Pulling Doubles for the first time. Advice?

The only difference really is hooking them up.
Otherwise they just follow you around. No trouble to it.

Although you'll have to get used to corners all over again or you'll hear the CB cut in with "Fedex why are you swinging so ####ing wide? You got a 53 footer back there ya retard?" -actual quote from my first week

 

3 things you need to remember.....doubles turn better than semis .......never turn the wheel back and forth, make your lanes changes slow and deliberate.............rolling wheels have better traction than skidding wheels.......if you find your wheels skidding and the trailers weave get off the brake and stab the throttle......and I do men stab, because if you keep your foot on the throttle the trailers will whip and they will weave the other way.....the stab technique will straighten the set.......making your heart beat normally again. always leave the area in front of you empty.

 

Exactly. Turns out the guy yelling at me was one of our own drivers. He's taught me a lot in his own unique way.
Such as setting the brake on the dolly before backing the trailer to it.

 

Actually didn't know those existed lol

(Dollies without brakes)

 

Depends on who specked them. They will have service brakes.

 

In addition to the good advice everyone else has said, i'd like to add my thoughts:

1) Increase your following distance. You should already have a decent 6-8 second following distance anyways, but even more so with doubles.

2) Go around turns SLOW. Yes, they can turn tighter corners than a 53', but that doesn't mean you should go around corners faster than with a 53' trailer.

3) In my opinion, when hooking up, the most important things are to make sure the pintle hook is latched properly and that the safety chains are on and that both 5th wheels are latched properly. Anything else if there is a problem you'll know as soon as you start to move.

Really, if you can imagine pulling a red wagon behind you while walking down the street; It's pretty much going to follow you wherever you go. Now imagine hooking another red wagon to the red wagon you are pulling. This second wagon is going to follow the first wagon---which is following you. In my opinion, that is pretty close to what doubles is all about. i think everyone should do this before they actually try doubles for the first time.

Better yet, hook these wagons to your bicycle.

 

Off topic but does anyone else get the urge to hook up as many trailers as you can and make a snake truck because I think that would be cool

 

I didn't until you mentioned it.