So you want to pull doubles/triples...

Im going to do a step by step guide on hooking a set of conventional doubles. Hooking triples is no different, you just add one more trailer to the equation.

Step 1: After you get in your tractor, before you do anything else, find your rear pup (aka back box, tail, kite). Make sure it is in a place where you will have room to hook your set. The tail should always be the lightest trailer you have.

Step 2: Find a dolly. Hook that dolly to the pintle hook on the back of your tractor (if you have one). Dont be lazy, hook atleast one safety chain to the back of your tractor, and make sure none of your airlines are going to drag while you move your dolly. Take the dolly to wear you dropped your tail, and back the dolly in front of the tail. Do not back it under and couple, simply spot the dolly in front of the pup. Leave about half a foot to a foot between the 5th wheel of the dolly, and the trailer apron.





Step 3: Find your lead trailer. Hook up to your lead trailer the same way you would hook up to any other trailer. Take the lead trailer to where the dolly is, and back up so that the pintle hook on the lead pup is matched up with the eye of the dolly. Alot of guys back up slowly until they see the back of the pup hit the dolly. Be sure to pull up about a foot after this happens so you have room to work back there.


*image courtesy of Hank's Truck Pictures

Step 4: Now you are ready to start hooking things up. The first thing you do, is pick up the front of the dolly by hand, or use the jack to raise it, if there is a jack on it (these are becoming a thing of the past...Most dollies are just counterbalanced anymore). Close the pintle hook onto the eye of the dolly. Make sure the pintle hook is completely closed onto the eye of the dolly. (Again, if there is a jack, use it to raise the landing gear of the dolly). If there is a safety pin for the pintle hook, use it. Hook the dollys safety chains to the back of the lead pup. Cross them. Some guys put one clevis hook on forward, the other on backwards. Look at how the dollys 5th wheel is lining up to the rear trailer. See if the trailer is sitting too high or too low, and adjust it as needed.

Step 5: Get in the tractor, and slowly back up. If everything is lined up straight, you should be able to back that dolly right under the tail pup without even turning the wheel. Pull forward to do a tug test to make sure that you are hooked up.

Step 6: Set the brakes, get out, visually inspect the coupling to the back box. Are you high hooked? Are the jaws closed? Is the release handle all the way in? Some newer dollys tend to have a different style release handle that you actually slide left and right from the front of the dolly. If it is this style, be sure to check and see if the handle fell into the locked groove.

You are ready to hook your air lines. Most dollies will have the air lines that go to the front box coming out the bottom, and the lines going to the back box coming out of the top. Also, in my experience, the lines that go to the front box are straight, and the ones going to the back are pigtailed. Hook your air lines and electrical line up.

Now find the air valves on the back of the front pup. Sometimes they are underneath, sometimes they are right above the glad hands. Turn them so that the air flows through them. They look just like the valve your toilet has. Make it a "T" to stop the airflow, make it a "|" to let the air flow through. You need to let the air flow through. Also, find the valve on the dolly, if it has one, and turn it so no air is leaking out. Also, go to the back of the tail pup and make sure the valves are CLOSED.

Step 7: Raise the landing gear of the back pup.

Step 8: Get in the tractor, and with the engine off, release the trailer brakes. Walk to the back of the first pup. The pintle hook has an air operated mechanism to fill the void where the eye of the dolly meets the pintle hook. This is something you will have to see to understand. It basically takes the slack out of it, so that the dolly does not bang forward and backward (like loose 5th wheel jaws would do).

Listen for any air leaks. Now, go to the back of the tail pup. Find the air valves on the back, and open the emergency line. Because the trailer brakes are released, you should hear a rush of air flow out the back when you open it. This is to test that air is getting all the way through the set...CLOSE THE VALVE after you do this!!!

Double and triple check everything that you feel necessary. Check both 5th wheels, check the pintle hook, check the safety chains, the air lines, make sure the landing gear is raised on both pups! Be sure none of your air lines are dragging. If your dolly has a landing leg, be sure that it is raised.


------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thats about it as far as hooking the set goes. If I forgot anything, I will feel like an idiot because I have done this thousands of times, but never actually written down a step by step guide on how to do it.

I want to note that you will run into different types of dollies and pintle hooks. You will just have to learn how they all work, dont be afraid to ask questions. Some dollies now have buttons to control the air flow in them. But the priniciples will remain the same.

Driving tips:

Always hook your set the same way. There are a few things you can do in different order than I listed, but the more you do it the same way, the less likely you are to forget a step!

Take doubles and triples slower on curves. It sounds like common sense but alot of guys (coughfedexcough) will fly around curves with a set. Stupid!

Do not ever get anywhere you have to back out of! Doubles are very difficult to back. It took me years to be able to back them in a straight line. The dollys short wheelbase makes it so hard, and once that dolly starts turning, there aint no stopping it. Be even more aware of low bridge, dead end, no outlet etc signs.

Dont be an idiot, dont get in a hurry. Make sure everythings hooked up properly.



Dollies are also known as: convertor dollies, joe dogs, gear, convertor gear....Help me out ABF and Conway I know theres more.

Edit: Allow Me to add another note....Always check your lights, breaks etc.....Not all dollys have lights on them, but if they do, make sure they are working.

 

And you all though only Rollover The Original could write book long threads.

 

Just added it to the end.

 

Same here Stoney. I wrote this for the newbies though. They wouldnt have a clue how to back a pup with a dolly on it.