Tandem Sliding and Pin pulling tool

A friend of mine gave me a Sta Rat last year and I use it every day. It sits right next to my seat when not in use. I use it to thump my tires, pull the fifth wheel and occasionally to slide tandems.

I really like the Sta Rat on a sticky lever, or one that won't stay out. I just attach the tool and give it a pull. The foot pushes against the frame to supply tension. Then I get back in the truck and gently rock it a little while watching the Sta Rat tool in the mirror, when it pops out like the pop thing on your Thanksgiving turkey I set the brake with the Jonny Bar and slide the axle. Why use a vise grip when the correct tool just works.

If the brakes don't hold I adjust them, which is a completely different problem.

 

Wish I had known there were tools and tricks for sliding the tandems. I was pretty desperate with about 3 different trailers in a row where the handle would not stay out so I came up with this solution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoSzNYtXkfo

Also had a problem with only 3 of the 4 pins staying out so had to push the last one in and jam a screwdriver behind it to clear the hole.

 

That sta rat tool is a kool idea.

 

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't lock the pins after sliding my tandems at a dock recently. Heard the bang and thought it was my kingpin in the fifth wheel. Got to the TA Ontario west fuel island only to find out that the tandems all the way back in SoCal, what an idiot I was!

The day I decided to get my CDL I was on the 215 in San Bernardino in a traffic jam. Got up to the cause of it to see a set of tandems ripped off of a trailer about 50ft back. Not pretty.

 

I use the vice grips to keep the STA RAT hook on the release handle, it was sliding off as it pulled the handle until I used the vice grips.

 

Dont know how far you traveled to get to the truck stop but next time you hear a loud bang out of the ordinary I would suggest stopping immediately to look see what it is, might save you some head aches down the road.

I made my own pulling tool, kinda cumbersome but works good when needed and was cheap. Otherwise for handles that dont stay out, vice grips or a short tapered piece of wood to jam in the hole, like from a broken piece of pallet

 

I say again.....vise grips and a hammer. That's all you need.

 

Ive had my share of experience with this already with some of our junkier trailers...stuck pin pullers that won't retract unless you can convince someone to yank on it for you while you're in the cab torquing it forward or backward. Not the most reliable way to get your already-obnoxious-enough job done, nor is it the safest thing to be doing. And then what if there isnt anybody around to beg for help from? No, you have to be able to adjust those quickly and easily yourself when you're out there on the road to be in compliance with weight and bridge laws, as well as shipper/consignee policies. Maybe a STA-rat would be a good investment...I've heard it is from guys more experienced than me. In the meantime I've already had to haul several trailers into the shop for repair, in hopes of saving the trouble for the next guy who uses it, instead of playing hot potato with it.

 

Yeah...always a good idea. He's lucky he didn't pull the slider bogey out of its brackets. Awful hard to get back in without a jack or forklift and an impact wrench.

 

Get a sta rat.
Perfect tool for tandoms on older trailers....especially during the winter.
A hammer might be good to have too...
i have the max force one....red. best $89 i ever spent. Saves me time and frustration.