I do LTL work and pull a 53 dry van in the morning and then do drop and hook with doubles in the early afternoon. I think there are pros and cons to both, but if I had to pick, I'd rather pull the doubles. It's just more exciting to watch them in the mirror then a 53 and also when you turn corners. I always get a kick out of how people freak out when they see you about to make a turn and the second one follows right where the first one went.
I think the obvious stuff has already been covered, so I'll just point out from personal experience that the second trailer does NOT like emergency braking at all and it wont be very forgiving .... and neither will the soccer mom who needs to change her pants when she gets home :lol: But I'l save that story for another time.
Since I'm bored, I'll just post some pictures for others who might be lurking or just curious what doubles look like or how they are connected.
Yes, I have to pull doubles and drive in Colorado winters in a single axle daycab.
This is called the Pintle Hook, its how the converter dolly connects the first and second trailers.
This is the Pintle Hook in the locked position. There are two safety features here. First you need to pull the latch against a spring to open it and when the emergency line has air to it, it pushes a plunger against it to keep it in place.
There are the air lines, electrical line, and a safety chain.
The second trailer connected
Kind of a bad picture, but this is the air control valve that someone mentioned earlier. This also gives air to the brakes on the dolly.
The lines from the dolly that goto the second trailer, also the air release knob to lock and unlock the emergency brakes. I don't think all converter dollies have one of these.
What they look like in the mirror, sometimes the second trailer will hide behind the first one. That kinda freaks me out cause it's like 'omfg I lost it!'
