When loading/unloading should trailer air bags be dumped?

Most vans have braces to prevent them from dropping too low when a fork enters, so with most freight weights it doesn't matter deflated or not... take a peek next time you load or unload

 

Ive only had to lower my airbags a couple times because the trailer was too high.You wont have too many times you'll have to lower the bags while sitting at a dock.

 

Most newer trailers have these,my reefer does so lowering the bags is pointless.
They activate when the trailer parking brake is set.

 

Dumping the red valve only sets the brakes. It doesn't dump the bags. The only trailer I've ever operated that dumped the trailer air bags was a (End Dump) trailer. We used them on the gas rigs in the oil field. When they dump, all the weight goes to one axle on the very end. It has a valve on the back of the trailer to utilize this procedure. If you don't use it, you'll blow out the bags with all the weight. This trailer dumps extremely high in the air. The wind will blow it over if you don't watch what your doing. On guy hit a power line with one of them.

 

Not true. All of my current companys trailers dump airbags when brakes are set. A lot of vans do it too, it just depends on the settings of your trailer tank.

 

When were hauling grain and empty 60000lbs in 1.5 min we always dump the bags. They can explode because the dump valve cant dump that quick. Even in a slower dump it's good to dump the bags, it makes them last longer because they dont get over stretched and start having pinhole leaks.

So it just depends on your load.

 

I dump the bags every time I unload




A dump bucket 😊😊

 

i've never had a trailer with a dump valve.

only been to 2 docks where the trailer was too high. nothing i could do but let the loading process lower the trailer. couldn't even get the levelor down enough enough for dumping.

 

That's what I'm sayin. I have only operated one type of trailer that you could dump trailer bags. I could dump the bags hooked to the drives. That's it. The rest of them want you tandems all the way back. I haul demountables now. So I control the trailer air bags completely. I have to be sure to remember to set it for cruising before I leave. Or it will be Bridge City.