Always check your 5th wheel

Driving a yard truck now I hook to trailer. Tug test. Raise landing gear a few inches off the ground another tug test. Raise it rest way up. Hook lines and go.

 

You know, had a cousin of mine he had a fifth wheel kit put in at Freightliner. Hooked up , checked everything, visually and tugged and headed out. Ran from Toronto Ont to Vancouver BC and back to Montreal, roughly 6000 miles. He was headed back into Toronto with me behind him, hit this bump in the highway and off she came. That thing skidded down the highway and slowly drifted onto the shoulder which was gravel, the landing gear pads flipped up and anchored it right down and stopped it, straight as an arrow. You woulda thought someone had just dropped it there, and the only damage was a dent in the back of the bunk where one of the glad hands had come back and hit it. All that way and nothing till the " right " bump. We cranked her back up, and took her into Toronto.That was 1986, we still talk about that till this day and all the what if's.

 

I was rescued in Philly after that POS International day cab finally broke down proper in central 95 of all places. A local cop stashed me in a safe spot 9 hours finished his shift and came back to take me to the west south hilton. My rescue driver met me with his ford 9000, green as a rookie but class A etc so.. shrugs, grabbed a seacan, a empty and head back to Joppa.

Anyhow at the Tydings Bridge southbound on 95 above Havre De Grace we bounced against the pavement from the bridge plate and that container came clean off the 5th wheel. That's not welcome. She came back down onto the aft drive tires, were doing I suppose highway speed at this point.

My rescue driver squealed, I said stop that, stop this thing right here on the shoulder do not use youse [PROFANITY] brakes.... so we glided to a halt to the far right, hopped out and he's still squealing about what to do like a little girl. I told him cool it a minute let me think.

I like the man, he's a good man as a EMT, but not too good when something that new to trucking out of line. Like a trailer coming off. Hell if I know what a EMT is doing running a rescue to get me of all things in central philly at night...sheesh.... aint no one shot anyone yet.

Wind gear down, rehook. Go.

Took about 10 miles before blood returned to his white knuckles on the wheel...

 

I'm glad I stopped before that particular ending! Lol

BTW- You guys mentioning the tug test might want to explain to any newbies reading that it's not a good idea to do this with the landing gear all the way down. Over time you can warp the legs making it a b***h to crank after awhile. If you're not comfortable raising them up an inch or so, at least crank in low gear enough to take the pressure off.

You doorswingers that constantly switch cabooses can disregard.....

 

I blame this on elogs and of course "reefer madness "
Lol

 

The Nightwind Pull Test
Hook to trailer leave dolly legs/ landing gears down hook up air lines, charge brakes, release brakes, pull down Johnny bar or hand valve, put truck in lowest gear pull on 5th wheel, then back up against 5th wheel jaws I do this about 3 times both ways. Lock down all brakes, take truck out of gear, turn off, remove key, lock door.Take flashlight go under trailer look at 5th wheel jaws and make sure they are locked, take picture. Wind up dolly legs. Unlock truck, check lights tires registration, crank truck, do pull test both ways on more time just in case. Hammer down.
Check each time the truck is left unattended as there was a time people got a thrill out of unlocking your 5th wheel and watching your trailer hit the ground.

 

Wondering what you all do when the tug tugs along with you. Instead of tugging the truck backwards.

 

When you park for the night, set your trailer brakes, put truck in low gear just like a tug test and pull against the fifth wheel, then set tractor brakes. God himself couldn't release the fifth wheel.