Dropping a Trailer Properly

i felt so bad for the guy--it would have been so easy to get the guy on the forklift to just pick it up and crank em down---he did a few other gems like that --then soon he was gone---he wasnt a rookie eithter---kinda think he had some issues

 

Atlanta Rail yard, that's all I got to say about that.

 

This is a great post it shows newer drivers proper techniques on how to do this i'd also like to mention or put my 2 cents worth in also for new drivers "get into good habits right away " it will make your life easier and those of others too proper format to dropping a trailer and being safe is such :

1 : Once backed in get out and drop the dolleys right away about an inch or 2 from the ground.

2: Unhook your air lines

3: Disengage the 5 th wheel hook

The reason i personally choose to do it in this order is for simple distractions if you unhook your lines first and then the 5 th wheel but get distracted and forget to lower the dolly then you'll find yourself cranking a loaded trailer which can cause a considerable amount of damage this is only my 2 cents

 

I dont mind it so much on englands older trailers, but some of their new ones take a long time to reinflate so you either sit there a a while and wait for them to inflate or you do what I've seen some drivers do which is take off and slide the tires about twenty feet before the brakes release.....

 

I have my certain order also but it's:
Air lines
Landing gear
5th wheel

I do the air lines first because I do get distracted at times so for me they would be the easiest to forget. I see some folks pull their release first and to me that seems like a recipe for disaster.

 

rockee couldnt agree more

 

Most of the time I do:
5th wheel release
Air lines
Landing gear

If the 5th wheel won't release then I can hop in and back up the tractor so it will. if I see the landing gear isn't going to be level I have no problem inching forward a bit and then backing up so the 5th wheel locks again.

 

I was told PAL

Pin
Air lines
Landing gear

Don't matter which way you do it as long as you remember all the steps.

 

If you can dump your air bags,

carrying a few wood blocks can solve that problem.......

Use your tractor as a lift !!!!!

 

If my tractor is to low I use the leveling valve at the rear, just infront of the last cross member on the tractor chassis to lift the air bags untill the 5th wheel touches the skid plate and lifts the load of the legs.
Remember YOU are in control now of how hi and how much presure is going into those bags now so don't over do it!!!!!
And this only if the gear is buggered and I can't get some much appreciated exercise by winding them down or if they are those awful legs we get out here that you have to lift by hand, hold them up and put the locking pin in. They are terrible and you can do nothing with them unless there is NO weight on them.

When you back under a trailer you don't allways get the pin lighned up with the 5th wheel 100% and the damage or ware and tear to the landing gear of a loaded trailer when the "V" shape of the 5th wheel guides the pin left or right is not good.
You can get the 5th wheel under the skid plate and then get your landing gear off the ground an 1" or so and then back into the pin, this way you don't put side ways strain on the landing gear.