Help, shipper destroyed my trailer

I've lost an air bag leveler valve once when they were loading heavy pallets and the tandems were all the way forward. Maybe it was a coincidence but ever since I slide tandems all the way back. Seems less brutal on the trailer at least.

 

I didn't know that could bend it but it makes sense. When we use rental trailers at work 53' (which I never have but had to get briefed on it just in case I ever do( the rule is tandems all the way back. I didn't know why but if you can wreck a trailer by not doing it then it makes sense.

 

I just do not believe that a forklift going in and out of a trailer that is in good condition is going to harm the trailer, Now if you have a moron driving full speed into a trailer with a exceptionaly heavy pallet maybe, but over all this sounds more like a My uncle knew a guy who was a friend of the driver that the trailer just bent in half when a forklift drove into it. Maybe one of those East coast rust buckets.

But I honestly call BS on this one, just don't believe it,would have to see it.

 

Because what you describe is how a professional company operates and most small businesses are fly by night amateurs.

 

The bouncing makes the trailer creep forward away from the dock. Setting the brakes should prevent that but that gambles that the brakes are in to to condition. One glance at fmcsa brake violation data says that's not a good gamble.

 

It is not a gamble , You are suppose to check the brakes before you move the trailer to start with. This is exactly one of the reasons I left Legend after a month, find trailers your suppose to pickup at a drop n hook location that the last moron did not bother to check, they just load and deliver.

Good safe equipment does not happen by accident, It is quite intentional and it takes drivers to do there jobs.

 

I was talking from a loaders point of view.

 

I have seen trailers move away from the dock when the forklift drives into them, and then not be able to get back out. I would also agree that the tire should be chocked, and that the wheels should be moved to the rear of the trailer.

So from either point of view if half the safety items are followed you stay out of trouble, but drivers for the most part do the minimjum, and unfortunately it is something the loader has to deal with all to often.

Kind of depends on what Im loading, when I load for Pepsi, or Whole Foods, I slide them back and chock the tires, at the Post Office I dont because the mail I deal with is in carts no forklifts, and I push them in and secure them. So what a driver needs to do depends on what and where there loading.

I have oaded trucks, but I would not begin to say that I can imagine what the loaders have to deal with. So I only know the drivers point of view.

 

That would be the reason they make paper spec vans. lol
Actually it is the sides that are the strength, many vans are converted to open tops and lose no strength.
The op said it already had some side bulging, so he integrity of the trailer was already compromised.

 

Now why would you say it is idiotic, there is companies that convert vans to open top live bottoms I bought one and ran heavy with it for years, I guess I am an idiot. Oh and it is super popular to convert to opentop for use hauling peanuts and like products, lots of idiotic truckers, out here running he roads I reckon.
I realize that you can haul paper in a light spec van, with some sense, but , heavy dense loads is still the reason that have heavy spec vans too, even on them a guy would want to have the tandems back to load and unload, no use putting more pressure on any trailer than you need to.