Count yourselves lucky you don’t work at my place, every single trailer I hook onto has the legs wound down to the point that they are clear of the 5th wheel.
Our units, like all lorries here, only have an air dump on them, they can’t be lifted.
This winding the legs until the trailer is clear of the 5th wheel thing dates back to the pre air ride days, when it’s icy in winter it would be almost impossible to back under or pull out from a trailer unless it was not putting pressure onto the unit.
However, since the 80s there has been air suspension, with an air dump feature, so they could wind the legs down until they hit the ground, dump the air out of the unit and pull out nice and easy, but oh no, because they used to do it like that 50yrs ago, that’s how they still do it.
So because of that, when coupling up to a trailer, I spend 5mins on slow wind freezing my ■■■■ off or getting eaten alive by mozzies, depending on the time of year.
BOCs 
I don’t think age has anything to do with it, you’re either a cloth eared muppet or you aren’t…
Common sense is more valuable than what passes as experience.
I know plenty of people that have been in this game for thirty odd years, but they haven’t got thirty years experience, they have one week’s experience repeated 1560 times 
claretmatt:
Saaamon:
There all the same them young drivers, bloody useless at the job try and tell them something and they throw it back in your face…
Being old doesn’t necessarily make you right
Yes it does, in their own little world anyway 
Saaamon:
There all the same them young drivers, bloody useless at the job try and tell them something and they throw it back in your face…
I guess Mr Saaamon was born proffesional Once upon a time you were same young and stupid 
MisterStrood:
Saaamon:
There all the same them young drivers, bloody useless at the job try and tell them something and they throw it back in your face…
I guess Mr Saaamon was born proffesional Once upon a time you were same young and stupid
Saaaaamons taking the mickey as usual but unusually subtly this time, got to read his post with a mischevious grin.
PS, i’m old and still stupid, bloody must be still punching a lorry about.
This is the procedure I follow, part of it was taught and part I’ve picked up from here, if you think I’m doing it wrong, let me know:
Dropping: leave unit at normal ride height, wind legs down until they firmly touch the floor. Drop lines etc, brake on, number plate, pull pin. Get in unit, raise suspension, pull forwards a couple of feet, drop suspension right down, pull out and reset suspension.
Coupling: check brake on, drop suspension right down, back under until 5th wheel well under, raise suspension right up, watch and make sure trailer lifts. Reverse under very gently until I get a click, not a bang. Tug test twice, get under with torch and check jaws and locking bar. Clip in, lines on, number plate, legs up, check lights etc.
Each bit takes between 1&2 minutes,so no hardship. Could possibly do it quicker, but what’s the rush?
Any comments?
Gary
Good luck trying to pull off using that coupling procedure 
Unless taking the brake off was covered by etc
I do it slightly different. I always put the brake on first when uncoupling and take it off last when coupling. And I drop the suspension before I pull off the pin. Often with our trailers you can’t pull the pin and the easiest remedy is to drop the unit so I do it now out of habit.
scaniason:
This is the procedure I follow, part of it was taught and part I’ve picked up from here, if you think I’m doing it wrong, let me know:
Dropping: leave unit at normal ride height, wind legs down until they firmly touch the floor. Drop lines etc, brake on, number plate, pull pin. Get in unit, raise suspension, pull forwards a couple of feet, drop suspension right down, pull out and reset suspension.
Coupling: check brake on, drop suspension right down, back under until 5th wheel well under, raise suspension right up, watch and make sure trailer lifts. Reverse under very gently until I get a click, not a bang. Tug test twice, get under with torch and check jaws and locking bar. Clip in, lines on, number plate, legs up, check lights etc.
Each bit takes between 1&2 minutes,so no hardship. Could possibly do it quicker, but what’s the rush?
Any comments?
Gary
‘‘wind legs down until they firmly touch the floor’’ if dropping loaded yes to the floor, but if dropping empty then i still leave a couple of inches space under the legs and just pull out till the 5th wheels clear letting it tilt back, then drop the suspension and pull away…having said that nothing wrong with your method at all.
‘‘Reverse under very gently until I get a click’’ with ZF’s hell auto box and 28 ton load on there is no click, its struggle struggle, give it a bit more, struggle struggle whoosh bang and we’re in or the 5th wheel is sitting in the jaws no longer attached 
The only comment i have is please please would drivers of Scania 6x2’s remember to drop the mid lift axles before dropping an empty trailer, several of our other make vehicles bear the scars of numpties who fail to get out and look before peering in the mirrors only (as they do) and reversing straight back in…crunch.
