Where Do You Position The Tractor 5th Wheel When Pulling Doubles?
Topic 31908 | Page 1
A single axle tractor typically has a fixed position fifth wheel. If it’s a tandem axle moving it to closer to the rear is advisable.
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
I just asked one of our road guys this earlier in the week since they all drive twin screws, he said all the way back puts the 5th wheel roughly in the same position near the rear wheels as a single screw truck
Also keep your eye out for a triangle shaped sticker on some pup trailers right above where the 5th wheel slides under that says no tandem tractors. Landing gear is too close to the nose of trailer and will hit a twin screw tractor
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
And landing gear legs, are closer on those pup trailers. Too far forward on the 5th wheel, the legs WILL rip off mudflaps on turns !
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I'm going to start this new job pulling doubles. I understand that the tractor's 5th wheel needs to be moved back, but no one has specified how far back it should be. If you have pulled doubles , where do you position your tractor 5th wheel? Do you slide it all the way back to the last pin?
Thank you in advance.
Yeah slide it back. I’ve killed a few flaps since I don’t drive tandems often.
The weight in a lead pup will never be enough to exceed your tandems
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
Thank you for all your replies, guys. Now I think I know why my company puts removable mud flaps on the tractor.
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I'm going to start this new job pulling doubles. I understand that the tractor's 5th wheel needs to be moved back, but no one has specified how far back it should be. If you have pulled doubles , where do you position your tractor 5th wheel? Do you slide it all the way back to the last pin?
Thank you in advance.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.