In 90% of the volvos we use tehres a lever inside the can that you pull down which seems to cut the air supply, which effectively acts as a trailer brake. Seemingly there widely hated by some people as drivers liked to use them as oppose to foot brakes 
Peter Smythe:
i would have lost my trailer somewhere
Shows the importance of not taking short cuts.
totally agree. i never take short cuts when coupling up. if im not happy about something (sometimes it just doesnt feel or sound right) or if someone distracts me, i abort and start again. losing a trailer is a nightmare scenario and i dont fancy living it
Do it all the time at Sainburys nothing has ever been said, and all the other drivers tend to do it as well.
Had a driving assessment there but did it with a curtainsider so no need to do a split couple.
F10 Globetrotter:
Split coupling is very simple as long as you do it properly. If you donāt follow the procedures a very serious accident or a fatallity could occur.If your picking up a trailer, first back up to the trailer and adjust you suspension ride height to couple up. I always dump the air out of my suspension.
Reverse under the trailer leaving yourself a couple of feet gap.
Get out of your vehicle and make sure the trailer brake is applied. If it isnāt then apply it.
I then couple up all my air lines and suzies.
I then raise my suspension fully, to pick the trailer up off the ground so as not to bend the legs.
When the suspension is fully raised then reverse under the trailer fully until the pin in locked in place. A quick pull test to make sure your coupled up correctly.
Apply the dogclip and check around the trailer doing your normal checks etc.
Wind up the legs release the park brake.
Reset your ride height on the suspension and away you go.
I hope thereās nothing iāve missed if there is someone will correct me Iām sure. There are also alot of people who donāt agree with this system of coupling but if your no stick insect you cant get between the cab and a fridge trailer, curtainsiders are a lot easier.
Thatās exactly how i was taught on my training when pulling trailers out of Harwich. The first time i did it on my own the trailer brake wasnāt on (i had put it on, but this trailer had a ā ā ā ā that need pulling and twisting to stay on, i just pulled it out and assumed it was on) , so when i went backwards after lifting it off the ground the trailer moved . Taught me a valuable lesson that did 
Oh, and the ride height wont even out until you take the handbrake off in the cab.
Also, dont forget that you have to split un-couple as well, dont release the pin and try and drive off without disconnecting the suzies 
scottishcruiser:
In 90% of the volvos we use tehres a lever inside the can that you pull down which seems to cut the air supply, which effectively acts as a trailer brake. Seemingly there widely hated by some people as drivers liked to use them as oppose to foot brakes
Driven a Scania with a second brake lever for the trailer only the difference was the trailer brake didnāt lock unlike the park brake. Our fleet Volvos have a trailer brake switch, again non locking, and will only work upto about 5mph. Handy for the move to/from the pin and the tug test.
Itās been a few years but when I was driving reefers I would split couple at Corby Chilled and at Tescos.
We didnāt need to do it at Asda as the suzie and electrical lines were at the near side of the trailer.
Split coupling is a common practice in our yard even though there is no real need to do it as our connectors are on sliders.
scanny77:
not sure about tesco
Total no-no at Livingston.
scanny77:
their fifth wheels are far enough back anyway and the trailer connections are on a slider anyway.
Problem is,99% of them only slide to the n/s of the trailer.On my unit, only the o/s air deflector opens,so have to set the slider in the centre of the trailer and then squeeze in to fit suzies.Usually get covered in grease 
Also,if the trailer has lost a bit of air pressure,after doing a tug test it can pull the trailer suspension down,then when the suzies are connected,it makes the trailer ājumpā.Bit hair-raising when you are between the cab and trailer 
But Iām wearing my hi-viz and steelies,so nothing is going to hurt me 
If you are not allowed to split couple. Couple has normal then hit the shunt button and full left or right turn or jack knife till you have room to get in and attach suzzies.
good call about the jacknifeā¦ safety first
Has as been said it is allowed on the driving test
Robertthegreat:
If you are not allowed to split couple. Couple has normal then hit the shunt button and full left or right turn or jack knife till you have room to get in and attach suzzies.
Not an option,shunt buttons are disabled.Even if they werenāt,it would probably be against H&S policy to move a trailer without the suzies connected 
Once spoke to their H&S rep about the problem and was basically told to tell my boss to buy units to suit their trailers or have everything moved on the chassis of my unit(XF 6 legger) so as to allow access to the n/s coupling position while standing on the ground.I believe their drivers are discouraged from even climbing onto the catwalk to connect suzies.To my mind,it would be better if they would remove the stops that prevent the trailer sliders going over to the o/s of the trailer.Surely having it stop halfway across the trailer defeats the object of having a slider in the first place? The few trailers they have where the slider moves all the way over donāt cause me any problems.
