Accident

I did something like that, but stopped 1/64 inch before smashing the back of the cab. I learned not to do it again.

 

What no pics??

 

The one time I have had the kingpin jump the 5th wheel I was watching my mirror and stopped before I hit the trailer

 

GOAL applies to everything. Even when you are hooking up to a trailer. Make sure the trailer is low enough to back it under. I also GOAL when I just backed under the trailer. Get my flash light, and look under to see if the fifth wheel is latched to the king pin.

Seen a swift driver at one the Walmart dc’s back under a trailer that had a bent or loose king pin. He coupled, and raised the landing gear. As soon as he pulled up, he dropped his trailer. The sound of a fully loaded trailer being dropped is nasty. I felt that in my stomach lol.

I’ve seen another driver, I think it was Werner or Western Express. He backed too fast to a trailer that is raised high and just rammed the back of the sleeper. The only thing that was damaged was the ferns. If your trailer is taken by a yard jockey, the landing gear will always be high.

Lastly, back under slowly and do the tug test slowly. If the king pin went over the fifth wheel plate, you didn’t goal, and you jumped the clutch, you could have torn that king pin right out.

 

When backing learn the distance between your tires and the bottom of a trailer when it is at the right height. Never once failed me from hitting that kingpin correctly. If I were still driving I would show this to you with a photo, taken from the drivers seat looking out the left california mirror. It sounds silly but I know many old hands that look at this distance.

 

Ain't nothing silly about it, it works real good.......unless....... you are driving a truck which has no working warning light or buzzer on the suspension dump and you forgot to raise the suspension after pulling away from the trailer you just dropped less than 100' away.

 

For me, if that fifth wheel hitting the trailer doesn't sound right I immediately stop and adjust the trailer height. Hasn't failed me. Then again I never ram the king pin with my tractor either. Back slow and gentle listen for the click (can't hear the click if you ram it) and do a gentle tug, no need to drag the trailer across the parking lot for a tug test.

 

Was this an automatic truck? That may have helped to cause this with a new driver?

 

Only automatic I've ever had issues hooking a trailer with was the Eaton 10 speed ultrashift. That sucker loved slamming into trailers. So it possible.