Do you dump the bags everytime when pulling out from under a trailer?

Here's a little tip , watch end end of your frame in the mirror . As you let out the clutch the frame dips down . With fuel it dips lower ,a little work at it , most times you can time it so she dips down to get under the trailer. It how the torque affects it.

 

i always back under with the bags INFLATED. cuz you don't know where the trailer sits. and sometimes you drive under and back. and now the kingpin sits in front of the 5th wheel.

but then, the smart thing would be to GOAL. lol.

 

Snowy , that last post was for the fellow who didn't have aDump valve. So he has to do both hook and unhook inflated . Was just pointing out frame flex can some times get you under trailer 2 or 3 inches to low. Takes a little time to get it down . But you can get frame ( with torque )to dip down 4 to 5 inches.

 

I make sure that every time I am dropping a trailer I let the airbags air out. I was taught that way in academy. There were a few times that I would back under a new trailer and get it stuck behind the kingpin, but in that case I just let the air out of the bags and pull forward. IF I am still stuck I back up a little and get out and push the fifth wheel down where the kingpin is sort of level with the fifth wheel and sort of drag it along and do it over again if that bit makes sense. Or pull out at a angle. Only got stuck behind the kingpin twice and both times it was my fault not looking at where the fifth wheel touches the trailer.

 

You just back under the trailer so the fifth wheel is just under the trailer plate, stop, inflate the bags, and wait the 5 to maybe 10 seconds for them to inflate. If you don't see the trailer lift/hear suspension settling, you better GOAL. You've got 3' of room in front of the kingpin, and after hooking to trailers 100s of times there is no excuse for backing up 4'. Professionals don't drive by braille.

 

Great points.

I always do hooking or unhooking to leave as much grease on the 5th wheel as possible. As was previously stated, back up so the 5th wheel is under the trailer, fill them up and continue backing until you're hooked.

 

I always dump my bags. load or not. easier on truck and trailer. and if I ever bought a truck that didn't have a dump switch it would before I hooked up....does so much good why go with out it. things it hurts not, trailer landing gear, trailer neck, king pin, truck frame, support braces, truck air bags, fifth wheel. just some off the top. so dump the junk and save the truck....

 

sometimes i deflate when i've got fresh grease. try to slide under as close as possible before inflating and locking in. cuz that trailer can really scrape the grease off.

 

Sorry in advance, I can't stop laughing. Done it three times in 30 + years. Truckers just never talk about it. I forgot to drop the dollies before. Put them on the ground, Pull the handle out to switch to low gear, crank 10 times. Then drop the bags on the tractor. Hope this helps.

 

nope never, then again drop and hooks aren't that common (flatbed) and they're usually empty when I drop 'em.