clip when hooking up instead of the bang wallop method other drivers prefer. Why do they do this? Because they are transferring all the weight onto the unit increasing friction between the trailer and 5th wheel which means they use too many revs to back under until it lurches back slamming into the pin.
waynedl:
jay0:
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 wrongIf youāre referring to me I know how to drop and connect trailers. But Iāve 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.
If itās a Scania, lift axle down, for some reason when itās up, the 5th wheel is higherā¦
Other units, I donāt believe thereās any difference, but stand to be corrected.
Different units have different height 5th wheels anyway, so care is always required
Yes it Is a scania, cheers.
m1cks:
Most 5th wheels on UK units are 1.25m high. (Never driven a scania 6x2 but I believe they do sit higher when lift axle is up)
All of this reversing under and lifting up is unnecessary. On your driving test, one of the things you do on the trailer attach procedure is to check the height between the 5th wheel and trailer before backing under. I can reverse with a nice gentle clunk and clip when hooking up instead of the bang wallop method other drivers prefer. Why do they do this? Because they are transferring all the weight onto the unit increasing friction between the trailer and 5th wheel which means they use too many revs to back under until it lurches back slamming into the pin.
You do know why folk lift the trailer prior to klicking the pin in donāt you M1cks? Have you tried winding landing legs up or down once theyāve been tug tested a few times whilst still firmly on the floor?
the maoster:
m1cks:
Most 5th wheels on UK units are 1.25m high. (Never driven a scania 6x2 but I believe they do sit higher when lift axle is up)
All of this reversing under and lifting up is unnecessary. On your driving test, one of the things you do on the trailer attach procedure is to check the height between the 5th wheel and trailer before backing under. I can reverse with a nice gentle clunk and clip when hooking up instead of the bang wallop method other drivers prefer. Why do they do this? Because they are transferring all the weight onto the unit increasing friction between the trailer and 5th wheel which means they use too many revs to back under until it lurches back slamming into the pin.You do know why folk lift the trailer prior to klicking the pin in donāt you M1cks? Have you tried winding landing legs up or down once theyāve been tug tested a few times whilst still firmly on the floor?
It depends if you do the tug test like a neanderthal too. Iāve seen so many drivers floor it until thereās tyre smoke. you only need to gently tug it to check if itās engaged. Same as when you uncouple, you donāt need any force to drive out.
Maybe with some drivers itās a lack of understanding how the 5th wheel works. Itās worth looking up Jost on YouTube. Thereās a great video cutaway on how it works.
Also our trailers have a base plate at the bottom of the legs connected to the half moon feet so when you do a tug test thereās no stresses strong enough to do any damage to the legs. You can always back up into the pin and lift the trailer before the tug test.
ā ā ā ā ā ā 00:
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.
Canāt wait to go home and forget that mishap
To be honest if you didnāt get out to watch that probably wouldnāt have happened, all you need to do is lean out the window/door or watch through the mirror to see the trailer legs rise off the ground before going under the pin.
This method is much less likely to end in tears than getting out and eyeing things up.
Absolutely agree with you m1cks about clowns and tug tests, Iāve seen some pretty brutal efforts over the years, which is why Iāll always advise any new guys (maybe I should target the old ones too 
) to lift the legs clear of the floor before doing a tug test.
As mentioned earlier I too leave the legs half an inch or so off the floor when uncoupling, pull forward a few inches to clear the pin, drop the suspension fully and then ease out. Hey presto, no banging legs into floor, no grease all over mudguards either.
Sloppily just ramming into the pin without using any adjustment means you scrape all the frigging grease to the edge covering the suzies and everything. Youād get a gob full of me.
ā ā ā ā ā ā 00:
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.
Canāt wait to go home and forget that mishap
Too busy putting your make up on and hiding your todger 
waynedl:
If itās a Scania, lift axle down, for some reason when itās up, the 5th wheel is higher.
When you lift the mid on them, as well as the lift bags being inflated, air is also pumped into the drive axle bags to raise the chassis and assist with lifting the mid axle away from the ground.
I used to be lazy and pulled same trailer everyday on boxes and curtains. Iād back under, suspension full down, pause, then lift until leading edge of trailer raised rather than just watching unit mudguards, then continue, making mental note if more resistance to reverse than before which it should be if weight of trailer was correctly on turntable and not floating above it.
Later years, I get out and eye it up. Also helps to make sure youāre laterally on target for pin and also makes sure youāre not about to back the drive axles into a big ā ā ā pot hole which will sink the 5th wheel lower than the pin and screw you. If needs be, use trailer suspension plus low range crank, plus give up go for beer. I back under, then get out and raise it whilst outside unit using the remote thing.
Good trainer recently told me thereās no need to go mad about leg heights these days with air suspension, a lot of old habits exist from spring days. I just lower sensibly, use common sense and: if empty and lift raised, lower then take a crank or so off. If loaded I make sure itās down properly as thing will sink plus leading edge of trailer will droop when dropped.
One thing that boils my junipers is witnessing lazy sods tug testing with legs stuffed into the dirt. Usually with a brand new beautiful schimtz Continental spec trailer theyve not had to pay for. Jost gear is an engineering marvel and these clown break it when its only new. You just know youāre going to get those bananaād legs the next day.
Just heard last week about an Agency driver at one of the other depots.
Took one of the new units, just delivered, rammed back so hard, pin went over his turntable, smashed the air kit off the unit & punched 2 holes through the back of the cab where the trailer airline fittings went through
Donāt think he will be coming back
Toddy2:
Just heard last week about an Agency driver at one of the other depots.
Took one of the new units, just delivered, rammed back so hard, pin went over his turntable, smashed the air kit off the unit & punched 2 holes through the back of the cab where the trailer airline fittings went throughDonāt think he will be coming back
Its allways the new motors aswell,never the sheds 
quick question before you start lifting legs with the the air should you not check the park brake is on?
gordonw:
quick question before you start lifting legs with the the air should you not check the park brake is on?
yes
Yeah, where I work we run a mixed fleet of 6x2 and 4x2 scanias. If the 6x2 has dropped the trailer with the lift axle up, the trailer sits to high for the 4x2 and needs the air pumped right up.
Doesnāt everyone leave a turn on the handle when lowering the legs (wind down to floor, then take a turn back) then when you pull off the pin, you lower the suspension to plant the legs square on the ground. Not too low, or some ā ā ā will reverse back without lowering their suspension to the right height as they go under, and squish the fridge unit (ducked too low) or stove the 5th wheel off the mount, (still too high) or just ā ā ā ā the handle if coming in at an angle.
I HATE trailers being left on tiptoe for me, so I make sure any trailer I drop can be reached - even with the lowest 5th wheels around.
seth 70:
gordonw:
quick question before you start lifting legs with the the air should you not check the park brake is on?yes
You especially want to check that red trailer brake when doing a split couple tooā¦ in 2008 I nearly put a trailer through a brick wall behind it, when I connected the lines, then reversed under the pin, only to shunt the whole damned thing back 5 feet!
Was been sarky lol mate of mine done the same lifted it up on the air and it went its own way ie about 6ft behind him nobodys perfect and we all learn!