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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;tscottme, post: 12239040, member: 19119&quot;]If you get a week or more with another driver you will have no problems hooking/breaking a set and once you see how doubles operate in traffic and roads yo will quickly know, really know, how to operate them. You sound cautious and open to learning. It&#039;s just going to be a matter of seeing what you are supposed to do. If you always get to make/break a set of doubles on flat pavement, it will be fine, especially if the tongue of the converter dolly has a wheel and not just a stand with a foot. </p><p><br /></p><p>1. The things to know about dollies is you have to drain their air tanks so their brakes will release and you can roll them. </p><p>2. Once you have a set of trailers and dolly hooked up and air hoses connected, you shut off the rear airline valves at the rear of the last trailer. All the valves from rear of 1st trailer, converter dolly are left open so air can flow from tractor to the rear brakes of the last trailer. </p><p>3. When you apply brakes, apply them gently and expect the brakes of last trailer to take effect a split second before converter and 1st trailer/tractor. If your rear trailer is empty or very light it&#039;s easy for the last trailer brakes to cause last trailer&#039;s tires to skid.</p><p>4. Even when pulling 2 empty doubles my trucks always drove like I was pulling a 53ft trailer that was moderately heavy. Also, even an empty set going downhill will pickup speed like a moderately loaded single trailer. I think there is more weight in a set of doubles than 1 empty 53 ft dry van.</p><p>5. If the pup trailers/double trailers have roll-up doors, expect the latch on some trailers to work themself open, with door opening on the road. I carried a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jurhomie-Multicolor-Aluminium-Keychain-Carabiner/dp/B0B51L52Q3" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.amazon.com/Jurhomie-Multicolor-Aluminium-Keychain-Carabiner/dp/B0B51L52Q3" rel="nofollow">carabiner, like this</a>. There is nothing special about this particular one. I would clip it through the lock mechanism so bumps would allow a latch to unlock and a roll-up door to open while driving. Carabiners are sold in truck stops or you can use a coat hanger or probably some kite string. I wouldn&#039;t buy any until you see the door of the trailers.</p><p>6. I learned from pulling tankers, and not in the 20+ years in dry van, to take on/off ramps at or below the yellow sign advisory speed. In a van or reefer before tanker I got away with 5 over the curve speed. Doubles and tanker be at or below that speed before you start making that curve and you will be OK.</p><p>7. When you are backing a pup trailer to a dock door it is surprisingly difficult if you are used to a long trailer. Short trailers react very fast compared to long trailers.</p><p>8. if the pup trailers have extendable legs that drop down from the nose of the trailer, make sure you feet are well away from the spot before that leg or you will drop that 20 pound steel leg right on the top of your foot. More than one rookie has broken a foot on putting their first trailer in a door.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pulling doubles is not as hard as you may fear. Anyone with a little training can do it. I&#039;m confident you have the skill and, more importantly, you want to learn how to safely do it. You will be fine if your trainer shows you. The first time I made up a set of doubles was in a sloped gravel parking lot and huge potholes. I didn&#039;t know what I was doing and the location didn&#039;t help. My truck didn&#039;t have a pintle hook, which is how the converter dolly hooks to the lead trailer. Some tractors pulling doubles have a pintle hook on the rear frame of the tractor, which makes things much easier. My truck was an OTR truck without the hook, so I hooked to my lead trailer and used the pintle on the back of it to do what I could. After a couple of hours I was ready to leave, dirty, and sweaty. The second time&nbsp; I made up a set on flat ground and it only took 30-45 minutes. BY the 3rd time I could make/break a set in about 30 minutes.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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