I had been taught that there are 5 main things to check when picking up a trailer.
1 safety clip in place
2 suzis connected
3 legs lifted
4 trailer brake off
5 number plate fitted
In addittion to these I always check
6 lights
7 tyres
Today I picked up an empty trailer drove to another yard, less than a mile, and reversed in. A driver came and said " Whats wrong with that trailer" “why” I replied having been through the above checks. “It’s down at the back”. He was of course correct the suspension had been dropped for no apparent reason.
This is a heavy weight double decker which would have had 37 pallets on it when I would have set off down the M1, scary thought,
So now I have 8 checks I will make in future.
8 suspension
Also check things like mudguards and side rails for security(these have been known to fall off )
Stating the obvious I know, but also check rear doors and curtains are properly secured before setting off.
But most importantly, check the trailer has a current MOT disc If you can’t see it don’t pull it, I always say,as VOSA will be on you like hair on a gorilla
Your’re not the only one to forget the air suspension control!! It can be hidden almost anywhere on the trailer, dependant upon manufacturer or original market (UK or rest of europe). The number of times I’ve picked up a trailer, pulled away from a bay and forgotten the suspension control is beyond count, bring back steel springs!
Perhaps we ought to run checklists like pilots do, that way nothing is left to memory, now where did I put that checklist■■?
A lot of trailers the air suspension will reset to ride height over a certain speed which is handy should it be forgotten. Our trailers do that not that I would ever forget…cough…errr…
Never check the indicators by turning on the hazards.
I nearly killed a copper once after doing a check the above way on a trailer we had just repossed from City, the hazards were working fine, it was just when I wanted to tell someone, via the trailer, which direction I was going I couldn’t
I indcated left off a roundabout but I didn’t on the trailers indicators I indicated right & the poor sod in the police car was so shaken he forgot to nick me for it.
Lesson learnt do a proper check it’s safer.
Get under the trailer and stick the sidelights and hazards on.
Get out of the cab, check the fifth wheel and put the safety clip on
Attach all susies.
Wind up legs.
Check trailer brake is now off.
Check ride height lever is set to run.
Check N/S tyres/marker lights Fit numberplate and check rear lights.
Check O/S tyres and marker lights.
Final quick check of fifth wheel safety clip to make sure I’ve not missed it.
(5 and 6 may come after 8 depending where they are on the trailer)
Basically I have a routine that is done as a full circle of the trailer and ensures things are done in an order rather than doing one bit, going to the other side, doing another etc.
I once picked up a new trailer straight from the factory and on leaving the town somebody stopped me to tell me that the indicators were wired the wrong way round.
I back up to the trailer but not go under…
Get out, check 5th wheel height, then go round and do a visual check for tyres, guards, bars, dents, and damage… suspension is in ‘run’ or pulled out, MOT, Brake is ON
Back under and lock on, two tugs forward to check, lights and hazards on
No. Plate
Safety
Susies
Legs
Brake OFF
Whilst also checking the lights on my second way round…
once i’ve couple up, i check (in no particular order);
lights, including high beam, indicators (not by using hazards)
oil where possible (they tend to hide the handle)
wipers
water in washer bottle
horn
radio
load, if i can get in
suspension set to correct height
tyres
all round the trailer
i also check for any damage and make a note of it before i leave the yard, if it’s really bad then i’ll make sure that someone knows about it before i leave.
when i’m ready to roll i’ll check me brakes before leaving the yard.
As I only drive my own (company) wagon these days, checking the lights etc isn’t so much of a priority. They where ok yesterday, good chance they’ll be ok today. But you should check the oil before starting the engine. It will have all run down into the sump whilst parked up. Starting the engine starts your oil circulating through the engine and it takes a little while for it to run back into the sump so that you get a true reading. Also, on some wagons now, the ‘dip stick’ is built into the computer and you have to check the oil before starting the engine with those as well.
My checklist goes :-
1 Check oil,
2 Start up and pick up my trailer (doing a tug test), switch on all lights and 4 ways, double check hand brake is on ( ),
3 Legs,
4 Suzies,
5 Check 5th wheel lock and drop unit suspension to ride height,
6 Numberplate, checking side lights, tyres, tail lights etc, on the way round,
7 Checking trailer suspension is at ride height,
8 This time of year its easy to check indicators and brake lights, switch all your lights off, then operate them, you will see them shining on the ground.
9 If I get distracted at all during my ‘hook up’ sequence, double check everything, .
You don’t usually have to worry about trailer brakes, unless you are very close coupled and hook up your suzies before locking the trailer into your 5th wheel, or the trailer has been left for a long time. Not that putting the trailer brake on is a bad thing, just not really needed. However, if thats the way you prefer to do it and its part of your system, don’t let me (or anyone else) discourage you from doing it that way.
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