I'm heading to Ohio!!

Ok, I have family form London and Manchester Kentucky

 

Ive always ran them down in high, then a couple turns in low. IF... I had a tractor that I could dump the air in the rear suspension, i would. If you are on solid-flat ground it wont move, but it will pull out smooth. Loaded or empty.

 

If you're going to crank them down till they touch, dump the air bags FIRST!!

All these high dropped trailers tear up the crank handle and gear box when you have to try and crank the trailer down with 49,000 lbs of beer on it. Always leave an inch or two of space under the feet when the air bags are inflated. If you crank it in low after they touch you are taking all the weight off the tractor and this won't let the tractor support the weight of the trailer when you back under it.

 

Oh and don't do it differently for empty trailers. That trailer you could crank down when empty will be impossible when loaded. Why do you think all the older trailers have bent crank handles?

 

From drivers that dont know there are 2 speeds on the landing gear.

 

i picked one up in st louis where the yard dog had dropped it too high and when i went under my fifth wheel slightly grazed the kingpin and then i couldnt get out from under it. lol i had to crank the trailer down while it was loaded full of beer. i was pooped after that workout.

 

Maybe I have been doing it wrong. ( I will gladly change my ways if so) We were taught in trenton class if it is empty to crank it down until there is a few inches between the ground and feet. If it is loaded to crank it down until it touches the ground firmly. The reasoning behind this was with a loaded trailer your airbags on the tractor are already deflated a little do to the weight. Do I need to start leaving a few inches on every trailer?