When to use suspension dumps

I AGREE with all these reasons to use dumps especially when you are getting stuck in an unlpowed customers parking lot. Also we used to deliver to a cubby whole dock that was on an incline. This was with a pup trailer,anyway one day in the summer when I went to leave my drives were actually elevated and could see them just spinning in the mirror. The dock had kind of a hump.Anyway dumped air bags and regained enough traction to pull out. Had to do this everytime I delivered there with a pup trailer to pull out.

 

I thought you had to dump them to look cool as you scrape the mudflaps across the parking lot...

This trainee I had once got the truck over a curb and his drives were in the air...he claimed the power divider didn't work, but as soon as he dumped the bags he peeled off the curb and made it out of there.

 

I dump mine when i raise the trailer to dump the load.

 

I drop and hook trailers all day long shuttling. I always dump when dropping loaded trailers. Besides making it a little easier to pull out it prevents wheel spin due to loss of traction when the rear axle springs up when you pull out from the trailer. The way I do it is unhook lower gear, dump bags release brakes and pull forward. I do not wait for them to go flat. And don't forget to set switch back to run or you will have a surprise when you back under your next trailer.

 

That's a two way street. Our yard trucks all have 24.5's on them and our road tractors all have 22.5's. When the yard guys don't dump or can't as is the case with one of the yard trucks and roll the gear down too far it's no fun trying to crank 47,000-48,000 lbs down to avoid a high hook either

 

I second this post 99% of our trailers we just cranked down till landing gear touched the ground and pulled away. We had one Owner Op though that would get sideways with you if you dropped his trailer like this.He wanted you to drop it with the landing gear about 3 inches above the ground dump and pull out. He had this long nose pete that sat low to the ground so he would have to crank trailer down if you didnt remember to do this.

 

I think cranking down is slightly easier than cranking up... Even with the low range gearing.... Gravity and all.... But either way it's a pain!

 

If you do a lot of drop and hook then dumping the bags to pull out of a drop or get under a new trailer helps preserve 5th wheel grease. Ever notice how much grease gets scraped off on the front edge of trailers? I like to dump bags and back under the trailer just in front of the king pin, then inflate the bags, check king pin is in front of the 5th wheel, maybe even raise the landing gears, before backing in and getting a good lock. Pulling out as soon as I've unhooked from the king pin I'll stop and lower the bags for a few seconds before pulling out. Less stress on the landing gears and keeps the 5th wheel grease fresh longer.

 

Cranking down is hard?

What is next to complain about? Having to chew on your own?

Mikeeee

 

Yes, until you figure out it is the opposite of up...