Landing gear

I notice you didn't deal with the information, but want to discuss the personality of the person in the video. It was simply the first video I found showing the proper height to drop a trailer.

 

Because when you back under thee trailer dropped at the proper height the 5th wheel slides and pivots from the tilted (rear-down) to the level position. That's the goal of proper trailer drop height, it's not voodoo magic or trick photography.

The trailer nose is rounded and the 5th wheel plate is rounded/sloped to facillitate the 5th wheel raising the trailer and taking ALL THE WEIGHT OFF THE LANDING GEAR.

 

"The Dummies" you are talking about were cranking the gear in the low-range, small movement of leg height for each turn of the gear handle. In the high range, big change in gear length for each turn of gear handle, the handle is all but unmovable when all the weight is resting on the gear legs. This is why it's so important to leave trailer at a height above the tires, but below the 5th wheel so backing under with a tractor transfers the trailer/freight weight UP onto the 5th wheel.

I myself have had the gear handle snap back and narrowly miss breaking my arm while in low range numerous times when I'm trying to fix stubborn and ignorant previous driver's dropping of the trailer. When the trailer is too high or too low, it's difficult to crank the gear up or down because ALL the weight of trailer and freight is on the landing gear leg and transmitted through the gear mechanism.

 

His video shows and describes EXACTLY what I see and have done daily for almost 20 years. The fact the driver making the video is someone you or some others here have had heated arguments is a coincidence. How many times last week did you hook to a trailer dropped too low? How many times too high?

 

Yes, every driver I've witnessed and coached about their trailer being dropped too high says the Real Problem is too low, although that happens almost, but not quite, never.

I promise you I and others have been able to slide under trailers dropped just above the top of the drive tires. The trailer nose is built with a bull-nose bottom corner just for sliding up onto the 5th wheel. The 5th wheel is made with a slope and rounded end to slide under the trailer nose.

 

The height of the next trailer you pick up is determined by the driver that dropped it, not the driver that is picking up, right?