First day on the job

The way to hook up is:
Bump the fith wheel up against the front of the trailer but not under it yet.
Hook up air lines and light cord and then return to the truck and push the red air button in charging the trailer with air.
After the trailer is charged with air pull on the trolley brake and push in the yellow air button and then back under the trailer.
Not all trailers have maxi spring brakes on them.
If you happen to get one that doesn't and you don't follow the procedure you could end up chaseing the trailer all over the yard or even worse end up with a bent set of landing gear.

 

Really is no need to get all that fancy. Just back under the trailer until you think your hooked. Then do your tug test. If you tractor starts moving forward with ease and the trailer stays behind .... then you weren't hooked lol. I will usually gas it until I gently drag my trailer.

Two things though. Even with the tug test, always do a visual check that the kingpin is fully locked. Sometimes, very rarely, but sometimes it won't completely lock. So your tug test will work fine, but the second you turn a corner it will slip out. And then also, when backing under your trailer make sure the tongue on your trailer pushes your fifth wheel to a flat position. Sometimes people will drop trailers so high that the pin can slide right over top of your fifth wheel. If, while your backing under your trailer, you realize the trailer getting unusually close to your back cab window, chances are this is what just happened.

People do this all the time. If they had an issue with it, they would have made some snide remark about it. If they didn't, then don't worry about it. And if they did, don't worry about that either lol!



Is this a local grocery delivery job where you will be hand unloading to stores? Or is it bulk delivery where you are bumping docks every day? Either way, best advice I can give to someone new is to go waaaaaay super slow with everything. The second you try and rush something is the second it will all come crashing down. When backing into docks, or anywhere really, if you are uncertain of your placement at all, get out and look. Even if you have to get out 30 times for a back.

 

Stay calm and remember your training...i wish you the best

 

Why don't you ask your trainer how to hook up to a trailer?

 

It is always a bit scary starting something new. I have dropped 2 trailers in my 10 years. One cost me my job. The other one didn't effect me one little bit. Guess which one I reported.

There are a few idiots out there that find it amusing to pull your release handle. So when you park and are going to be away from the trailer for a bit set your trailer brakes, pull forward and set your tractor brakes. This will put pressure on the locking jaws and you won't be able to pull your pin release. Remember that when you can't get your handle to release. Back into your trailer to take the pressure off the locking jaws and now you can pull the handle.

You are going to make mistakes. We all have. And if you ever happen to try to pull out and your brakes won't release and there is air blowing out on the passenger side of your trailer tandems. You can wait four hours for a repair truck to get there, then another 3 hours for him to check everything. Or you can just save yourself a lot of time and make sure you have the red line and the blue line in the correct places.

 

I assume you are driving a day cab. I do. So you can see the 5th wheel position as you back up to the trailer.

I use 3 groups of tasks to hook up.
1. Back under the trailer, watching 5th wheel to make sure trailer is riding up on the 5th wheel. If you think the trailer is too high, get out and check, and lower landing gear if needed.
After you are hooked to trailer, do tug test.
I usually do not leave the cab until I have done the tug test.
In your steps, you did not raise the landing gear the rest of the way! Don't do it half way, as you will forget to finish it. Keep it simple. If truck has sleeper, I would get out and check kingpin height and alignment with 5th wheel before backing in all the way. I like to finish the hookup before I go to the next step as it is the most important step.

2. Raise landing gear and check 5th wheel handle and kingpin. I do these two steps together, as they are physically close.

3. Hook up air and electric line.

Then I do pre trip.

 

Don't roll up landing gear until you are completely under trailer and hear a click which means locking jaws are around king pin.Once you hear the click then you do the tug test a couple times then get out and hook up airlines ,As you are walking towards landing gear do your inspection.

 

Look man. Don't screw this up. You might hate life for a little while. You might even be forced to live with a grown man who relieves himself in plastic bags, in the truck, when there's a perfectly good restroom 50 feet away. He might be a psychopath who verbally abuses you. Just get in and get your experience and get out. Best of luck to you dude