Hi all so I have passed my mod 4 and got all my cards.
Yesterday was my first day out was a bit in the deepend but
I am a trucker now so had to just get it done i suppose.
I work for a firm that deliver interior building products
I have a moffett on the back and that’s a new thing for me to learn aswell.
But what I did Learn quick was no one teaches you how a truck should be
Loaded apart from (up agains head board) but how should it be spread acros
all axles? When you do a drop should the load be moved around to spread the weight evenly as it has changed? Should the load be strapped? So much to learn in little time
Try to spread the load between the axles. The Moffet weighs a ton so will take some weight off the front axle so overloading the front shouldn’t be too much of a problem. If you multiple dropping, obviously load last drop on the front & the 1st drop on the back. You shouldn’t need to move the load around unless the steering feels heavy (or too light, if you put a ton pallet on the arse next to the Moffet, Durrrr !)
You need to strap every load, don’t cut corners, Gravity is not a recognised Vosa load restraining method.
Make sure that you chain the Moffet properly & fill it with diesel every day check the oil,tyres & don’t leave the ignition on, like I did once (numpty)
Thanks for the advise things I kind of already was aware of but it makes a lot more sence when it written down or explained. Had to tell we’re the line is when all the drivers that I work with dont strap loads down or seem to do propper daily checks even tho they know its wrong. Will make sure I do a proper job
so your a trucker now eh , na sorry to disappoint you at the moment your the holder of a licence that allows you to drive large goods vehicle and that’s it, give it a few years and you start earning stripes.
Welcome to what use to be a brotherhood that its slowly dying to a F&*k everyone else attitude.
You get your licence and you drive a truck, you’re a trucker just a new one. Same as any other job.
In your training you don’t have any sort of time pressure, well, to get anywhere at least. Use common sense when loading up. I do a lot of trolleys with plants on top so strapping simply isn’t an option. Even if it didn’t crush the plants then it still wouldn’t work, they’d simply slide away. We just make sure it’s tight and keep them there with spring loaded restraining poles. The way it’s loaded means that the curtains actually keep them in just fine if they’re done tight.
EDIT: Oh yeah, forget feeding the wheel, it’s useless if you’re not training.
I think I am a trucker now I have parted with my hard earned money to pay for the training and tests and passed. Am I not claiming to no it all and done everything as you may have done but I can only get stuck in and learn on the job and ask the great brotherhood for advise. As for the attitude of F&*k everyone else isn’t that the way everything is going?
DJC:
EDIT: Oh yeah, forget feeding the wheel, it’s useless if you’re not training.
100% disagree - I did it for 25 years so whats so hard about doing it correctly for general road driving?
Tight spaces and going very slow may require different methods
I remember my first trailer coupling. On my lessons and test the trailer and unit were always set at the correct height. No need to use the air suspension. When I did my first couple up the 5th wheel and king pin were nowhere near the same height and no one had ever shown me how to operate an air suspension, didn’t even know where the controls were. Luckily there were a few drivers still in the yard who showed me the ropes.
Air suspension operation should be part of the test IMO.
Terry T:
I remember my first trailer coupling. On my lessons and test the trailer and unit were always set at the correct height. No need to use the air suspension. When I did my first couple up the 5th wheel and king pin were nowhere near the same height and no one had ever shown me how to operate an air suspension, didn’t even know where the controls were. Luckily there were a few drivers still in the yard who showed me the ropes.Air suspension operation should be part of the test IMO.
I think so too as many companies insist it is used for un/coupling
Also, most units have it these days
I saw a newish driver last week back under a trailer without checking the heights or using the air suspension. He hadn’t been shown how to use them either. The trailer was too high and the pin went straight over the top of the 5th wheel. Luckily something got caught somewhere and the unit stopped before he ploughed the back of the unit into the trailer. I showed him how to use the air suspension and off he went. Luckily all his previous trailer swaps had gone OK as the heights matched.
I’m all for companies giving newbies a chance but they should at least be showing them a few things first. Maybe they don’t realise how basic LGV training can be.
Congrats on passing mod4 captainpete. You seem like a proper trucker to me, you came here asking for advice from experienced drivers about load security and weight distribution, sounds like something a responsible trucker would do. When you fill out forms which ask what your employment is, you’ll answer, lorry driver or trucker. Your boss has employed you as a trucker, so, from all the evidence above, I’d say you’re pretty definately a trucker. Shame there’s always got to be someone who wants to knock someone’s achievements just to make themselves feel better abou.t themselves. Ahh well, thats just another example of this f&*k everyone else attitude. 
Terry T:
I saw a newish driver last week back under a trailer without checking the heights or using the air suspension. He hadn’t been shown how to use them either. The trailer was too high and the pin went straight over the top of the 5th wheel. Luckily something got caught somewhere and the unit stopped before he ploughed the back of the unit into the trailer. I showed him how to use the air suspension and off he went. Luckily all his previous trailer swaps had gone OK as the heights matched.I’m all for companies giving newbies a chance but they should at least be showing them a few things first. Maybe they don’t realise how basic LGV training can be.
