need your opinion ! (all seasoned truckers)

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by navyeoseabee, Jun 10, 2007.

  1. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    Jan 1, 2007
    NASA HQ
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    I used to lower till I heard the hiss then dumped my air. I would pull out slow. I picked up a fully load 53 of beer one time. I could have beat the driver or spotter that dropped it with a few inches on each side. Trailers side by side. The nice touch was that it was about 6 inches lower than the back of my tractor.:biggrin_25510: I looked like a flatbedder with this simple drop and hook.:biggrin_25513:
     
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  3. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
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    That's what I do as well, but I regularly drive a spring ride truck, so I have to keep cranking a little to make getting out from under it easier.
     
  4. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    Feb 25, 2010
    Vancouver BC
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    You must've been in the same lot as me. 6" of space sounds about right. And the loaded 53 tridem of beer (59,000 lb load) I was supposed to hook up to last week was, GRRRRRRR... lower than the tops of the drives, so dropping the bags didn't do squat. Worse, the landing gear hadn't been lubed since Agnew was giving his nattering nabobs of negativity speech. My arm and shoulder still ache from cranking for over 1/2 an hour.
     
  5. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

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    Meadville, PA
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    I've had this happen a truly unfortunate number of times. A polite call to the guardshack or knock on the door of the spotter (if you can find him, some of those guys never seem to stop moving!) can work wonders. I've had spotters pull trailers out for me all over the country with no problems whatsoever. All of them were more than willing to help me out, since helping me got me out of their way that much quicker, and gave them another hole to park another trailer. I've found that most lots where trailers are parked that close have massive space constraints (too many trailers, not enough room), and want you and your load out just as soon as possible.
     
  6. Canucklehead

    Canucklehead Medium Load Member

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    Feb 25, 2010
    Vancouver BC
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    At 2:30 in the morning yard goats are non-existant in that place. And the dopehead shack clowns are too busy sleeping at $9/hr.

    I guess it's karma, for all the times many years ago I'd have to go to a nightmare tight yard with a 53 and just drop it for the teeny day cab they had to stick it in a hole.
     
  7. BIG RIGGER

    BIG RIGGER Road Train Member

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    Feb 25, 2010
    Fargo,ND.
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    Your company mechanic was 100% WRONG lower the landing gear until it touchs the ground then STOP.
    Dump your air and roll out smooth as glass.
    When mechanics and rookies hit the ground with the landing gear put it in low gear and crank it until they hear air that is what makes the poor guy who picks the load up(usally me)work so hard jacking the legs up because the gears on the inside have been pre-loaded.It is a crazy rookie mistake.
     
  8. 4seasons

    4seasons Light Load Member

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    Jul 1, 2009
    Greeneville, TN
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    I made the mistake of cranking it up until the bags released +2 turns once gettting a load of pepsi. Had to drop and pull forward to get loaded. Once loaded I backed under and it wouldnt hook up. Tryed to lower it back down a bit but the low was out of the landing gear and there was no moving 44k in high gear. Had to have a yard dog pick it up so I could crank the gear down 3-4 turns so I could hook up. Now I only touch the ground for a drop. By the way my bags wont dump.
     
  9. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

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    Kellogg, IA
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    I just touch the landing gear to the ground, Pull forward about a foot, dump the bags, and slowing pull out to make sure the landing gear is going to support (it can land on the frame if the landing gear collapses. When hooking up to one, I dump the bags before going under to not "shock" the suspension and scrape off all the grease on my fifth wheel. I back under just shy of reaching the king pin and then reinflate the bags, check for a gap, and then complete the hook up. I guess each of us has a variation on what we do. No absolutes here. This has been my preferred method running air ride suspension for 18 years. Have never lost a bag or had any surprises.
     
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