Is it safe to pull the release handle while the landing gear still up?

Yes. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean that you should.

Now, sometimes when you set your trailer brakes and then try to pull the 5th wheel handle it won't release. This means there is too much force on the locking jaw and the whole unit needs to be readjusted by rocking the tractor or just by backing a few inches.

But there is no way in heck you should ever move the tractor with the 5th wheel lock released and not having the landing gear down. Never. Never. Never.

All ya gotta do is crank the landing gear most of the way down if you think you need to move tractor and trailer before pulling the 5th wheel release.

The safe way isn't always the easy way, but having the landing gear down before pulling the 5th wheel is going to be a lot easier than having to crank up a fallen trailer. Dropping your tractor airbags can also help.

 

My routine (never break your routine, that's when bad things happen) is to pull the airlines, release the fifth wheel, then lower the landing gear.

As for cranking the gear down until you hear the airbags hissing, that's ok if you have a heavy load, but not if you have an empty trailer.

If I had a heavy load, yes, I'd lower them until I just started to hear the air. If it was a lighter load, I'd lower them until they JUST BARELY made contact with the ground. If I was empty one half to one inch OFF the ground.

 

I think u all do it backward. Landing gear is the most important thing . i always put it down before i do anything else. Rip ur airlines out they could be replaced, forget to pull handle ok well trailer not,going anywhere . forget to put landing gear down ,well hope ur light or u be calling a wrecker. I guess to each their own though

 

I agree. When I’m hooking up I do PAL (Pin, Air lines, Landing gear). When unhooking I just reverse it - LAP (Landing gear Air lines, Pin).

Just a simple way to keep me in my routine- like you said, when you get out of your routine bad things happen.

 

When you crank the landing gear til it releases pressure from the suspension you're screwing the next guy with a slightly lower 5th wheel. He'll have to crank in low gear just to get the trailer on his truck. Suspension dump is handy here.

 

Unfortunately what I have been experiencing this past 2 weeks is opposite. I have to lower every trailer before I attach.


Plus I don’t have a suspension dump toggle or switch. I have to look after my rig not someone else’s. I can’t predict what the 5th wheel height of the next guy is.


Also the few weeks before that the past 2 weeks the idiots were dropping trailers off with suspensions dropped. So I have to crank the the trailers up by hand just to get my truck underneath.


Ya I’m looking after my rig first no exceptions on that one.

 

No, it's not dangerous.

There's 4 steps to uncoupling.

Crank the legs down, pull the pin, disconnect air and electrical and number 4 is to verify the first 3 were done before pulling out. Doesn't matter what order you do the first 3 but always do number 4.

 

Dolly down, pull the pin, unhook air lines, drop suspension, pull out. Doing the same routine eliminates any brain farts. Plus the way I do it is in a straight line. Start back and work forward...

 

That's neat. Glad you got yours. You don't need an airbag dump to be considerate

 

I don’t, like I said I am not going to sit there and figure out what the next guy has. Prior to hooking up you should get out and look.

You want me to do the work for you? Really? Get your fat ### out of the truck and look.

Not directed at you but everyone else thinking the trailer is the height you want it to be at. I already broke 2 5th wheels thinking the previous guy dropped it at the height of my 5th wheel. Then realized ya that’s not the case. I drop the trailer at the height I know my 5th wheel will release it. Not at the height someone else might hook up to.

Yes I’m considerate but sure as hell won’t be doing someone else’s work.