Dropping a Trailer Properly

as a hijack

change this procedure to, set your brakes, release your air lines, lower your landing gear, then release the 5th wheel.

reason why? if you get interrupted by say a fellow driver talking to you, a cell phone call, anything.........you might forget that you haven't put down the landing gear, and we all know how that ends up.

 

The main problem is ones that over extend the landing gear. They don't have a clue they are causing problems for the next guy. It's not a biggie with a new trailer, but take an old trailer with a bent handle and hasn't been greased in years. You will have a work out. Not to mention a tired driver might drive right under it and damage his tractor.

The experienced drivers know what I'm saying. If you're clueless, you are probably one of the guilty ones, lol. Terrain makes a difference if it's other than flat ground.

I just posted this to give new drivers something to think about. They don't teach this stuff in school.

 

Thank you, your correct this is never mentioned in school.

 

Thank you, this is truly new "news" to me.

 

Thank you so much for pointing this out....I am serious, it will always be my routine fifth wheel last. I truly thank you!

 

What are MGM's

 

I watched our "Driver Trainer" drop a trailer with a big generator on it one time at headquarters. Guy spent the entire time holding a cell phone to his ear. He undid the airlines, pulled the pin, walked all the way around the trailer, climbed back in the truck, put it in gear and fired out from under the trailer promptly hooking the last crossmember on the frame because he didnt put the landing gear down. I almost made it 3 steps waving my hands at him to stop when it went boom!!!!

 

I always dump my bags before hooking up or dropping.

 

One of the reasons that it's not "common knowledge" is that not all trailers have a dump valve and on fleet trailers they usually have an auto dump if they have one at all.

Another reason that hasn't been mentioned here is that when you are loading at a dock the suspension should be dumped to prevent the trailer bouncing up and down as the forklift goes in and out of it...Also sometimes with my flatbed if I back up to a dock the trailer will be too high for the dock and I can dump the bags an get it closer to the level of the dock.

Driver trainers of that caliber ore the primary reason that so many new "drivers" don't know what the hell their doing.

 

It truly is scary...how easy it is to get a CDL and still truly be as unqualified to operate a commerical vehicle. I am not blowing sunshine here.....It is alarming how low the standards are!