New to doubles and have questions

It looks like I'll be pulling doubles in the near future. I've had the endorsement for a while and pulled a few loads with double trailers a while back.

A difficulty, I remember, was uncoupling the dolly 5th wheel - the handle was very hard to pull out on the converter dolly. It seemed difficult on gravel(?) or uneven pavement (there's often uneven ground) - it would take a couple of moves to find a spot where you could pull the handle out. Are there any tricks, or tips which will help?

Also, how do you keep the converter dolly from from rolling away when not connected?

And, where do you park in a truckstop, or rest area with doubles?

Thanks!

 

Set emergency brakes and leave service brakes released. Should make it easy to pull 5th wheel handle.

Dolly should have a air release/brake at least all of ours do. If your on a hill set brakes, if you can park dolly down hill. Makes it easier to move and hook to truck and move around.

I usually park at entrance/exit of rest areas unless I can see another place to park. Truckstops staying out of loves, flying j and pilot. Will solve about 90% of problems.

 

Using a pin puller may help,it also helps to avoid getting greasy.

 

Thanks!

 

Do a good pretrip. Check those air lines. More equipment to break. And a light hand on the wheel.

 

Congratulations on getting some specialized training, hopefully a hazmat to boot. It'll serve you well.

Try to avoid tight stops if you can LOL. Think big wide open rest areas and truck stops, Google maps will be a good friend to help avoid headaches..it'll become second nature before you know it..

 

Come to a stop, and set the trailer brakes, simultaneously reversing gently GENTLY - into the set, then pull your tractor brakes.

Should release all tension off the 5th wheels and make it easier to pull the 5th wheel release.

 

5th wheel handles have various, but usually only one, way to be pulled and release the 5th wheel. Some you grasp the handle and twist your pulling hand counter-clockwise and then pull out. Some 5th wheel handles need to be lifted up and then you can pull out. Some 5th wheel handles need both a counter-clockwise rotation and a lift before pulling.

In trucking there are some drivers that know the one and only way their equipment works and DEMAND you agree that every other piece of equipment MUST WORK THE SAME WAY or you are stupid. It doesn't matter if you ask about making a truck idle, pull the 5th wheel, slide tandems, or a hundred other things. NOT EVERY MANUFACTURER DOES THINGS THE SAME WAY, so there is almost never just one way to do things, even if someone's trainer said it or a driver's first company had all of their equipment operate the same way. I had 15-20 years experience pulling all kinds of dry vans and driving all kinds of trucks and eventually had a loaner Volvo that I could not figure out the 5th wheel release. I had to have a mechanic drive to me and show me how that one 5th wheel worked. I had maybe 6 other drivers with different trucks try to pull the 5th wheel and none of us could figure it out before the mechanic showed up. The secret on that truck was raise the handle about a quarter inch, but no more, rotate the handle, pull out and lift up all at the same time. When the mechanic arrived it took him a few minutes to get a release. I demonstrated the procedure he showed me 2 or 3 times before he left. And then took about 20 minutes to release the handle at the next location.

 

Thanks so much!