Dropping and hooking trailer do's and dont's.

Looking to get a lil info out there to help the new guys and maybe clear up some bad habits I may have.
When I drop an empty trailer I leave about an inch before the feet hit the ground, then I drop the bags (if equipped) or just ease out from underneath it. When dropping a loaded trailer I put gear down till it just gets a lil pressure on it and ease out or drop bags. This way the weight is always off the gear when you hook it and you can easily crank it. It also keeps you from driving under it and skipping the pin when hooking. Lately I have come across a lot of drivers cranking them sky high and skipping the pin, that's what made me start this thread. I would like to hear from experienced guys what have you been doing? New guys too, what were you taught? Is there a correct way?

 

You're doing it right. They're retarded.

 

If you didn't drop that trailer, get out and look. It takes less than one minute and could save a big headache. I agree with HillBillyDeluxe, you are doing it right.

 

In my latest Cascadia the trailer is almost always way too high when I go to hook up, sometimes 6 inches.
It would be nice if more drivers did as you do.

Just don't go too far.
Cranking up a loaded trailer is a LOT harder than cranking it down.

 

Absolutely. I'm just wondering where this new idea of cranking trailers sky high is coming from?

 

I agree for some reason my Cascadia is always way to short for trailers I have to crank them down before hooking.

not sure what other drivers are doing but I would say 80-90% of trailers need to be cranked down for me.

 

Here is a do and don't...

Do have a consistent order in which you do things, and never change it.
I have ripped the lines out because of something being different in the the drop/hook situation and I did things in a different order than usual.
Once I reconnected the red line to move the trailer back a few inches (because it HAD to be on the gravel), and forgot to disconnect it when I pulled away. SNAP!!

 

I have seen yard dogs crank it up high before they drop it.
No idea why, except to make our life miserable.

 

Would be interesting to hear from some guys fresh out of school and see if they are being taught this for some reason.

 

I’m going to ask the yard jockeys if they are the ones cranking the legs up.

maybe it’s to be level with loading equipment?