Best way to unstick a landing pad?

I always leave the gear up 1 inch off the ground. In 25 plus years I have not run into a Petercar or anything else I ve driven that had a problem with backing under, not saying it does not or cannot exist just saying Ive never see it with my own eyes or experience. The friend of a cousin stories don't count.

 

I normally leave my landing gear an inch off the ground. After unhooking everything I pull forward a couple inches, to make sure the locking jaws are clear of the kingpin. Then I dump my air bags and wait about 10-20 seconds before pulling forward in granny Lo.

If it's done right there's absolutely no drop at all, no sound as the fifth wheel clears the trailer. Later, when I hook to my trailer I can get under it and the fifth wheel lifts the landing gear off the ground. Then there's absolutely no binding on the landing gear when I crank them up.

If I'm hooking to a trailer that isn't mine, I GOAL the #### out of it. Dumping air bags as needed, but the end result is I want to be within 4-6" of getting the locking jaws set. Before I do that I raise the landing gear (lower the trailer) until it is supported by the well greased fifth wheel. Only after the landing gear are slightly off the ground will I back into it gently to lock the jaws on the kingpin. Done like this the landing gear won't bind, BUT as we all know once a trailer is parked the air leaks out of the system and can drive the landing gear forward. Then it's time to hook up the air lines and reenergize the trailer before hooking to it, with the trailer brakes set.

 

yeah I've been saying the same thing for years drop the landing gear down till it almost touches the ground then drop your air bags and move forwards this is the best way unless you've got a truck that is really low and the next truck to hook up can't get underneath even with air bags down however that problem don't occur to often.

 

The truck that can't back under is the exception not the rule, if they have air bags they can always drop there linkage then back in. If they have spring ride then its time for them to get into the current century

 

Let the air bags down all you want but that doesn't help when the trailer is hitting the tires.

 

Me and my dad switch trailers pretty often. He has lo-pro 22.5 and the tractor I'm in has tall 24.5.....I'd be pissed off if that trailer was an extra 2 inches lower. Really pissed

 

So the moral of that story is: don't piss off your dad.

Just sayin'...

 

Again were talking about the exception not the rule, your not dropping and rehooking fleets of trucks, your isolated. 2 inches should not make a difference thats what the air dump is for. The moral of the story is dont be a a hole/