Can loading tandems forward damage trailer?

I don't think it would hurt the trailer to much it is just a pain for the forklift that has to try to make it up that incline

 

yes also hurt truck too
may be not gonna bent trailer but affects supensin system tires allingments and truck shocks

 

You would have to be loading something very heavy unless that trailer is not sturdy.

 

If it's light pallets and beingunloaded with a jack then I only side if it will help to level outthe dock ramp.


If it's heavy pallets or using a liftthen I will side them.


There is a few places I go where it'sbest not to slid the axles and drop the trailer and drive axlebags. Most of the places I haul do not have fork lifts and one has a powered jack.

 

they like axles back so even with dock.that said wont hurt anything

 

It might if it were a 14,000 pound paper roll or something. Some docks have 'dock locks' I think but not sure they may provide some support to the ICC bumper that's why some customers say don't bother sliding tandems back.

Sometimes in that case I will lower the landing gear about 1/2 inch off ground and dump tractor suspension and let them live load.

 

well learn something new after 30 plus years,been doing it wrong all this time

 

Your not going to hurt the trailer loading that way. There are two reasons shipper/receivers want you to load/unload with the tandems slid all the way back. The first reason is that if their dock is high by sliding the tandems all the way to the back, it slightly raises the trailer so that the dock ramp isn't on a steep incline. The other reason is that by sliding the tandems all the way to the rear helps stabilize the trailer when loading. Especially with a light load. Think of a see-saw or teeter-totter. When the forklift first hits the back of the trailer it puts all the weight on the very back of the trailer causing the front of the trailer to lift if there isn't enough weight in the nose.

Like I said, its not that big of a deal if the trailer is loaded heavy or also if you have a reefer trailer they are heavy in the nose and it helps balance them.

Another thing you can do to help stabilize the trailer when loading/unloading is to put the landing gear down on the trailer until it just barely touches the ground. Don't unhook from the trailer! Leave your truck hooked up and also DON'T pull the king pin release. This will help keep the trailer from bouncing all around. A lot of drivers do this so they can rest in peace. If you want to take a nap without being bounced all around then this will help.