Quote:
Originally Posted by golfhobo
As a newly conscripted wiggle wagon driver, I am prone to believe that this is exactly what is behind their reasoning. Not only because the inherent delay in the airline is magnified by the numerous connections, but also because the articulation at the dolly constitutes a different dynamic than that of a 53 footer.
IOW.... you don't want to ADD to the "crack the whip" action by intermittently, and unevenly, stabbing brakes on wheels that are tracking on different paths.
Let the flaming begin. :lol2:
I was a private school about 5 years ago and they were teaching stab braking. They even said slight pressure all the way down is outdated. I pull doubles and I dont have a jake. I have used both methods effectively but I would say if you are heavy, no jake, and a very steep grade I would prefer a lower gear and slight pressure. As for doubles getting "out of line" while braking I dont see that as an issue either way. They stay pretty straight on dry pavement. If it is slick you have to watch that back trailer. It will be the lighter one and the brakes will be the first to lock up causing that rear pup to start coming around. You will not be able to feel it so you have to be looking. Otherwise you could clip the vehicle next you or a pole etc. There's a lot of factors that affect how they track and how they brake. Wind, weight, where the weight is on the trailer, are the brakes adjusted evenly, etc. Crack the whip as you say isnt a problem unless you swerve badly to one side or the other. But, if you let the right front tire drift off the lip of the road, to the shoulder, at highway speeds.....good luck! I did this on a small lip and coming back is a motherf*****. Thats big time crack the whip! I took my eyes off the road in an area of fresh asphalt and they had not yet blended it with the shoulder. The dropoff was maybe 2-3 inches, and I tell ya it was scary. If its a larger dropoff to the shoulder I would say you are done, stick a fork in ya. You may as well stradle it if you can
until you slow down and
then either get all the way off the road or try to get back on at that point. You also have to watch tight turns on uneven pave at slow speeds. When that dolly gets 90 degrees to the rear trailer there is no lateral support to the nose of the trailer and you could flip it. For example turning onto the street from a parking lot with a slight dropoff. You could also flip the rear box if you are braking hard during a tight turn. Try to gear down before your turn so you can slightly accelerate thru the turn and pull the rear one thru. Flipping the rear box is rare, I'm not trying to scare you. What does happen more than you may think is losing the rear box. I've seen a few dropped trailers. Double check your king pins. I get under the trailer with a flashlight. And dont forget to close your pintle hook, this a common mistake. There is alot of lines, chains, and connections and its easy to forget something. Develop your own pattern, and stay focused until your done. Dont get distracted and if you do always double check because thats when you'll miss a step.