Double check those 5th wheels

If I've stopped gone SB or walked away from my truck, I ALWAYS double check before rolling again.

You never know what kind of freak might have walked by your truck.

 

best way to handle that?

when you park, apply the trailer brakes, then pull forward, and pull the tractor brakes. this puts pressure on the 5th wheel and cannot be uncoupled.

 

Tug-test and visual verification every time. Haven't dropped a trailer yet (and don't plan on it).

It takes less than 20 seconds.

 

Works great...until you've been running in the rain and temps drop overnight. Wake up in the morning and your trailer brakes are froze solid. Then you have a completely different problem of your own making to deal with before you can roll. First time you are under your trailer beating on your brakes to free the shoes in 20 degree weather, you'll wish you'd just developed the habit of checking your 5th wheel instead of relying upon those trailer brakes.

 

A high hooked trailer will stay on a long time iirc. I'm sure one time either I or the boss's son pulled a trailer 20 miles or so. We only discovered it when we went to drop it at the yard. That was in the spring ride tractor days so it was easier to do by mistake. Especially when your boss had 6 different trucks and 6 difderent 5th wheel heights lol.

 

That's what I was thinking too.Fifthwheels do get old and parts come loose or brake off.Cause had he wasn't completely hooked he would have lost the trailer long before he entered the interstate.Probalbly then would have lost it before leaving the customers lot.

 

Yup..my habit, too. Always tug test it.

 

I almost always check before pulling out. Twice so far some clown has pulled the release while I was parked.