Tanker truck loses trailer on I-5 south of Salem, Ore.

Yes very lucky it didn't cause any wrecks. Needless to say, chances are good, there will be a driver's job opened at this company.

 

Where's that guy that told me pre-trip wasn't the most important thing for a newbie to learn? Oh yeah he's disconnected from his tanker. Whatcha think about the importance of the pre-trip now?

 

Time to have the shop inspect kingpins and fifth wheels?

 

May not have been the pre trip.

Maybe he stopped at a truck stop for a meal or a rest area to use the facility and some really nice guy pulled his pin partially.

Kind of funny that they have not stated what happened yet.

 

I do a quick walk around everytime I leave my vehicle unattended for any length of time. Some say it's a waste of time. But seeing something like that shows me it's time well spent. It's a dam shame to have to do it, thinking some ####### would vandalize your rig while you're getting a bite or grabbing a shower.

 

I do too, since someone took my service line off and put it on the back of the truck. Lucky I saw it.

 

It's possible it's someones bad trick. But usually you won't go far if someone pulls your pin.

It's most likely he eased under the trailer and the jaws half closed with a poor damaged fifth wheel with a bent rod.

Newbies, this is why you walk under the trailer and check the kingpin EVERY hookup! Don't rely solely on a tug test. Make it part of every pretrip and it will become habit. If you stop at a truckstop, glance at your pull handle when you get in the truck.

This stuff can be prevented.

 

Absolutely, you should get under and look to make sure. Had a fifth wheel go bad on me two months ago, backed under, did a pull test and then crawled under to do final look only to see that the latch was not completely locked. Might have been on my way down the road who knows how many miles before losing my trailer. Easily could be fatal to me and the public on the highway.

 

Years back, i did my usual post hookup walkaround and a good tug test in a shipper's lot, finished the paperwork, and pulled out to leave; something didn't look right in the mirror, and i slammed the brakes on in time to avoid the trailer dropping off the 5th wheel. Seems the fifth wheel would clamp visibly , but would release when you turned left. Thought I had forgotten something, till it happened again in a company drop lot a month later. Scrapped that fifth wheel (a Holland 3500?). When it was removed, the mechs could find no sign of any particular defect, just the usual wear.

Needless to say, the tug test can be worthless. Even a visual check can fail you.

As for 'pranks'... I once had a playful sort pull the tandem lock while stopped for coffee at Champlain NY. Found this out when i braked for a construction zone further west. Tandem slid back to the stops, cutting through the lock bar like it was butter. Glad it didn't cut through the stops too. Stuff like this can make one rightfully paranoid.