is it possible for the trailer axles to get out of alignment?

And it is the primary reason those tandem pins are so recalcitrant. Every time a yard driver spins a trailer like that the torque on those pins is incredible.

 

This actually easy to put back on the rail, Had to do that several times on trailers out of drop yards. This is what happens when you forget to lock in the pins and hit your brakes.

If the pins are locked in spinning it in circles will not pull it off the track, but if you hit the brakes and the pins are not locked in, and maybe between the holes because you moved it unlocked then it will pop off just like the picture, if you loose those 2 bolts with a little gentle assist it will settle down onto the track put the bolts back in the bracket tighten it up and you should be good.

 

Totally off the subject and a thread hijack. Do any of you remember how some Ford F 150's would do this? I never figured out why.

 

70's Chevy Nova's too.

 

a lot of places have you slide tandems all the way back and some drivers don't make sure that they are locked in as it would require walking an extra 100 feet which is too much work for some .. so it's not the yard dogs fault

 

I agree the yard dog just moves what drivers leave, they also get blamed for trailers left to high , which the yard dog never has a reason to change.

 

lol funny you mention this I had my windows down yesterday waiting for a door while in the sleeper and heard a ton of screeching and wondered wtf was going on and it was a yard dog doing a 360 jacknife at 30 mph.

 

You forgot the hose stretcher also

 

Not always. The cummins plant in Rocky mount, NC always jacks them to the sky. I always have to find a yard dog and ask them to lift up the trailer so I can lower it enough to get under it.

 

If its drifting to the right when backing...it Could be your "mirror adjustments give an "Angled illusion"that its drifting.Mirror not straight witth wall of trailer,or tilted in or down.Some Docks ARENT STRAIGHT ALSO. Building not straight or lines straight,but building not.We actually had a trailer once that had the nose messed up(from a low clearance bridge.They ended up rebuilding it to 51 feet....and DIDNT get the kingpin perfectly centered.Dog tracked over the shoulder line every 500 feet or so LOL