trailer

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
61

In the case of the stowed handle jammed up, sometimes worth connecting the red line and raising the trailer suspension as high as possible, might just bring the rubbing plate down enough to get some purchase with the tractor.

To answer some of the previous comments, yes regardless of whatever sort of trailer i’ll offer the tractor up with the fifth wheel just before the rubbing plate and get out and have a look, depending on the situation you’re looking for several things apart from checking the parking brake is on, whether you do that or not depends on where you are who’s watching and the all important company policy if the job’s worth a light.

Obviously good lining up is all more important with different trailer types where lining up isn’t as easy as with a strandard square front.

1 are the fifth wheel jaws open, air lines etc out the way, if handle hasn’t flicked off its catch during the previous dropping operation just give the handle a tap backwards to set in ready to go home when the jaws lock

2 is the fifth wheel tilted back or level…if level there is a danger the fifth wheel could ride up the front of the trailer, check George’s trailer fronts for evidence of how regularly this happens*

3 how far back is the king pin so you have an idea of how far back to go, no obvious obstacles to a clean pick up

4 does the distance of the king pin relate to the position of the fifth wheel, on some fleets the fifth wheel position is moved regularly some are two position controlled from cab to negate the need for split coupling

depending on the situation (such as freshly greased fifth wheel) i’ll lower the tractor suspension and ease back in as far as possible so the king pin is in the widest point of the fifth wheel, then raise enough to just lift the landing legs clear, then go back as gently as possible to engage, and yes after a tug test i shine a torch up its arse to see the jaws are physically closed with the pin sitting correctly.

Lots of fuss?, yep, but it beats the hell out of the consequences of the antics of messrs bodgit and scarper.

*one of their own kept repeatedly ramming the thing up the front of the trailer many moons ago, couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t connect up.

62

Rjan:

airbrake:
anyway could go on along time but always live legs 6in from ground that what we always did old skool but never missed

Good grief, 6 inches, if it’s on a warehouse bay they’ll need to throw in a rope ladder!

With your air suspension correctly adjusted to self-level, wind the legs to the ground to the point of resistance, and then put the handle away (winding back up to a full turn as necessary).

Dropping trailers depends, some trailers bend at the front when loaded so if you don’t raise it before hand the next guy can struggle to get under.
Also to keep the shoes level at bottom of legs, pull yellow line first then drop air at the back of trailer, then drop legs and rest of suzies uncoupling as trained. ALOT of ■■■■■■■ about but is best practice for legs/feet and air bags

63

Ryy86:
I’m guessing I’ve never driven a lorry that has had a properly maintained mechanism then. What about reversing back against the pin and having to physically knock the handle into place for it to work, I’m guessing that’s only ever happened to me as well due to poor maintenance.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. If all the vehicles you drive are like this, you are driving lorries whose mechanisms are defective and are not being properly maintained. It’s also not clear whether you’ve reported the defects, because you seem to think it is normal, and seem to say it is happening to you all the time.

64

Ryy86:

Rjan:
With your air suspension correctly adjusted to self-level, wind the legs to the ground to the point of resistance, and then put the handle away (winding back up to a full turn as necessary).

Dropping trailers depends, some trailers bend at the front when loaded so if you don’t raise it before hand the next guy can struggle to get under. Also to keep the shoes level at bottom of legs, pull yellow line first then drop air at the back of trailer, then drop legs and rest of suzies uncoupling as trained. ALOT of [zb] about but is best practice for legs/feet and air bags

It’s certainly interesting to hear a fresh perspective on so many things! I’ve never encountered a loaded trailer, dropped level, that drooped so much at the front that the next guy couldn’t pick it up, even after lowering his air suspension to get the ramps under - although I suppose it is plausible with very heavy loads and your specific equipment. And I can’t immediately understand why you’d drop the trailer high and then lower its suspension, or where the yellow airline comes into the picture.

65

Ryy86:
You should be able to engage low even with it stowed, hit it with something

That’s what I’ve found. Handles occasionally get stuck in their stowed position, in which case you just yank the end of the handle to move the gear selector into neutral which allows the handle to be moved freely (and there’s normally a bit of lash in the handle that allows you to hammer the gear selector out). I can’t recall encountering a stuck handle that couldn’t be moved into neutral.