In fact i can’t lift the legs clear on a empty after a Scania has dropped one (ooer missus) even with the suspension fully raised.
Back in the day before air suspension my coupling procedure went like this:
Hunt round yard for trailer
Reverse unit up to front
check trailer brake is on, the ratchet type so make sure cable hasnt come off spindle
walk back to unit checking height of trailer compared to 5th wheel, wind trailer legs to raise slightly if neccesary
reverse unit under trailer feeling the suspension take the strain then smoothly continue till click/bang and tea spillage occurs.
Stall truck whilst doing tug tests, if anybodys watching do it again making it look like you meant to do it
attach dog clip
untangle and connect susies (the red one could be a bugger) and electric lines
wipe grease off knees, back and any other crevices its got into
wind up legs and find string to keep winder arm under trailer
jump back in cab attempt to drive off realising forgotten to take trailer brake off, again pretend you meant to do this if anyones watching.
get out and release trailer brake with a big kick and chalk license plate number on back of the trailer as the plate could be anywhere and TM has another few on order
jump in cab repour fresh tea and proceed to destination.
Sure i’ve missed a step or two, things like checking tyres and lights and replacing a few bulbs.
Dipper_Dave:
Back in the day before air suspension my coupling procedure went like this:
Hunt round yard for trailer
Reverse unit up to front
do not check trailer brake is on, chase trailer around the yard
walk back to unit checking height of trailer compared to 5th wheel, wind trailer legs to raise slightly if neccesary
reverse unit under trailer feeling the suspension take the strain then smoothly continue till click/bang and tea spillage occurs.
Stall truck whilst doing tug tests, if anybodys watching do it again making it look like you meant to do it
attach dog clip
untangle and connect susies (the red one could be a bugger) and electric lines
wipe grease off knees, back and any other crevices its got into
wind up legs and find string to keep winder arm under trailer
jump back in cab attempt to drive off realising forgotten to take trailer brake off, (never on) again pretend you meant to do this if anyones watching.
get out and release trailer brake with a big kick N/A and put newly written out cardboard one on back of the trailer as the plate could be anywhere and TM has no interest in ordering anymore
jump in cab repour fresh tea and proceed to destination.
Sure i’ve missed a step or two, things like checking tyres and lights and replacing a few bulbs.
similar but see subtle changes… above
MisterStrood:
Saaamon:
There all the same them young drivers, bloody useless at the job try and tell them something and they throw it back in your face…
I guess Mr Saaamon was born proffesional Once upon a time you were same young and stupid
I go to work every monday and say to myself, this is the week that i’ll do it right, like a true professional but it never seems to work out like that… On the plus side i havnt had a can of redbull for about 8days and havnt smoked since tuesday…
I still am young and stupid… Did you know i drive a scania \8/?
Saaamon:
On the plus side i havnt had a can of redbull for about 8days and havnt smoked since tuesday.
Whoopy do.
I haven’t had a Can of Red Bull since, err, err, don’t think I’ve ever had one.
Haven’t a had a cigarette for 40 years and then it was only 1 or 2 just to try . Seem to be doing ok so far.
Truckulent:
eddie snax:
[
Truckulent:
I’ll bet a fiver not one in ten does…and I’ll bet they don’t go under the trailer to check it’s caught the pin properly…'cos they’ve been at it years…how could it go wrong? 
.
No not one in ten will go under the trailer to check the pin has caught properly, because when we were taught, we were told to do a tug/pull away test and yes I still do, oh and I look underneath to check the pin aswell.
:
So you do check then■■? If you’re going to get out and look anyway, why not do it properly?
(and yes, I do a tug test too - but I check visually as well because a ‘successful’ tug test is not necessarily evidence the pin has been caught correctly)
I dont get out and check the trailer before hand, unless something catches my eye or some kind of 6th sence makes me suspiciuos about the trailer, such as the way its standing, I cant explain it to you its just something that happens, and then I will get out and check before hooking up, otherwise I see no sense to making extra work for myself, and this hasnt let me down yet.
It would appear that we are dancing on a pin head off general agreement, with just this one issue between us, wether to get out and check first or not. I’ll carry on doing the job my way if thats all the same with you.
I’ll also contend that regardless of any “proper” way to do the job(coupling), my “custom and practice” similar to many other drivers I know, is as valid as any “curent practice” as a safe working method off coupling trailers 
lankyphil:
Just picking my trailer up off a bay at the yard, young lad, not long passed his test, drops a trailer on a bay next but one to me. With the suspension all the way up on his unit.