Another point,i am right-handed,so itās far easier to connect up from the o/s.I struggle if I have to do it left-handed.
I suppose I could always ask the shunters if they could pull the trailer out of the line for me into the middle of the yard,so I can reverse under at an angle,thus allowing access to the suzie connections
garnerlives:
Itās where you go to back under the trailer but then get out attach airlines etc before you get under the king pin. Then youād get back in reverse back lock into kingpin do tug then clip etc. Its mainly done on reefers as no or very small gap on catwalk, but is a big no no in most places I believe
Cool, thanks for that and sorry for the delay in replying
In 2006 the SOE, along with the HSE, published a guide to Split Coupling (and Cranked Coupling), although it is only downloadable from the Memberās area.
To my mind, if the Health and Safety Executive have endorsed the practice, and it is permitted by the DSA, and IIRC, is explained in the publication, Driving Goods Vehicles, then I think any company looking to dismiss someone for such actions would be finding themselves shelling out some compensation.
I always use Split Coupling on the basis that it is safer than risking a back injury by trying to squeeze into an unnatural position.
Krankee:
In 2006 the SOE, along with the HSE, published a guide to Split Coupling (and Cranked Coupling), although it is only downloadable from the Memberās area.To my mind, if the Health and Safety Executive have endorsed the practice, and it is permitted by the DSA, and IIRC, is explained in the publication, Driving Goods Vehicles, then I think any company looking to dismiss someone for such actions would be finding themselves shelling out some compensation.
I always use Split Coupling on the basis that it is safer than risking a back injury by trying to squeeze into an unnatural position.
Any chance you could get a digital copy of this publication put on here?
Adam_Mc:
Any chance you could get a digital copy of this publication put on here?
I sent them an email in Aug 2006 requesting their permission to do exactly that. 
"I would firstly like to congratulate the IRTE for making available such an excellent publication.
Whilst the document is targeted towards managers, supervisors and trainers, I feel that it is not cascading to where it would be of most value. To drivers!
I am involved in the running of a website dedicated to the UK Transport Industry, namely, trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/index.php which has some 4,000 registered members and the forums of which currently boasts āhitsā of more than half a million a year.
Whilst appreciating that the document has been prepared at a cost contributed by the members and their subscriptions, my own included, the involvement of the HSE in endorsing the document obviously represents a contribution borne of āpublicā funds.
I feel that this publication should be made more widely available and am therefore requesting your permission for me to make the document available as a free download from the TruckNetUK website.
Obviously, due credit would be accorded to the SOE, IRTE."
Still waiting for a reply.
Krankee:
Adam_Mc:
I am involved in the running of a website dedicated to the UK Transport Industry, namely, trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/index.php which has some 4,000 registered members and the forums of which currently boasts āhitsā of more than half a million a year.
what are the stats for 2009 then out of interest 
littlewood units have air operated fifth wheel movement, back under trailor lock the locking bar with the dog clip,back in cab press button and drive forward fifth wheels moves back,that gives enough room to hook airlines up,then back in cab press button to realease fifth wheel and reverse slowly back then test in usual manner.
garnerlives:
Itās where you go to back under the trailer but then get out attach airlines etc before you get under the king pin. Then youād get back in reverse back lock into kingpin do tug then clip etc. Its mainly done on reefers as no or very small gap on catwalk, but is a big no no in most places I believe
I, in my ignorance picked up that little trick when driving on agency for a well known local haulier, (mainly, you understand, to keep the fifth wheel grease and other associated crap off my person). When I took said trick to Tescos I got told in no uncertain terms that if they caught me doing that again they would run me off the site. BTW they call it half hitching.
Krankee:
To my mind, if the Health and Safety Executive have endorsed the practice, and it is permitted by the DSA, and IIRC, is explained in the publication, Driving Goods Vehicles, then I think any company looking to dismiss someone for such actions would be finding themselves shelling out some compensation.
If however the company in question has a bit of paper with your signature on it that says āI understand that XYZ Company believes Split coupling/half hitching etc to be an unsafe working practice and it is accordingly forbidden at this site. XYZ Company considers any violation of this rule to be a gross breach of Health and Safety and will consider disciplinary action against any individual caught doing so. I recognise that doing so can lead to my dismissal from the company. I have read and understood the above informationā Then you will be gone so quick you wonāt even have time to think about a claim. Every driver at my site has a bundle of such like things in their training file and if you are naughty they come out and are used at Court Martial (sorry disciplinary hearing) to prove you knew it was naughty.