Lost Air Line on RGN

Discussion in 'Heavy Haul Trucking Forum' started by ABfish, Mar 30, 2018.

  1. ABfish

    ABfish Bobtail Member

    25
    45
    Nov 8, 2017
    0
    New to the site. Lots of great information here.

    I run a construction company that uses a 50-ton RGN, an Eager Beaver with 3rd lift axle. I run the lowboy around town, mainly as an excuse to leave the office (and I really enjoy it).

    Last week, a helper and I were moving an excavator into a subdivision. We were traveling about 20 mph in the neighborhood when an airline popped off of the quick-connect on the trailer gooseneck. The Eager Beaver uses standard air line fittings, like you'd use in a mechanics shop. I had reconnected the line myself, after we loaded the machine, but the site was muddy and I remember wiping mud off of the fitting before attaching the line. We had driven at least 20 miles before the line popped off.

    When the line popped off, the truck and trailer came to a halt pretty quickly. My initial thought was a lost of engine power, but it only took about 10 seconds to realize the trailer brakes had stopped the rig. I got out, reattached the line, and continue to unload. No harm, no foul.

    My question is: have you guys ever lost an airline at speed, on the highway? The more I thought about this incident, the more it scared the crap out of me.
     
    DrDieselUSA and cke Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    17,737
    124,501
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    Yep. Happened 3x. Stretch trailer. First time, I was bringing an oversized fuel tank to the Baltimore airport. Was going around the west side of the loop around DC when traffic stopped suddenly, and I hot the brakes and had no trailer brakes. I hit the shoulder to avoid plowing cars, got her slowed and the trailer brakes locked up. Got a service truck out and by the time I pulled into that MD scale on 95, it was after 10pm. The scalemasters were leaving the coup, saw me and gave me the evil eye, but I parked on the on ramp and they didnt say anything.

    Was turning into the Petro on 59/20, south of Smoke City when POW, the trailer locked up with an oversized escavator on. I had the whole road blocked. Got out, captured the brake chamber springs ASAP, and drove into the truckstop. Broke down the rgn, parked the escavator in a parking spot near the shop and backed the trailer over the pit for the tech to put new lines in. Got her fixed, released the springs, and loaded the escavator in the dark and parked in the spots that I had the escavator in.

    If you lose an air line at speed, the tires dont lock up...the brake springs just slow you down and make you stop. So, you dont lose control (well, I had it happen to me years ago at 70 mph in Az on a step, and it made me stop, didnt damage the tires or anything), you just better get the thing off the road ASAP.
     
    DrDieselUSA and SAR Thank this.
  4. Landincoldfire

    Landincoldfire Heavy Load Member

    847
    4,427
    Sep 27, 2015
    New Holland, Pa
    0
    I was going south on I-65 after dropping a load in Louisville. And while crossing the E-town and their lovely speed bumbs I come to an sudden stop right after the platform. WTF? Jump out and see the E-line quick connect popped off. A few seconds later the line was rolling again. I dont think the scale master noticed. I knew I tugged it once or twice when I reconnected the neck. But I also knew that I needed to wire brush the hose ends. Which was done later that day.
     
  5. ABfish

    ABfish Bobtail Member

    25
    45
    Nov 8, 2017
    0
    It's good to know the tires won't lock up. I was going uphill, at slow speed, light throttle, so the truck stopped really quick.

    Like most RGN's that I've been around, my air lines store in a pocket in the ramps when the trailer is disconnected. Lots of opportunity for dirt to fall in there and foul the hose ends when you're loading a piece in muddy conditions. If conditions are muddy, and since I had this line pop off, I've started connecting the male and female ends together before I shove them into the pocket in the ramp.
     
    DrDieselUSA Thanks this.
  6. beastr123

    beastr123 Road Train Member

    2,623
    21,575
    Jan 2, 2014
    Moose Jaw SK CAN
    0
    I started using 2 "big mouth" Pepsi bottles to put the air lines in when splitting in muddy conditions after I had a valve go bad and it was found to have some dried mud/dirt in the service side.
     
    DrDieselUSA Thanks this.
  7. Razororange

    Razororange Road Train Member

    2,071
    19,248
    Dec 20, 2011
    Milwaukee, WI
    0
    I lost the red and blue between the Jeep and trailer in December when we had the really cold weather. Red line snapped off in the middle of the Iowa 80. So cold that the brittle old coiled lines just shattered. Red line went first and locked the last 5 axles. Bought a new one and changed it. Checked the blue and all looked good. Drove 150 miles and stopped for fuel. Noticed that slowing took a little longer. Walked back and sure enough the blue one shattered. Replaced it and no more problems.

    -20°F and old plastic lines doesn't work. Should've just done both when the first one went.
     
    DrDieselUSA, Opendeck, SAR and 2 others Thank this.
  8. johndeere4020

    johndeere4020 Road Train Member

    8,522
    119,289
    Jan 1, 2010
    Ohio
    0
    I switched to rubber years ago.
     
  9. HighCountry

    HighCountry Light Load Member

    172
    301
    Feb 27, 2014
    Stephenville, Texas
    0
    F2FF047B-57C6-4A2D-B9F4-AFC63ED32CFC.jpeg Hoses came apart twice thru the years.
    Definitely an oh crap feeling.
    I’ll give mine a good cleaning bout once a year.
    Lightly wire brush male ends, graphite spray in female ends.
    Also, cut a “X” in old tennis ball too cover when not using. Winter spray kills ‘em.
    I do the same on neck if I’m in the slop.
     
    DrDieselUSA and Oxbow Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.