Told him what he was about to do, just got a shrug and a “so what?” Couldn’t grasp the idea of the next driver might miss the pin…
Only just noticed this. It wasn’t me by the way Only time I have the suspension raised is when coupling up. And I always check the 5th wheel has cleared the trailer before driving off when uncoupling.
Dipper_Dave:
Back in the day before air suspension my coupling procedure went like this:
Hunt round yard for trailer
Reverse unit up to front
check trailer brake is on, the ratchet type so make sure cable hasnt come off spindlewalk back to unit checking height of trailer compared to 5th wheel, wind trailer legs to raise slightly if neccesary
reverse unit under trailer feeling the suspension take the strain then smoothly continue till click/bang and tea spillage occurs.
Stall truck whilst doing tug tests, if anybodys watching do it again making it look like you meant to do it
attach dog clip
untangle and connect susies (the red one could be a bugger) and electric lines
wipe grease off knees, back and any other crevices its got into
wind up legs and find string to keep winder arm under trailer
jump back in cab attempt to drive off realising forgotten to take trailer brake off, again pretend you meant to do this if anyones watching.
get out and release trailer brake with a big kick and chalk license plate number on back of the trailer as the plate could be anywhere and TM has another few on order
jump in cab repour fresh tea and proceed to destination.
Sure i’ve missed a step or two, things like checking tyres and lights and replacing a few bulbs.
As above with minor adjustments
hunt round quay for trailer
Check trailer brake is on, the small winding handle type, where mechanism is seized but the cable is loose (dutch trailer)
Hang lighting board on the back, find socket u/s run electric cable down side off trailer between suzie and lighting board(dutch trailer)
Forgotten all those little pleasures
bubsy06:
Do old drivers actually get out of the cab and make sure they are not going to miss the pin like us young uns or do they save themselves some energy and reverse back until there tea spills?
why would you get out? back under the trailer and lift the suspension before you hit the pin. when the trailer lifts then you are not going to miss the pin
i ALWAYS use this method and when i drop a trailer i pull forward to release the pin then drop the suspension so i dont damage the landing legs
I don’t check visually, never have, never will.
If the trailer rubbing plate makes contact with the 5th wheel and the handle goes in when the pin hits the jaws, then it’s locked in tight, a tug test will confirm this.
If the trailer is too high and the 5th wheel doesn’t contact the rubbing plate, then it needs lowering as the pin could be sitting on top of the jaws, it will give the impression of being secure, but it isn’t.
There has to be contact between rubbing plate and 5th wheel to ensure proper coupling.
newmercman:
I don’t check visually, never have, never will.
If the trailer rubbing plate makes contact with the 5th wheel and the handle goes in when the pin hits the jaws, then it’s locked in tight, a tug test will confirm this.
If the trailer is too high and the 5th wheel doesn’t contact the rubbing plate, then it needs lowering as the pin could be sitting on top of the jaws, it will give the impression of being secure, but it isn’t.
There has to be contact between rubbing plate and 5th wheel to ensure proper coupling.
I thought exactly the same.
Then one day one of our lads where i worked at the time dropped a trailer on Londons Embankment after having travelled all the way from Bristol, none of us could work out what had happened he’d done everything right, this is some 25 years ago.
Anyway, a few months later i had to pick up a loaded trailer that had been dropped on uneven ground, still on steel springs here, no probs the trailer had been dropped low enough, so i backed under and the 5th wheel locked in…but something didn’t sound quite right it clicked as aginst that reassuring clunk, did a tug and got it sure enough, but the incident above came back into my silly head, so i dragged the trailer down onto the level got out and had a look, sure enough daylight between the 5th wheel and rubbing plate, king pin sitting on the jaws.
I was genuinly shocked as were all the lads at our depot, none of us would previously believe that it could happen like that with a fully loaded trailer but there was the proof and it happened to me personally, it can be dropped low enough but if it goes in at even slight angle it can trigger the jaws without the pin beng in the right place.
Since that day i’ve always had a quick look whilst attaching the clip that the plate and 5th wheel are flush.
I always get out and check the trl brake is applied before backing under.
This is especially important where trailers are parked back to back (often the case at ports) as a driver could be behind the opposite trailer fitting his lights and no. plate.
An experienced driver with a unit he/she is used to can tell if the height is right in the mirror.
I then lower the suspension before backing under so as not to slob grease all over the lip.
Reverse part way under, then lift suspension fully to ensure the weight of the trl is on the 5th wheel lifting the legs clear of the ground so that if there is any slight sideways movement there is no risk of bending the them. (or during tug test)
2 tugs. Check handle gone fully in, fit dog clip if it has one.
Only look at the jaws if the “clunk” didn’t sound right or I’m not 100% happy for some reason.