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playboy
Joined: 30 Jun 2006
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject: just did something really stupid |
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| it was at the end of the day and my last stop before i could go home for the weekend i got in a hurry and my fifth wheel wouldn't unlock so after some rocking back and forth i finally get it unlock so i get back in my truck and proceed to leave well i forgot to unhook the pig tails luckily i only pulled out the red service line and nothing else but i feel really stupid now also luckily as to my knowledge just my dog and our shop know what happened |
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Useless
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 3177
Location: Canyon Lake, Tx.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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Compost happens, dude!!! I'll bet you won't make that mistake again. Just remember that if you learn from it, and no one gets hurt, and nothing gets too terribly bent, it'll all be okay!!
BTW, was it your fifth wheel that wouldn't unlock, or your kingpin that wouldn't release?? |
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Uturn2001
Joined: 10 Jan 2005
Posts: 4668
Location: East Central IL between the corn and the beans
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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Don't feel too bad. I hate to admit it, but twice I have forgotten to unhook my airlines and pigtail when dropping a trailer. :oops: :oops: :oops:
Both times I got in a hurry. :roll: :roll: :roll: |
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playboy
Joined: 30 Jun 2006
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| yeah I'm definitely gonna make sure I'm not in a hurry anymore and remember the lines it was my fifth wheel the handle wouldn't move so i had to move forward and backward till it finally moved and i was just so glad i got unhooked i got back in the truck and pulled out |
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Uturn2001
Joined: 10 Jan 2005
Posts: 4668
Location: East Central IL between the corn and the beans
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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You would think I would have learned after the first time, but I did after that second time.
After that last time I made myself get into a routine where the 1st thing I do is unhook the airlines then lower the gear and finally pull the 5th wheel. |
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yoopr
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 12865
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| Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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| well at least you dropped your Dolly's first-think positive :P |
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GMAN
Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Posts: 9882
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:16 am Post subject: |
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| It can help if you establish a routine. If I drop a trailer, I usually start with the air lines and then pull the fifth wheel as I go to the dolly. By the way, it can help to put the dolly down to release the king pin, if you have a heavy load. It sound like no major damage was done. You will likely never have that happen again. :D |
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Crackaces
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 1343
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:51 am Post subject: PAL and LAP |
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My routine is to take on a "PAL" and lose it off my "LAP"
Hook: ..
PIN (Latched, secured-and tugged) -- AIRLINES (Hooked) -- LANDING GEAR (up)
Unhook:
LANDING GEAR (down) -- AIRLINES (Unhook) -- PIN (Unlatch)
Watkins Shepard teaches to set up the truck with the nose of the trailer just level with the fifth wheel and check to see distance. Then drop the air bags, go back 2 feet, fill the air bags to lift the trailer. This lessens the wear and tear on the Teflon fifth wheels. Reverse the procedure for unhooking.
This has two inherent risks. High hooking a kingpin because at least you know you are lifting the trailer while backing and you can see it. The other risk is getting distracted between step 1 and step 2 forgetting that you did not do the final back to latch. I did that one last week, but realized quickly on the final tug test and was able to raise the gear and re-hook. I think even with the best of proceedures .. just slowly pulling forward and checking the trailer one final time prevents a disaster ... |
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Colonel Toon
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 51
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:29 am Post subject: |
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Don't feel too bad; We all pull a few boners every now and then.
I do mostly drop and hook at my new gig and i forgot to unhook the wires once last week, but they just popped off and no damage although they smacked the back of the cab big time. |
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Skywalker
Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 2651
Location: Pulling a Tanker for Superior Carriers!!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:42 am Post subject: |
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Uturn2001 wrote: You would think I would have learned after the first time, but I did after that second time.
After that last time I made myself get into a routine where the 1st thing I do is unhook the airlines then lower the gear and finally pull the 5th wheel.
:D :D :D :D Been there, done that!! :shock: :shock: Welcome to the club!!!
If you find anyone who's been out here more than 6 months who hasn't done that at least a time or two....they're either the luckiest person in the world, or a liar :shock: :shock:
I've gotten in a hurry a time or two...really stretched them all out :shock:
And whats really bad is when you're pulling away from the trailer, and you realize your mistake...and then you hear all three of them slap the back of the tractor :shock: :shock:
But don't worry...I won't tell anyone if you won't!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: |
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Super 8
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 132
Location: Rockford, Ill
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Being in a hurry is how mistakes are often made.
I'm good about the glad hands, but I did forget the landing gear once during hooking. They make a terrible racket when you're draging them on the ground. My worst fear, of course, is unhooking and taking off with the landing gear still UP. I could see that getting ugly. :shock:
Other than that, I do things like forgetting to set or release my brakes.
I feel like an idiot sometimes, so it's nice to know other people do the same things.
I think the key is to find an order of doing things the same way, and to slow down and not be in a hurry so you don't skip over something important. |
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2000Volvo770
Joined: 22 Jun 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Temperance Mi
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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| I snapped the 2 airline and the pick tail...............2 times in that last 3 years. :evil: |
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meanbone79
Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 393
Location: 400 miles west of Bermuda Island
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| Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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| While we're on the subject of 5th wheels I found out when you are trying to pull your 5th wheel handle and it want budge release your parking brakes and leave you trailer brakes engaged, back up a little and then pull you parking brakes. Your handle will then release with no problem. |
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Windwalker
Joined: 22 Oct 2005
Posts: 3098
Location: Holiday, FL
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| Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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| I've got a brother that was driving for some thirty years and one day, forgot to unhook the lines. Pulled the plug off the pigtail, and had to get a new one. While I have never done it, I understand it can happen to anyone at anytime. I would guess it will be a while before you do that again. :) :) |
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Bisquit
Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Posts: 503
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| Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:26 am Post subject: |
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| As others have said, it aint the first time and I promise you it won't be the last. You have just learned a valuable lesson though. I have gotten into the habit of double checking everything. I even get under the trailer and look at the fifth wheel to make sure the jaws are locked. If I hook it up today and wont actually pull it till tomorrow I'll check it all again the next day before I leave as part of a pre-trip.....Don |
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