You know what I meant!!!

 

I don't care who y'are, that's funny right there. :lol:

 

Over here in OR, WA and ID, we can run up to 105,500 with 8 axles and proper permits. We don't add a tag axle to run up to 80k. It's to go beyond 80k and move more product.

 

Sylvan:

Welcome to the world of REAL trucking! :lol: Sleeper cabs and 53 footers!

Most of your "memory" is correct, and that and the CHALK will serve you well. A few other suggestions:

1) When you pick up an MT trailer, spray the pins and rails with WD-40 and slide them up and back, then position them at the California kingpin rule BEFORE you load up! They will slide easier.

2) If you trailer looks like mine, the kingpin rule will position the second set (from the rear) of bottom running lights just above the front sidewall of the front set of tandems.

3) The safety bar is a good idea, but I don't have/use one. Sometimes I lay a glove or flashlight on the ground at the point I want to match up with the steer axle that matches the length I want to pull forward or move back. This I can see out my window.

4) If you're heavy on the steers occaisionally, you can play with the fuel.... go light, or fuel up several hundred miles BEFORE the next scale.

5) If you are constantly heavy on the steers/drives.... move the 5th wheel. Don't forget to lower the dollies, and POSSIBLY your suspension, to make it easier to slide. (and use the WD-40.)

6) Don't worry about the MT ride, but don't move your 5th wheel too far forward with a sleeper cab. Your trailer could hit your sleeper on a U-turn. (Besides, the cab with sleeper and gear already weighs heavy.)

7) The "running slide" of the tandems, using the trolley bar will work at times. But, if your trailer brakes don't hold by themselves, after applying the silicone, they are out of adjustment. (But, you might carry a good wheel CHOCK.)

8.) ALWAYS make sure the trailer is level, and not "jacked" before sliding tandems. The pins will be a bear, and the rails will be WORSE, if the trailer is not level. A stuck "pin" can be released with the slight application of a screwdriver to the side where the bind is.)

 

Hey now, I've always had a bunk, though this one is much larger, and I have a set of training wheels on the back of the tractor now.

Anyway, this went better than I would have imagined. That trailer had air-assist pins, and I moved it precisely far enough on the first try that the pins locked right back in, and I could see them go right into the holes and lock down.

I'll probably never do that again. It's kind of like the first time I took a shot with my .45 and blew the target holder all to hell. I thought I had me a real hand cannon, but that target holder was just ready to fly apart after taking the next shot. Oh well. It was still fun!

 

My advice would be to use the trailer brake lever to apply the brakes from a slow roll.

Sliding tandems with the red knob out is hard on the clutch and axles and all.

It's also much easier (and easier on equipment) to get sticky tandems sliding by using the trailer brakes while rolling than it is jerking from a stop.

-p.

 

this is what i do to get the tamdems to stop ware i need them.

first i went to walmart and got a tow strap (with hooks)

pull the handle and check that ALL 4 pins are in (if not look to see which way i need to bump it to get them in)

then take a hook and put it in the hole (on each rail) that i need it to stop at.

slide it till it stops go back flip the handle in then bump it to lock the pins then go back and check to see that ALL the pins are out then take the hooks and put them back in the side box till the next time

 

One problem is many tractors don't have trailer brake lever. My Classic XL didn't have one. Nor do many of the company trucks.

Best thing I had was a set of pins that I put in the holes ahead or behind (depending which way I needed to move the axles). Then move the axles until the pins stopped the axles.

Another problem I saw was the brakes on the trailer were not adjusted correctly. I always carried a set of wrenches to adjust the brakes. That and a can of WD-40.

kc0iv