My 12 week course in Littleton, NH I have been driving since the 2nd week about an average of 10hrs+ a week not counting range. Ive driven 5hrs a day now since Wednesday

I can't remember if my school demonstrated how to couple or uncouple, maybe they did once. I don't think it was any big deal. It is a simple procedure. Just go by a check list. You will probably get all the hooking experience you want when you are out with your trainer.

The school I went to only allowed each of us to do it 2 or 3 times (size of the class). For the most part, I really learned how to do it when I was with my trainer.

Re: Will this matter?
 

Probably NOT.... but it SHOULD be!

All of the replies were accurate. But NOT real helpful. Perhaps, you should have phrased the question differently... like HOW do I do this?

I don't "DO" Youtube, so I don't know if that showed you what you need to know. So, I'll just TELL you what I think you need to know.

1) Pull your tractor up in front of the trailer about 10 yards or so. TURN ON your "utility lamp" which shines a light behind your tractor.

2) Using BOTH mirrors, back up until your drive tires are equally within the outer corners of the trailer, and you are "square" with it.

3) Back up until your rear drives are under the trailer, then set your parking brake and G.O.A.L. Make sure the trailer is not too high or too low for your fifth wheel to make good contact with the kingpin, and NO excess (after it is flattened out) between IT and the Platform.

4) If not acceptable, either lower your suspension, or lower the trailer using the dolly crank.

5) Back up slowly until you feel the contact, then JUST forcefully enough to make the fifth wheel LOCK into place.

6) Set your brakes again, and GOAL! Crawl under the trailer with a flashlight and MAKE SURE the fifth wheel is locked around the pin, AND make sure there is no GAP between the fifth wheel and the trailer platform.

7) Get back in the tractor and do ALL three "tug tests!"

8} Raise the dolleys, make sure the lines are hooked up, and release all brakes and drive forward about 5 yards, and hit your brakes. Listen for any sounds that aren't right.

9) Scale out, light a cigarrette and GO!

10) When DROPPING a trailer, lower the dolleys until you hear the hiss of the air suspension on your drives. Then make SURE you unhook the lines before pulling away!! And drop your suspension (if you can) to remove the weight from the tractor so as not to burden your clutch.

11) Extra credit: Always carry a couple of 4x4's to put under your drives in case some idiot yard jockey left the trailer TOO high for you to make good contact with your fifth wheel! Sometimes, trying to lower the trailer using the hand crank will strip the cheap gears inside, after which, you won't be able to RAISE them!

I suppose I left something out, and my fellow posters will be more than happy to point that out! :lol:

But, I HOPE this helps "refresh" your memory! It's also a good idea to make yourself a little "checklist" on an index card, and tape it to your dash. No matter HOW long you drive.... it is easy to forget one of these steps! I can't TELL you how "sickening" the sound was the ONE AND ONLY time I forgot to remove the lines before uncoupling! :lol:

Re: Will this matter?
 

I know nobody does it but most companies will tell you to hook up the air lines before you back all the way under..
And dont do what 90 percent of drivers do and crank it up 2 feet off the 5th wheel when you unhook, it just makes it harder on the next guy, crank till the legs touch the ground, dump your air bags and go..

an even more sickening sound is when you pull away and the trailer drops to the ground because the 5th wheel wasnt properly locked..

he just backed it up without ever stopping to look and check I know he just dropped it, but he still should have showed how to do it right

Fredog said:

Okay, I'll bite! WHY is it necessary to hook up the lines FIRST?

As for the heighth of the trailer you leave.... I CERTAINLY didn't advocate a two foot clearance! About 3 extra turns is enough. Reason being that SOME tractors have tires that are taller than yours, making the fifth wheel higher.

As for the sickening sound of a trailer hitting the ground.... I have never, and never WILL hear such a sound. First, because I do my tug test with the dolleys DOWN, and second, because I ALWAYS get under the trailer with a flashlight and check the "lockjaws!"

I can see how a driver who does mostly "drop and hook" might get careless at times. (not intending to single anyone out) but, it can't happen to me. My loaded trailers are usually "hooked" when I get to the yard. But, of course, I CHECK them! I do live unloads and reloads, and drop the trailer when I return to the yard.

So, the fact is, I drop or hook so SELDOM, it is "imperative" that I concentrate on this procedure ONCE every week!

IF I did "D and H" several times a week, I'd be even MORE concerned that I do it right!

My biggest FEAR is that a trailer would come "unhooked" while driving down the road and KILL someone! I've heard stories about this.... how the trailer PASSED them on the road! :lol: Really.... I don't see how this could happen as the lines would be "severed" DYNAMITING the trailer brakes!!

The trailer MIGHT uncouple and go "off track" and hit another vehicle..... but it would all happen in my REAR VIEW MIRRORS! :shock: :roll:

Truckers DO love to exaggerate!! :lol:

If you dont have spring brakes and you do not supply air to the trailer before you hook up, you could send the trailer for a ride if it doesnt latch

I'm sorry. Maybe, i'm dumb (not likely) but I don't understand your reply.

A trailer is sitting in a yard with NO AIR supplied. Therefore, the brakes on the trailer are SET, and it cannot move. I back in and "hook up." Why would I want to supply air to RELEASE the brakes, when I am about to SET them, so I can do a tug test?

If I have not coupled properly, and the trailer brakes are ALLREADY set, I will know it IMMEDIATELY when I try to pull away (during the tug test.) and in MY case, while the dollies are still DOWN, so the trailer doesn't drop!

I don't have a real problem with hooking up the lines first, but I can't see where it matters! I have never SEEN a trailer that didn't have spring brakes, that are "released" by supplying air!

The LAST thing I would want to do is, hook up the lines and SUPPLY air to the tandem brakes, releasing them, and then try a tug test without setting them. Obviously, this is the ONLY way I can see, where one might leave a lot without knowing whether his trailer brakes are working properly, and that his kingpin is locked!

But, I have only been driving a few years. If I am missing something... I want to KNOW! Are there trailers out there using something OTHER than spring brakes? And, if so.... could ANYTHING you said be RIGHT??

As I stated earlier.... the LAST thing I want is to lose a trailer! But, I will mention that, while yet in CDL school, my instructor... with 25 years experience, tried to pass off a test question that said that "springs" were responsible for holding the brakes of a trailer "at bay" while going down the road. I corrected him! I was ridiculed and scorned for doing so. But, I was RIGHT.... and he later told me that the answer "grid" was wrong and it would be corrected! :shock: :roll: