Swift Trailer Question

See
What
I
####ed Up
Today!

 

I'd never have known this. You learn something new everyday.

I wonder if anyone changes that 5th wheel handle when they sell the tractors?

 

Why all the fuss?

I have been at Swift for almost 9 years, and it has never been changed.
The fifth wheel release and the landing gear have always been on the right side.
It was the same in the trucking school I went to in CA.

Any other way seems really odd and backwards to me.

 

18 freightshaker and 19 volvo i have driven with swift both had kingpin release handle on the left

 

Had a internatio am that was on the left.
My current cascadia is on the right

 

My mentor's 18 freightshaker had an air-driven kingpin release with a switch in the cab... it was nice

 

Unless your in flatbed division. Landing gear on the left, 5th wheel on the right. Why? IDK. But its been a minor source of amusement for me. Newest trucks are apparently coming with in cab release now, so if you get one it won't matter.

 

The only reason I can think of is to get away from the traffic but you won't unhook that close to traffic. I was told on my gooseneck the straps need to be on the passenger side to get a driver away from traffic. I see them on the driver side quite often.

 

i always made it a habit to throw my straps and winch on passenger side. it only takes 1 time of getting a strap cut on a road with a big enough shoulder to have your tires straddling that white line and trying to change out a strap so close to traffic they giving you a haircut. no thanks. unless its a load that needs to be strapped down on both sides, then thats different but otherwise if it aint gonna shift then they all go on the passanger side