We had one of our tractors miss the pin a couple of weeks ago, bit of a mystery who did it, but an agency driver got blamed then I heard that one of our newer qualified drivers got blamed.
An old Daf unit dropped the trailer high & an 11 plate MAN went to pick it up without checking the height ‘Whoops’ cab smacked the front of the trailer.
‘Advice Bit’
1.Reverse back to trailer.
2.handbrake on, get out check relevant heights, check trailer brake is on(pull the red button out, usually on the n/side near the legs) check condition of trailer & tyres at this point, once you’ve connected it all up you will feel a ‘Chump’ if its got a puncture or something’s hanging off (that didn’t get reported the night before, GRRRR !)
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Reverse under trailer (I usually go low for the first bit, to save my mudguards & run up ramp from ‘Trauma’ then lift the suspension so the 5th wheel is square on the underside of the trailer) VERY SLOWLY, it ■■■■■■ me off when you see & hear drivers SMASHING into the pin, it will click into place.
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Put it into drive or 1st gear & give it 2 tugs to make sure it’s connected.
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Handbrake on & switch it off, lights & indicators as well. Get out connect the Dogclip & with a torch look under the trailer at the 5th wheel to make sure the bar has come across (2 trailers nearly fell off on Ice Road Truckers due to ice & not checking) connect all the Suzies, number plate, wind the legs up ( if they are hard/heavy use the air suspension to lift it up) push the red brake knob in.
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Start the motor up & check all lights, brake lights, reversing lights & indicators. Can some times take a few minutes to fill the air tanks. Adjust ride height to normal driving height usually using the control by the drivers seat. Make sure if its a tautliner/curtain that the ratchets on the front are stowed away properly (even if you are just shunting around the yard) them Pesky Suzies love getting Tangled up around the front of the trailer & when the red one gets snapped you ain’t going anywhere !
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Drive away & if possible snake left & right & look on the mirrors to check its all straight & nothing is out of place.
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Go & earn your wages !
martinviking:
1.Reverse back to trailer.
2.handbrake on, get out check relevant heights
OR
- lower the unit by use of height controls, reverse so that fifth wheel plate is just fully under the trailer then stop
- raise unit so that legs just come off the ground, reverse gently further under unit click heard
These are the issues that arise when the initial training is abandoned after passing the test. Everyone is trained to get out and check the height before coupling. Why do we bother training folk to do this if they’re going to ignore it later? And, of course, it’s a test fail so it’s rated as reasonably important.
Feel better now!
Pete 
Peter Smythe:
These are the issues that arise when the initial training is abandoned after passing the test. Everyone is trained to get out and check the height before coupling. Why do we bother training folk to do this if they’re going to ignore it later? And, of course, it’s a test fail so it’s rated as reasonably important.Feel better now!
Pete
Because that’s the way the test requires it to be done, and you are training people to pass the test.
I would say it’s largely ignored because it’s not the best or fastest or event the easiest way to couple up a trailer.
Has the technique for coupling/uncoupling changed for the test since air suspension became the norm on all lorries ?
tachograph:
Has the technique for coupling/uncoupling changed for the test since air suspension became the norm on all lorries ?
generally no but the DSA are more than happy if the method using the height controls is used - I called their nottingham number to confirm this
I have started a thread in the newbies concerning this issue
ROG:
martinviking:
1.Reverse back to trailer.
2.handbrake on, get out check relevant heightsOR
- lower the unit by use of height controls, reverse so that fifth wheel plate is just fully under the trailer then stop
- raise unit so that legs just come off the ground, reverse gently further under unit click heard
+1
Because that’s the way the test requires it to be done, and you are training people to pass the test.
I would say it’s largely ignored because it’s not the best or fastest or event the easiest way to couple up a trailer.
Has the technique for coupling/uncoupling changed for the test since air suspension became the norm on all lorries ?
The method taught for coupling/uncoupling is foolproof and safe. WIth the exception of split coupling, this method will always work reliably and safely.
I have been teaching the use of air for the last few years; it’s not a recent thing. (and yes, I do train on artics though we don’t actually operate them ourselves).
Pete
Peter Smythe:
Because that’s the way the test requires it to be done, and you are training people to pass the test.
I would say it’s largely ignored because it’s not the best or fastest or event the easiest way to couple up a trailer.
Has the technique for coupling/uncoupling changed for the test since air suspension became the norm on all lorries ?
The method taught for coupling/uncoupling is foolproof and safe.
Well it can hardly be foolproof given the number of people who under run the pin when coupling 
There was someone on the board only the other day talking about the virtues of the method you’re talking about, but he’s already gone under the pin, and he still insisted it’s the best method 
Anyway, I’m not saying the method taught for the test doesn’t work or that it’s not safe, I’m simply saying that in the real world it’s not the best method.