66

no prom 6in just short of ground 20t loaded and sheeted and it will beg
you will know when you are under it its all about taking your time
thats why use old school just watch most
of this boy racers wrecking they just wont learn and move on
thats why this drivers card came in ,

67

Rjan:

Ryy86:
You should be able to engage low even with it stowed, hit it with something

That’s what I’ve found. Handles occasionally get stuck in their stowed position, in which case you just yank the end of the handle to move the gear selector into neutral which allows the handle to be moved freely (and there’s normally a bit of lash in the handle that allows you to hammer the gear selector out). I can’t recall encountering a stuck handle that couldn’t be moved into neutral.

try picking trailer up between tight bays then crank legs up

68

Ryy86:

Rjan:

airbrake:
anyway could go on along time but always live legs 6in from ground that what we always did old skool but never missed[/quot

With your air suspension correctly adjusted to self-level, wind the legs to the ground to the point of resistance, and then put the handle away (winding back up to a full turn as necessary).

Dropping trailers depends, some trailers bend at the front when loaded so if you don’t raise it before hand the next guy can struggle to get under.
Also to keep the shoes level at bottom of legs, pull yellow line first then drop air at the back of trailer, then drop legs and rest of suzies uncoupling as trained. ALOT of [zb] about but is best practice for legs/feet and air bags

69

Rjan:

Ryy86:
I stated that I nearly always get out the cab usually to repull the pin as it engages when rattling about the yard etc and I’m the knob?

What do you mean re-pull the pin? A properly maintained fifth wheel should never engage itself - not even if you’re driving like Mr Toad through a yard that resembles a cratered battlefield.[/quot

70

stevieboy308:

Ryy86:

stevieboy308:

Ryy86:
You must get out to present it on test day, I always get out to check the mechanisim hasn’t engaged on the journey to the trailer, it usually does with the tiniest bump in the yard.

End of thread, folks that don’t try coming accross clever but they’re just showing they cut corners due to a multitude of reasons. And we’ll what else don’t you do because u can get away with it unto a point?

No wonder trailers go walkies down the motorways

I’m a right badass, I normally don’t use 3 points of contact when getting in and out of the wagon, sometimes cross my hands, sometimes speed. I don’t come down hills how you will of probably been taught either!

I also will only do my tug test when the legs are in the air, so no force is transferred to them, what about when you do your 2?

Unless perfectly lined up you’ll obviously get a bit if sideways movement when the pin hits the jaws, again my corner cutting way means the legs are in the air and no force is transferred to them.

I’ll carry on cutting corners, you carry on thinking you’re on test

And Juddiam, it’s a bit different picking up tanks with a rub plate the same size as the fifth wheel, would you still be getting out when coupling a curtain sider with a deep pin?

Yeh I like to bend the trailer legs to 45 degrees causing a hassle in the yard for the guys cutting them off, batter my cab off the curtain siders, or smash and bend drive axel spray suppression and light cluster steadys off skellies etc.

You should not be telling new drivers how to cut corners, the dafty who started this thread damaged his bosses truck because he didn’t get out and check, and you try give me a lesson that you don’t need to get out and check lol. I know exactly how to couple up I know exactly how to do a lot of things, but your right I’ve only been driving these like what 3-4 year? I’m still fresh as a daisey surely can’t know what these old school lorry drivers do. Lmao.

We’ve had 3 write offs at my firm in the last couple of years, all by guys that’s been driving ‘before I was swimming bout ma das baw sack’ I do gen haulage so no trolly dollys with us anything from loader to flat to tattie bulker to tipper, and this guy I’ve work for a while happy to say I ain’t cost him a bolt, and will continue to try keep running costs down while the net goes up.

Dude, seriously! I now realise I’m talking to a driving god, but the point still stands, you get out to check the trailer height, I do it by backing under, but nowhere near hitting the cab / lights, press the up button, if I see the trailer rise, I know the height is fine, can you really argue i haven’t checked the height?

STEVIEBOY308 is right sounds like old old times keeps you on your toes
you dont see many today winding 20t up on low gears
all airbag jazz keep your uniform tidy. give me old tractor anyday still keep up at 60

71

stevieboy308:
come in airbrake, come in airbrake, this is 2016 calling, we’re on air now, live in the now, move with the times, embrace the progress

yes i know

72

Juddian:
Bloody love it, so no need to go and check when one of our planks winds the legs all the way down when dropping an empty tank off with a Scania with the mid lift raised…you can miss that pin entirely with a MAN/Daf with the suspension fully up.

I happened to see (from across the yard so couldn’t stop the twerp) one of our intrepid agency lads reverse straight under such a tank with an MAN on mirrors alone, true hero trucker stylee, only smashed the unit rear lights and dented the hydraulic oil tank and bent the splash guard bolted to the landing legs…dunno how the agency stays in business the bills he must (read should) receive.

You carry on doing it your way lads, i’ll carry on getting out and looking before sliding under.
thats right same here don,t no what they do on there test in these days

Never missed a pin in 40 years, but i have dropped an empty tipper trailer on its half lowered knees (no damage other than my non existant ego) just as my then boss drove into the yard with wifey sat beside him :blush: