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You want me to do WHAT?!?!?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012.

Page 1 of 5
  1. Nov 9, 2012 #1
    OtatKen

    OtatKen Light Load Member

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    Jan 9, 2012
    Fort Wayne, IN
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    So this morning I came in to work, counted my load, secured my load and started my pretrip. When I got to the trailer, I noticed that the tandem pins on the left side were completely disengaged and about half a hole out of alignment but the locking lever was in the locked position.

    I walked around to the right side and the pins were lined up and engaged.

    I couldn't, for the life of me, get the locking lever to disengage or the tandems to slide at all.

    So I crawl under my trailer to have a look-see and it appears the whole carriage is tweaked. I hightail it inside to tell the boss man. Can you guess what he tells me?

    "It'll be fine, I'll have it looked at this weekend. Be easy on the brakes."

    At first I thought he was kidding & said "yeah, right." Well, That got him all excited. He told me "you'll drive the flipping truck or I'll find someone who will." (No, he didn't say"flippin").

    C'mon, is this guy serious? Am I just being a big baby? I don't think so, that's a pretty blatant safety issue in my book. I've included a pic of the left and right pins just so everyone can see what I'm dealing with.

    THAT got ME excited & I told him that he'd have it looked at now cuz I ain't drivin it, and if he wanted to fire me for taking safety seriously, then so be it. After all, there are whistleblower provisions and I'm sure I could find an attorney to help me out with that.

    So, I'm sitting and waiting on the mechanic to look at the trailer now. I'll update y'all when I know something.

    Left side:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Right side:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    #1
    123456, Bumpy and walstib Thank this.
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  3. Nov 9, 2012 #2
    underpsi

    underpsi Road Train Member

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    Sep 18, 2008
    Toronto, Ont
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    Seen it happen with fifth wheel slides a lot! Its probably safe because it would be jammed in there and you have the pins on the one side locking it still it will probably just dog track a bit going down the road. Gonna be a pain in the ... to get it freed up.
     
    underpsi, Nov 9, 2012
    underpsi, Nov 9, 2012
    #2
  4. Nov 9, 2012 #3
    brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

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    Any employer who would tell a driver to pull a trailer with half the pins securing the trailer tandems to the frame rail needs to be strung up for being willing to jeopardize the lives of anyone around the truck while in transit. If the "secured" pins were to release, there's the possibility the tandems could slide out from underneath the trailer and strike another vehicle or pedestrian.

    Ya done right, driver. Unfortunately, now you have to deal with the consequences. I'd start looking for a new place of employment now, if I were you. Employers take a dim view of disobedience on the part of their employees.
     
    brsims, Nov 9, 2012
    brsims, Nov 9, 2012
    #3
    Oldfatcowboy, OtatKen, metric adjustable and 2 others Thank this.
  5. Nov 9, 2012 #4
    123456

    123456 Road Train Member

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    Good for you,

    for standing up for safety !!
     
    123456, Nov 9, 2012
    123456, Nov 9, 2012
    #4
    OtatKen, bullhaulerswife, aiwiron and 1 other person Thank this.
  7. Nov 9, 2012 #5
    Mr. Haney

    Mr. Haney Road Train Member

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    You did the right thing. With the CVSA scores on drivers now, if you were stopped by the DOT it would go against your record and could possibly create issues with you finding a job with a new employer in the future. The driver CVSA scores are going to make it harder on drivers that decide to run unsafe equipment in finding new jobs if they get caught. Heck depending on your current bosses insurance company, he may have to fire current employees that have a high number of points in the system
     
    Mr. Haney, Nov 9, 2012
    Mr. Haney, Nov 9, 2012
    #5
    bullhaulerswife, aiwiron, kat man and 1 other person Thank this.
  8. Nov 9, 2012 #6
    Bumpy

    Bumpy Road Train Member

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    New Ulm,MN
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    I'm sure you also know (Mr O.P.) it would not go well for you if checked in a Scale-house either. Still though IMO you did the RIGHT thing for the RIGHT reasons;which unfortunately is seldom the path of least resistance. I salute you for taking a stand.!!
     
    Bumpy, Nov 9, 2012
    Bumpy, Nov 9, 2012
    #6
    OtatKen, 123456 and bullhaulerswife Thank this.
  9. Nov 9, 2012 #7
    112racing

    112racing Road Train Member

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    pocono's, pa
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    if you jacked the truck to the left and locked the trailer brakes and then pulled forward the pins would probably go in.

    what happened is someone was moving the trailer around with the pins pulled and the sub-frame twisted in the frame

    I've seen it before not really that big of a deal .....but you cant go down the road like that
     
    112racing, Nov 9, 2012
    112racing, Nov 9, 2012
    #7
    OtatKen Thanks this.
  10. Nov 9, 2012 #8
    OtatKen

    OtatKen Light Load Member

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    Jan 9, 2012
    Fort Wayne, IN
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    Probably safe? Not good enough for me and I sure wouldn't want a driver with a "probably safe" mindset driving anywhere near my family, how about you?

    I probably wouldn't get a ticket or put OOS for it either, huh? Shame on you driver.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    #8
    Oldfatcowboy Thanks this.
  11. Nov 9, 2012 #9
    OtatKen

    OtatKen Light Load Member

    224
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    Jan 9, 2012
    Fort Wayne, IN
    0
    Good advice, I tried that though & that sum beech wouldn't budge. I like to solve my own problems whenever possible (out of sight, out of mind kind of thing), so I did everything I could think of before going to the boss man, but I just didn't feel safe going down the road.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    OtatKen, Nov 9, 2012
    #9
  12. Nov 9, 2012 #10
    marmonman

    marmonman Road Train Member

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    central illinois
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    Is it just me or does anyone else see that this whole trailer is junk? The wholes are all wallowed out and the rust goes all the way through the brace in the 3rd pic. I wouldn't pull this trailer at all but that's just me .
     
    marmonman, Nov 9, 2012
    marmonman, Nov 9, 2012
    #10
    o/otony Thanks this.
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