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dump trailer air while loading?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Trugo, Dec 31, 2018.

  1. Dec 31, 2018 #1
    Trugo

    Trugo Light Load Member

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    I was a single axle straight truck oo for a while, moving skids and general freight. I always dumped my air bags when I backed up to a loading dock because if I didnt, I would be at risk of blowing an air bag when a fork lift drove on. But that was a light duty truck, it could handle a load of 15,000lbs max.

    Now im going oo with a tractor unit, Im going to be doing ltl work pulling vans. Is it advisable to dump the trailer air bags before loading? Ive noticed very few tractor trailer drivers doing this. But ive also seen some sketchy situations where a heavy forklift with a heavy load drives onto a bagged up trailer, causing the trailer to sink considerably, with tons of strain on the bags. Opinions? Can I expect most dry van trailers with air suspension to have a dump switch?
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
    Trugo, Dec 31, 2018
    Trugo, Dec 31, 2018
    #1
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  3. Dec 31, 2018 #2
    uncleal13

    uncleal13 Road Train Member

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    Some modern trailers have legs that lock down when you pull the parking brake. They rest on the axle to keep the trailer from dropping down so you don't have to worry about it.
    The main reason in the past to dump the trailer air suspension: if you shut off or removed the truck, every time the forklift bounced in and out of the trailer, the suspension would sit lower and lower. As the suspension drops with the parking brakes set, the axle rotates forward, pushing the trailer away from the dock about four inches. Given enough forward movement, the dock plate could fall off the trailer.
     
    uncleal13, Dec 31, 2018
    uncleal13, Dec 31, 2018
    #2
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  4. Dec 31, 2018 #3
    Trugo

    Trugo Light Load Member

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    I dont think Ill be using any of these new trailer types. So it sounds like youre saying, its generally not necessary but worst case scenario the truck moves forward, but that should be unlikely because the tractor brakes should be set.
     
    Trugo, Dec 31, 2018
    Trugo, Dec 31, 2018
    #3
  5. Dec 31, 2018 #4
    CorsairFanboy

    CorsairFanboy Medium Load Member

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    The only people that seem to be worried about that is those forklift drivers that go in there like they're in the #1 spot to win Daytona 500.

    I've had instances were i only felt the dock plate drop, thought they were taking forever to load me. Only to see them come out with paperwork. Some of them barely make a dent in there.

    Maybe we need a forklift driver fmcsa lol...
     
    CorsairFanboy, Dec 31, 2018
    CorsairFanboy, Dec 31, 2018
    #4
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  7. Dec 31, 2018 #5
    x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    White County, Arkansas
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    I don't worry about forklifts. The dockplate takes most of the shock. Trailer gets the rest. Brakes are always set.

    There was only one period of time that I had two trailers designed with deployable pegs inside the bags that dropped for dock purposes specifically. The rest of the time, the bags were up and fed by tractor. This would be way before the extreme safety drop, pull two feet, jack trailer front etc.

    The forklift slamming onto the trailer is nothing but a wakeup call.
     
    x1Heavy, Dec 31, 2018
    x1Heavy, Dec 31, 2018
    #5
    Trugo Thanks this.
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