High-hooking A Trailer

I’m constantly amazed at the number of couplings I witness at the tank washes where drivers don’t get out and check the trailer height. I’d wager 95% of the drivers I see don’t do this. I commented on this once to another driver, adding that I’d seen a guy with a ‘million mile safe driving’ sticker on his cab fail to check the trailer height (and kingpin-5th wheel alignment), and his reply was along the lines of, ‘well if you’ve driven a million miles you’ve probably hooked up to enough trailers that you don’t need to get out and look.’ Needless to say I disagreed. It’s the easiest thing to do, and saves an incredible amount of trouble.

I have cranked up many more trailers than I've ever needed to lower. Absolutely no fun cranking up a 46,000 lb load in August in Atlanta at a drop yard where the asphalt has gone to liquid matter under the landing gear legs.

Yeah... much more fun in a Midwestetn Winter with below zero windchills, gear frozen to the ground and little to no traction once hooked!

In my brief OTR training we got stuck twice in one day (in 2 different states) and trainer got his hand smashed a bit when frozen gear released and pressure-loaded crank unwound! Earth mover pulled us out in one yard... other required a (small) tow truck.

Schneider had a very safe coupling and uncoupling process. I still have my guides which I had laminated. It had all the appropriate GOALs (stops and checks).

Id def say you nailed it with your final statement brett unfortunately by pure nature of the job truck driving seems to push people to a whole new level of lazy due to the lack of exercise time and ambition ive certainly had my moments mostly due to extreme weather but weve just gotta keep our heads about us and push to do the same things every single day till its not even a thought that we HAVE to get out of the truck for some things we HAVE to do thorough pre and post trips we have to check tire pressures (number one reason for flats) and we have to take ten seconds to inspect trailer heights before just backing under them and lets not forget to bend over and get your flashlight on those jaws to make sure they fully engage too ive seen plenty of trailers droped due to that lack of a 3second inspection

The "Trucker Wannabee who can't back" totally agrees! I hope I get a chance to do it right.

Jamie, thank you for sharing your story. It is never easy to admit a mistake. You can get some many things right and then...

The line from the movie Pushing Tin comes to mind!

When I back under a trailer I ensure that no more than half of my 5th wheel is under the trailer. If that trailer hasn't risen, I am getting out to check my height. I high hooked one time with CFI, and it was a PITA to fix. Not going through that again, especially in the cold. As others do. recommend visually checking that the latch is locked around the king pin and to always do a tug test. Call me paranoid, but mechanical failures can occur, especially in the cold weather or where mechanical parts can get mucked up with grease, snow, ice, slush, etc..

Yes, we did the tug test with the trailer pre trip. Of course you have to make sure the trailer brakes work. I only commented on the coupling itself

Yes, trailer (service) brakes test also important. I always did it (though my trainers did not). While it really is part of coupling, in my add-on comment I stopped at the (possibly false) Tug Test. Yes, it ALL matters!

You'd better notice that when you go back there to hook up the air lines. ("Gee, where did the catwalk go?")

Pete B wrote:

I’m constantly amazed at the number of couplings I witness at the tank washes where drivers don’t get out and check the trailer height. I’d wager 95% of the drivers I see don’t do this. I commented on this once to another driver, adding that I’d seen a guy with a ‘million mile safe driving’ sticker on his cab fail to check the trailer height (and kingpin-5th wheel alignment), and his reply was along the lines of, ‘well if you’ve driven a million miles you’ve probably hooked up to enough trailers that you don’t need to get out and look.’ Needless to say I disagreed. It’s the easiest thing to do, and saves an incredible amount of trouble.

Back in my service days a Command Sergeant Major's in one of the Battalions I served in his favorite saying was "One Oh S$#t whipes out a million At a Boy's"! Even the luck can run out for a Million mile driver if they become complacent.

Im convinced miller yard drivers raise and lower landing gear just to mess with drivers. We haul a ton of beer and i probably have to either raise or lower landing gear 75% of the time. I usually check twice. Initial approach to see where my plate is then once that looks ok i check again to make sure im lined up and flush with the trailer then back all the way under or adjust the landing gear down if needed.

Back in my service days a Command Sergeant Major's in one of the Battalions I served in his favorite saying was "One Oh S$#t whipes out a million At a Boy's"! Even the luck can run out for a Million mile driver if they become complacent.

AND... Trucking Karma is a *****!

We were fueling CGN at the truck stop near our Sturtevant yard. Another driver called my 1st Home Daily Trainer a "Chicken **** Narc" for reporting 2 drivers for leaving their CNG trucks unattended while fueling. Not getting anywhere with him he turned his efforts on me.

I said "I don't know... I take Safety pretty seriously!" (Not sure if he was talking to me or "through me" to get to my trainer).

I proceeded to tell him thisvstory about a handy man customer I had. .. We had spoken on the phone for about 2 hours over several days. He supposedly had a bunch of work for me...

1st day I am working in the basement when his Father takes a Dewalt Sawzall and cuts the gas line to the boiler (it was being removed). I said "You made sure the gas was turned off before you did that didn't you?" He said "I'm pretty sure the furnace guys working here the other day did it." I said "I don't care what you do when you are alone but if I am standing here next to you you'd BETTER ****ING KNOW it's off!"

About 10 minutes later he comes back and says "I checked it and it was off." I said "OBVIOUSLY!" (He seemed puzzled)...

"I said "Well, we're still standing here!" (Still looking a bit perplexed I had to explain "If it wasn't there would now be a big hole here where this house once stood and they would never be able to find all of our pieces!" That was the only day I worked for this customer and his genius Dad!

A couple of hours later that same driver (who had bragged about his 16 years accident free with Veriha) was backing at the same customer as us. The bang was really loud and his tractor bounced a few times... We later found out he only managed to do about $300 damage to his front bumper as he turned his blind side (without ever checking those mirrors) into one of the 2' cement cubes lining the area.

"Instant Karma gonna get you!"