The only time I’ve unplugged it is if needing the auto lift axle down for a tight access, I’ve only ever unplugged it for the turn though.
I just don’t understand why people moan about Health & Safety Managers and the like saying it’s a non job and they just make up silly rules to justify their job … and then run around with one of their lines unplugged giving these very people every justification for their job.
Jaxo:
Is this question asked in regards to your double deck trailers that self level the suspension based on the EBS being plugged in? A certain company who uses your double deck trailers who run them in a light blue livery and have a smile on them who use any old Tom, ■■■■ and Harry have had bridge strikes with your trailers, it’s a case of drivers being clueless of the height, drivers running with their mid axles up on Scania trucks, drivers not plugging in their EBS cables because they think it will stop that EBS alarm that goes off due to faulty EBS cables. Although I have personally witnessed one of your DD trailers not self levelling with no EBS warning alarm showing on the trailer.
Just PM’d you. Thank you.
Jimmy McNulty:
I just don’t understand why people moan about Health & Safety Managers and the like saying it’s a non job and they just make up silly rules to justify their job … and then run around with one of their lines unplugged giving these very people every justification for their job.
We can’t comment on operator’s H&S effectiveness but we do recommend that the EBS line is ALWAYS connected for the reasons we pointed out earlier in the thread. Drivers who choose to ignore these safety recommendations should be aware of the consequences and the dangers they then expose other road users (and pedestrians) to. It needs to be monitored and enforced.
It’s down to drivers thinking they know better than the people who designed & built what equipment they are using I’d say, seems to be a common occurrence within this industry!
Never not ran without an EBS lead connected where applicable, never took it off either, we’ve got some SDC trailers with soft docking which can be a pain but not had to remove the EBS to get the job done nor would I expect to.
I work locally to you guys (Browns Distribution, Tunstall) whilst to my knowledge they don’t have any of your trailers, maybe you approaching them with a view to offering some much needed driver education (there’s a few ignorant “experts” here 
) with regards to EBS systems etc would be a foot in the door? - they’ve got some SDC trailers which are excellent but the Dekkers they keep buying are truly dire imo!
AFAIK Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring Systems and BPW’s CargoFleet monitoring telematics are at least powered by the EBS suzie. Whether or not this also requires can line communication with the tractor unit I don’t know. There will presumably be the ability for these systems to be linked to GPS tracking which latter would encourage some misinformed drivers to assume that they could defeat these systems by disconnecting the EBS suzie … without realising that these systems have battery back up.
Arthurhucksake:
It’s down to drivers thinking they know better than the people who designed & built what equipment they are using I’d say, seems to be a common occurrence within this industry!Never not ran without an EBS lead connected where applicable, never took it off either, we’ve got some SDC trailers with soft docking which can be a pain but not had to remove the EBS to get the job done nor would I expect to.
I work locally to you guys (Browns Distribution, Tunstall) whilst you my knowledge they don’t have any of your trailers, maybe you approaching them with a view to offering some much needed driver education (there’s a few ignorant “experts” here
More often than not, we support the operator at Fleet Management or Procurement level. How we get this info to the people that need it most (the drivers), should be an internal training procedure but we can’t tell if that’s getting through or indeed if the trainers truly understand the issues.
We would be happy to offer some local training (I used to live in Tunstall!) but it would be difficult to offer this across several operators. We can certainly point out the legislation and highlight the reasoning but we can only advise; not enforce.
I like that you’re suggesting a marketing angle here but I need to underline that this thread is unbiased and purely educational.
cav551:
AFAIK Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring Systems and BPW’s CargoFleet monitoring telematics are at least powered by the EBS suzie. Whether or not this also requires can line communication with the tractor unit I don’t know. There will presumably be the ability for these systems to be linked to GPS tracking which latter would encourage some misinformed drivers to assume that they could defeat these systems by disconnecting the EBS suzie … without realising that these systems have battery back up.
BPWs “Idem” and “CargoFleet” systems obtain CAN data via the main ECU (including EBPMS)… which is powered by the EBS line. The ECU also obtains CAN data from the tractor; however, the actual BPW Telematics Box (including GPS tracker) is indeed powered by an independent battery.
Disconnecting the EBS line to go round bends faster. ■■■■ sake I’ve heard it all now. How much time is that REALLY going to save you. Given the consequences if you get it wrong and the potential pay off in saved seconds by cheating the system you must be a cabbage.
There’s no hope 
biggriffin:
The only reason you hit a bridge is being a knob, not connecting the ebs/abs lead will not make you hit a bridge
biggriffin:
I stand by what I said… It’s also the drivers responsibility to ensure his vehicle is presented correctly before he goes out, after raising the rear suspension, pull the handle out so it levels,or manually return it to ride height… Use to work in the oldern days before we all had ebs.
A classic example of thinking your little puddle of experience is the whole ocean of knowledge.
The blue smiley double decker trailers as mentioned in a previous post will in fact slowly raise the trailer suspension until full height if the ABS lead ̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶m̶i̶t̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶q̶u̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶d̶ is faulty. At the start the ride height will appear normal, the trailers rise as you’re under way.
I know of two instances where a faulty ABS lead has led to two bridge strikes… ON THE M4!! I know both drivers involved (both are competent and experienced) and have seen with my own eyes the damaged trailers and know the exact bridges that were struck (two different bridges one Eastbound one Westbound but both on the M4) and have spoken with both drivers after the incident and both had no clues or warnings to this event about to unfold, both drivers had the ABS leads connected, also both drivers had pulled multiple blue smiley DD’s before and since with no problems whatsoever, both these strikes happened before the screeching ABS alarm with bright LED warning devices were retrofitted, I do not know if there have been any strikes since but there aren’t any that I’ve been made aware of.
Reef:
… as mentioned in a previous post will in fact slowly raise the trailer suspension until full height if the ABS lead is omitted and quite likely do it if the lead is faulty. At the start the ride height will appear normal, the trailers rise as you’re under way.
On any trailer, if the EBS isn’t plugged in, the trailer suspension can’t alter as the solenoid valves are electronically powered. The trailer brain (ECU) is switched off so it doesn’t know what ride height is so it won’t raise or lower. It will just stay where it was when you set off. The only way for suspension to raise of lower without EBS would be if there was an air leak/faulty valve in the system but that would mean the trailer would raise/lower at all times when it was sitting on a yard or out on the road; not just when you’re driving.
Don-Bur:
Reef:
… as mentioned in a previous post will in fact slowly raise the trailer suspension until full height if the ABS lead is omitted and quite likely do it if the lead is faulty. At the start the ride height will appear normal, the trailers rise as you’re under way.On any trailer, if the EBS isn’t plugged in, the trailer suspension can’t alter as the solenoid valves are electronically powered. The trailer brain (ECU) is switched off so it doesn’t know what ride height is so it won’t raise or lower. It will just stay where it was when you set off. The only way for suspension to raise of lower without EBS would be if there was an air leak/faulty valve in the system but that would mean the trailer would raise/lower at all times when it was sitting on a yard or out on the road; not just when you’re driving.
Ah I see, ok, thanks for the clarification.
I wonder if this guy’s lead was connected
bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-englan … om-driving
Cool bit of cornering there…right up to the point that he lost it!