having read the thread on here about split coupling and a couple of ways of hooking up a trailer i wondered which way is correct. i have wtched some you-tube videos and almost all of them said that when you drop a trailer you should wind the legs down till they are on the ground and a tweak more to make sure they are realy down. One video however said that when you drop a trailer you should leave the legs about 1/4" to 1/2" above the ground that way when someone comes to pick it up it doesnt overly stress the legs if the unit isnt bang on center.
I did ask a friend of mine about this he said legs should always be all the way down as its easy to push a trailer over if your not lined up correctly.
cooper1203:
I did ask a friend of mine about this he said legs should always be all the way down as its easy to push a trailer over if your not lined up correctly.
Never heard of that happening ever! I always leave the legs half an inch or so off the floor, pull clear of the pin a few inches and then lower the unit air suspension. I do the reverse when coupling up as despite what one very vocal member here will tell you it’s the right way to do it.
Also, a tip; when dropping trailers DO NOT stow the leg winding handle as this can make it a right PITA to pick up by the next person if the back of the trailer has dropped and the unit suspension will not go high enough to lift the legs off of the floor.
Everyone will adopt their own way of dropping a trailer regards to the legs, there really isnt a standard that everyone does. The way I do it is to lift the trailer an inch or so in the air, wind down the legs so they are slightly up off the ground or lightly touching it. lower the suspension to a level position and drive forwards a few inches to disengage the pin. lower the suspension to drive completely out, its ready for the next person to connect to. As maoster suggests, dont put the winder back in the hook as it can be a pig to release and easier to put back once you have connected to the trailer. Right or wrong, its the way I have done it for years and never had a problem.
It really doesn’t matter about the legs being right down or not… Just pick trailer up a bit so legs are off the ground before doing tug test.
It’s far more important when split coupling that you check the trailer brake is on before climbing on the catwalk between unit & trailer.
Even though a lot of trailers now have automatic brakes when no airline is attached, it’s advisable to get in the habit of always checking it’s on.
The practice of leaving the legs slightly off the ground probably harks back a few years to when tractor units with non-adjustable steel suspension were commonplace. Dropping the trailer slightly low would pretty much guarantee that next unit would be able to pick it up cleanly.
Adjustable air suspension pretty much removes the need to do this, and also means that trailers can easily be picked up and dropped smoothly and quietly (edit to add: and without coating the leading edge of the rubbing plate with grease)
drover:
It really doesn’t matter about the legs being right down or not… Just pick trailer up a bit so legs are off the ground before doing tug test.
It’s far more important when split coupling that you check the trailer brake is on before climbing on the catwalk between unit & trailer.
Even though a lot of trailers now have automatic brakes when no airline is attached, it’s advisable to get in the habit of always checking it’s on.
Definitely check the brake. Our shunters are terrible for not applying the brake. 8 out of 10 times when I check, it’s not on.
Could I point out that over the past few years a small minority of drivers are in the habit of raising the suspension to the top before dropping the trailer, Ive had to get the shuntter to pull the trailer out so I could wind the legs down to hook up. SO PLEASE STOP RAISING SUSPENSION BEFORE DROPPING TRAILERS its not big and its not clever.
drover:
It really doesn’t matter about the legs being right down or not… Just pick trailer up a bit so legs are off the ground before doing tug test.
It’s far more important when split coupling that you check the trailer brake is on before climbing on the catwalk between unit & trailer.
Even though a lot of trailers now have automatic brakes when no airline is attached, it’s advisable to get in the habit of always checking it’s on.
Definitely check the brake. Our shunters are terrible for not applying the brake. 8 out of 10 times when I check, it’s not on.
Yeah it’s about normal, that’s why more & more trailers have the auto brakes now to stop people getting squished!
Problem is like what’s i work all our own trailers have the auto brakes but when we get in hire trailers they sometimes don’t!
Keeping safe in this job is all about creating safe habits that you stick to religiously.
Takes the same amount of time to check the brake as it does to get squashed
thehairyarsedtrucker:
Could I point out that over the past few years a small minority of drivers are in the habit of raising the suspension to the top before dropping the trailer, Ive had to get the shuntter to pull the trailer out so I could wind the legs down to hook up. SO PLEASE STOP RAISING SUSPENSION BEFORE DROPPING TRAILERS its not big and its not clever.
Definately agree to not raise the suspension to the top limit, when I worked for a company that ran mixed units of mercs and renaults, if a renault dropped a trailer low then it became a pain for a Merc to get under without stressing the legs as the fith wheel is higher on the Mercs. Lifting the trailer an inch or so gives everyone wiggle room to get under without being too ridiculous to pick up. Our fleet is all volvo so nt too important if all the same units are connecting but I still adopt the inch of lift for others.
Personally I leave a couple of windings off the ground when dropping, but to be fair the units I am driving have well-placed bars at the back that are at the correct height to just drive off slowly (without causing any damage to the mudguards). I am also mostly dropping empty or lightly loaded trailers, so perhaps this wouldn’t be appropriate if dropping heavy trailers. I may lower the legs to the ground and lower the suspension to see clear daylight between the trailer and the fifth wheel in that case.
When picking up I always reverse underneath, short of the kingpin and raise the suspension so that I can clearly see the legs off the ground. This means the trailer can align itself (as it enters the V cut out of the fifth wheel) if you are coming back slightly off straight and also it makes sure of correct engagement with the kingpin.
drover:
It really doesn’t matter about the legs being right down or not… Just pick trailer up a bit so legs are off the ground before doing tug test.
It’s far more important when split coupling that you check the trailer brake is on before climbing on the catwalk between unit & trailer.
Even though a lot of trailers now have automatic brakes when no airline is attached, it’s advisable to get in the habit of always checking it’s on.
One of the “retired to the yard” blokes at our place goes off on one for putting the trailer brake on. Always telling me there’s no need. I do it anyway cause that’s how I was taught. We couple/uncouple on flat ground not sloped but it only takes a failure to be squashed.
Assuming your fleet has units all with the same height 5th wheels…
Dropping:
Raise unit about an inch or two.
Wind legs so they just touch ground.
Drop to normal height.
Pull forward a few inches.
Drop all the way and exit.
When connecting, drop air, run under but not all the way.
Raise so the 5th wheel makes firm contact, but no need to take all the weight of the trailer.
Bang in the last few inches firmly, and give a good tug.
Raise all the way, and tug again.
Roymondo:
Adjustable air suspension pretty much removes the need to do this, and also means that trailers can easily be picked up and dropped smoothly and quietly (edit to add: and without coating the leading edge of the rubbing plate with grease)
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Unless your driving a Scania and the next driver coming to pick up the trailer is in a Volvo ( as happens at our place ) Scanias seem to run a couple of inches higher and so when they drop a trailer and you come along with a Volvo to lift it you seem to end up at full height just to get hooked in to the trailer with no extra to get the legs clear .
We also have a few ‘drivers’ who wind the legs right down and then dump all the air out of the trailer suspension so they dont get grease on the rubbing strips leaving the trailer pointing up into the air like a Scud missile launcher - I do hope theres a special place in hell reserved for them .
When dropping trailers I always lower the legs right to the floor, but that’s probably because half the time I’m dropping them on uneven ground. When picking them up I raise the suspension as high as I can once I’ve engaged the pin, especially when picking up loaded trailers
