If I don’t think I need the third axle when it’s down, I’ll try and lift it. If I’m wrong it’ll stay down but will come up if not needed.
But another driver said he always puts it down even if the trailer is empty. He says it’s easier to reverse with 3 axles.
I’m just over a year as class 1 so don’t really have enough experience that I can feel the difference between 2 or 3 axles, I’m just happy to put the arse in the bay and take a shunt to go straight back [emoji1]
My initial thought was it’s a waste of tyres and 2 more to potentially blowout!
You’ll lose traction on a damp/wet road with an empty or lightly loaded trailer if a lift axle is down. As for being easier to reverse, that’s a new one on me.
Always down when loaded, and up when empty and always up when reversing even when loaded if it’s a manual one, the trailer follows the line easier when up
Harry Monk:
You’ll lose traction on a damp/wet road with an empty or lightly loaded trailer if a lift axle is down. As for being easier to reverse, that’s a new one on me.
Yep found this one out the hard way on my first day, got stuck on a hump bridge! Panicked and didn’t realise the mid axle was down, just kept spinning out. Luckily there was a driver behind me who kindly pointed my wrong doing. Caused quite the tailback in the process
Be a little careful, especially with lifting Scania mid lifts, the fifth wheel height goes up. Pull a 16,3 DD with the mid-lift up will put you very close if not over 16,6. Same if you squeak into a delivery under a 14ft bridge, you may well clonk it on the way out empty with the lift up.
Edit: Also, if you set your in cab height marker for loaded with axle lowered you will be higher with the axle raised therefore have the marker set lower than actual height. Thats a fine.
It’s a wonder people give a toss about this stuff in 2022 you must be in a old heap. The computer puts it up and down for you in all trucks I’ve driven for the last 15-20 year or so. As above the only time you need to concern yourself about lift axles is a tag and empty decker combined. As for reversing it’s all the same pish 6 legger or 4, just get it on the bay and stop overthinking things.
Kenny_C:
But another driver said he always puts it down even if the trailer is empty. He says it’s easier to reverse with 3 axles.
He’s a fool
Yup, clueless.
Learning your vehicle and how and when you can make use of lifting or weight transferring between axles can make all the difference between being stuck somewhere and getting home in bad weather, when to turn off TC/ASR ties in with this.
I’ve seen clowns struggling to reverse into MSA parking bays in damp weather because no idea about these things.
are you talking about the lift axle on a tractor unit or trailer?
trailers definitely behave different when the front lift axle is up, the pivot point changes, i sometimes put it down when going to tight yards as it turns better, i would say its different in reverse but probably better as there is less tire scrubbing.
midlift on a tractor unit always put up unless the truck won’t allow it, for better traction
Up whenever possible mainly just for better traction. Can’t say I’ve ever noticed a difference when reversing but then I wasn’t looking for a difference lol.
Kenny_C:
But another driver said he always puts it down even if the trailer is empty. He says it’s easier to reverse with 3 axles.
He’s a fool
This ^^^^
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
If you’re used to the pivot point being the middle axle of 3, lifting one which will change the pivot point WILL make it harder until you learn that as well. (If he can’t learn both, that might make him a fool?)
Kenny_C:
But another driver said he always puts it down even if the trailer is empty. He says it’s easier to reverse with 3 axles.
He’s a fool
This ^^^^
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
If you’re used to the pivot point being the middle axle of 3, lifting one which will change the pivot point WILL make it harder until you learn that as well. (If he can’t learn both, that might make him a fool?)
When it comes to units pivot points move so little as to barely be noticeable. Much more notable on a tri axle trailer
Kenny_C:
But another driver said he always puts it down even if the trailer is empty. He says it’s easier to reverse with 3 axles.
He’s a fool
This ^^^^
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
If you’re used to the pivot point being the middle axle of 3, lifting one which will change the pivot point WILL make it harder until you learn that as well. (If he can’t learn both, that might make him a fool?)
When it comes to units pivot points move so little as to barely be noticeable. Much more notable on a tri axle trailer
The op was only asking about lifting trailer axles.
Which I’ve never driven, but have driven triple or double axle trailers.
I would always lift my unit axle (if I remember) as it just makes manoeuvring easier.
You want to try this for a bit of fun . That trailer has an auto lifting front axle and a steer axle on the back . It only steers going forwards and locks up straight when you hit reverse. It confused so many of our lot we ended up having to sell it as some “drivers” couldn’t get their heads round why it would go in to places but it wouldn’t reverse out again lol. All they had to do was pull the fog line out and it wouldn’t lock up or pull the button on the side to lock the steer axle but it confused to many of them .
Front lift axle
Rear steer
post and pins
sliding roof
mounty brackets
I`ve found that the drivers who obsess over axles being up / down are the same berks who obsess about WTD / POA and end up working longer hours than their colleagues who use their noggin [salaried], and they also attract infringements by the page due to their obsession
