Tug test failure

Had a 2010 International, backed to the trailer, got out and looked height was ok. Backed under heard the click, tugged it twice, was solid. landing gear up, hoses connected, did a full walk around, visually checked the pin and started to pull off...I was in the yard at about an 25 degree angle to the trailer, low gear moving slow and felt the slide. Trailer wound up still on the frame of the tractor but off the fifth wheel. Looked around.....no one around....used the air bags and got her high enough to put the gear down. Inspected the fifth wheel again... While i was looking at it another driver came over and said...good save... he saw everything. I told him all of the above and asked him to watch while I reconnected... back up heard the click...this time I bumped the trailer harder and heard a second click. He came up before I got out and said the sob clicked twice. Was at the end of my 11 and in a good place so I called road service for a bad fifth wheel. He looked at it and I disconnected it went over it and he said there is nothing wrong with it. I explained the double click and his response was some do click twice and just make sure I bump the heck out of it. I t/called the load and shopped the truck. Was a worn part in the fifth wheel. They put an old 5th wheel on a new truck. Made a call and got them to replace the 5th wheel. I was lucky.

 

Good thing is you'll never make that mistake again.. will you?
Take one of those little powerful LED flashlights and look... and see what you're looking at.. don't just look to look. Know what I mean?
One time I glanced quickly, saw what I was expecting to see.. started heading back to the cab, something gnawed at me to look again. I always listen to that still small voice. I squatted back under there and upon closer inspection it was piece of sludge/ice almost the same color had fallen down there.. jaws were still wide open.

 

Do not drag a trailer,empty or not. You do that in front of the wrong guy and you may be out of a job. Do a light tug then get out and check with a flashlight every time.

 

I use my flashlight also.not sometime but everytime. it only takes a few seconds and can be the difference between a headache and a normal day. be professional at all times.

 

Im pretty sure most here wouldnt even want to work for conway.

 

alot of our loads are drop and hook, never have the same trailer for more then three days on average (almost had one a full week once).

half the time the jockeys drop them two inchs away from the next trailer, and they're all staggered, you might get lucky and get one that sticks out, but i guess they know it's me that's gonna get it so they push it back about four or five feet, can't even get to the lines, so i drag it. never more then three feet, i dont see, want, or understand the need to drag a trailer more then that.. doesn't make sense when i see other people do it.

I explained it to the guy (dont know what his real position is) at my terminal that gave me my road test, and he replied with, sometimes you have to drag em, just don't tear it up. So i was like oh well.

 

When ever you get a used truck you don't know where it been. Drivers go under trailers sitting too high and do all kinds of stuff. Then the 5th wheel pull/locking rods get bent and don't function 100% sometimes. It's them little bent rods and worn grommets that'll get you in trouble. For that reason, you get out there and physically look at the locking jaw. Tug first, look second. Then like one said, be prepared to catch a trailer on your frame just in case. Your pull handle is another indicator it locked properly. If it's sitting at half position, you know something is wrong.

I only drag one out only as a last resort mtazz. If a yard jocky wants to park em so close together you can't get between them, he can pull it out for you. In most cases, they are glad to.

 

but they would rather work for england, crst and weiner...troll on buddy.


conway aint perfect but its better in many respects than thse slaving driving otr companies

 

Only way to be 100% sure of proper connection is to get out and look at teh jaws from the rear of the plate and make sure they are locked around the pin and you have 0 gap between plates..... that's it. A tug test is just a step in the process