Pulling Doubles for the first time. Advice?

I've been hauling doubles now for about 8 years...My biggest safety tip would be...Make sure you are hooked correctly! Always check that kingpin on your tag trailer... I have a habit of visually checking it atleast twice on my pre-trip...Also, I double and triple check the pintle hook on the back of your lead trailer that connects to your converter...Make sure it is locked completely! and dont forget the safety chain...
Make sure your air-lines are open on the back of your lead trailer and off on your tag trailer...There is a big difference on the feel of the ride depending on how heavy your set is...Just drive smoothly on your lane changes...When you're going down the road it won't feel any different from pulling a 53'...You don't have to swing extra wide on turns, you have to remember, you're pulling a train and it'll go where you want it to!
When I disconnect my set, I always start from the back and work towards the cab...Basically...After post trip...Lower landing gear on tag trailer...pull 5th wheel level...shut off air valves on lead trlr...dis-connect airlines from tag trlr...release air from converter...Get in trk and pull slowly to unconnect from tag trlr...about 3-4 feet...walk back and dis-connect airlines and chain from the lead trlr...lower converter wheel (some have wheels) Now you're connected to just the lead trl...Don't worry about backing them...It's not impossible but you shouldn't really ever have to worry about it...It's hard!
Good luck with everything!

 

Get into a routine hook and unhook in the same way every time, if you get side tracked or someone interrupts you start over, they don't "cheat" as much as a 53, the rear trailer tires will almost follow the the same tracks as your drive tires, you can actually turn in tighter spaces with a set vs a 53, quit looking back at them, always check your dollies air lines that connect to the lead trailer for cuts, a lot of guys hook there dolly to the lead trailer then go looking for there rear trailer and in the process of doing that the dolly jack knifes very easily and can slice the air lines, forget about backing a set up, only 1 in 100 can do it more than 20 feet.

 

That's good advice. You can hook sets & trains for years but it takes once to fail. When I get in that cab I have to know everything is good to go. Second best advice slow down! Those corners are not your friend. Even in town. There's a reason the call them wiggle wagons. Heavy trailer is the lead box.

 

One other thing. Have someone show you how to check your air to the back trailer.

 

I wrote an entire manual for hooking doubles.

I got to Part 2 when I ran out time to finish it a few years ago. Maybe I will revisit it if there is enough interest.

 

I HATE when I'm trying to find a good dolly and the only ones are the ones where the lines have been pinched because some yahoo is too lazy to take the extra 30 seconds and do things right. I found a brand new one last night that looked like it had never even been pulled yet and the electrical cord was mangled up with bare wires exposed.

 

No matter how much the paycheck or how nice the gear, there's always some knothead that just won't make the effort. No pride.