jumped the fifth wheel

Why so often?

 

Always, Always get out and Check the height of the wheel to the trailer!!! Jumping will never happen for just 30 seconds to check. Another 30 seconds to raise or lower.

 

Actually one of the few mistakes I haven't made--course I rarely drop and hook--BUT-the real reason--back in the day when trailers had single action brakes--you could knock em half way across the yard hookin up--so when us old farts learned--you just backed the fifth wheel to the fron of the wagon--hooked up your lines and aired the system so the trailer brakes would hold--LOL--and probably the only reason my dumb### hadn't done it--
Anyway--the OP said they cant dump their bags--I figured they meant from the cab--go under the back of your truck--there will(should)be an adjusting rod that sets the bag height--if you disconnec the rod and either pull it down--or push up--(depending on how it is plumbed)this will release the air from the bags--if you don't feel comfy tryin it--next time you're at your home shop ask one of the wrenches to show you how the ride height is set--and you will see what I mean..........

 

Yup..I've done it too,1st time I freaked out. But I got my crowbar and just tilted the 5th wheel plate and slid out.

 

First time I did it , it got so far forward you couldn't slide a hair between the trailer and my cab extenders. Never did it again.

 

Learned my lesson when I bought new cab extenders was not so lucky to get it stopped but now stay hooked to one trailer most of the time so all good there lol

 

<<<<<< Guilty , been there done that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your not alone on this. Don't be embarassed or paranoid. One thing you can do also is alot of time the yard jockeys with the liftable fifth wheel will be more then happy to help you out raising the trailer so you can crank the landing gear without any weight on it. If they are decent people they won't ask for anything for doing it ( although there are some butt heads that will). It isn't the end of the world for ya ! But as posted on an earlier reply Get out and look is your best defence against this happening again, after you've done it so many times it will become habit and then you won't worry about it anymore. Good luck, hope this helps.

 

I seen this happen to a guy. He was a bit younger than me and had a Large car and I had an ex Swift flat top Freight shaker. He already been embraced by me so he had to show off. He came and asked me to move so he could back into his spot, yet he already had more than enough room and even with me moving had a hard time. When it was my turn I had the hardest spot to back into, No problem right in.. That ticked him off so he had to show off by taking off as in a race car. Tractor took off alright but the loaded trailer he hooked up to least he thought he was hooked to BOOOOOOM to the ground. His Large Car Pete did not save him from having to raise the trailer back up to rehook

I was leaving and he was still out there cranking on the landing gears trying to get it up..

 

Anyone who does this more than once, and doesn't learn from it, should think about a different line of work. The only way to have this happen, is to be too lazy to check your 5th wheel height before backing the rest of the way in. It's better to get out and check your height 100 times, than to high hook even once.