So I Went And Dropped A Trailer Today...

Almost every time I hook up to a trailer I go underneath to verify that it is securely attached and locked in place. So many things can happen that will make you think the trailer is secured to the truck but it just aint. Sometimes the locking jaw is only partially locked, sometimes the kingpin has slipped over the locking jaw. Both of these things have happend to me before and I was able to avoid a disaster by few taking a few seconds to get underneath the trailer to make sure things were safe.

Well just today I went and dropped a trailer, and I mean I pulled out and the whole trailer made a loud Boom sound as it slammed into the ground right there in the distribution center that I work out of. "Almost every time" just was not enough. It was early in the morning and still dark out. Temperature was below freezing. I was tired and decided to skip that little step this time. I had backed up to the trailer like I always did. I heard the big satisfying clank and even gave the trailer a big tug test. That thing should have been locked.

I pull out and soon as I turn I get a bad feeling, the trailer starts slipping off the truck and I hear the crash. Luckily there were not a whole lot of people around yet to see this. So I get out, unattach the air lines and start cranking that trailer up in low gear as fast as possible.

The trailer was loaded with about 35k pounds and it took over ten minutes to get that thing high enough to slip back under the fifth wheel. By the end of it I was so exhausted that I felt sick for a few hours after that. I do not think I ever worked so frantically ever since I got my cdl , I was just praying nobody saw this happen.

When I finally got done and heading out the gate guard just gave me this look and started shaking his head. Said that if we were not friends and all he would have posted this on youtube. Apparently he had a perfect view of the whole thing on his camera network. He promised not to keep it a secret.

I got lucky, my load was not fragile so nothing was broke, and now no matter how sure I am I will be double checking every time in the future.

Almost every time I hook up to a trailer I go underneath to verify that it is securely attached and locked in place. So many things can happen that will make you think the trailer is secured to the truck but it just aint. Sometimes the locking jaw is only partially locked, sometimes the kingpin has slipped over the locking jaw. Both of these things have happend to me before and I was able to avoid a disaster by few taking a few seconds to get underneath the trailer to make sure things were safe.

Well just today I went and dropped a trailer, and I mean I pulled out and the whole trailer made a loud Boom sound as it slammed into the ground right there in the distribution center that I work out of. "Almost every time" just was not enough. It was early in the morning and still dark out. Temperature was below freezing. I was tired and decided to skip that little step this time. I had backed up to the trailer like I always did. I heard the big satisfying clank and even gave the trailer a big tug test. That thing should have been locked.

I pull out and soon as I turn I get a bad feeling, the trailer starts slipping off the truck and I hear the crash. Luckily there were not a whole lot of people around yet to see this. So I get out, unattach the air lines and start cranking that trailer up in low gear as fast as possible.

The trailer was loaded with about 35k pounds and it took over ten minutes to get that thing high enough to slip back under the fifth wheel. By the end of it I was so exhausted that I felt sick for a few hours after that. I do not think I ever worked so frantically ever since I got my cdl , I was just praying nobody saw this happen.

When I finally got done and heading out the gate guard just gave me this look and started shaking his head. Said that if we were not friends and all he would have posted this on youtube. Apparently he had a perfect view of the whole thing on his camera network. He promised not to keep it a secret.

I got lucky, my load was not fragile so nothing was broke, and now no matter how sure I am I will be double checking every time in the future.

When you did the tug test did you get out and look at the space in between the 5th wheel and apron?

I nearly had that happen to me on a Sears run I did. Backed up, tugged, plugged everything in, hopped into the cab and began to pull away. Luckily I never pull away quickly, so it just landed on the frame directly behind the rear tire. I got out, cranked as much as I could. Got back in the cab, dropped the airbags so I could get the beginnings of the 5th wheel plate under it. Re-inflated the airbags, got out and cranked again. This put me back at ground-0 and I started again.

Fun way to start the morning. I also always bend down to check that the handle is not hanging out, but it still happened to me.

Just want to let anyone know who doesn't know this, but snow can cause you to lose your trailer also. When you are bobtail , snow accumulates on your fifth wheel and locking jaws. When you hook up a trailer the snow can actually make it so that your jaws aren't 100% around your kingpin. So be careful of this also guys.

Glad no one saw it, that would have been an incident on your record. You can never be too careful!

Now would be a perfect time for everyone to visit our High Road Training Program! Take some time to view the "Combination Vehicles" section. Look at page 51. It goes over the proper procedures for coupling and uncoupling a trailer

(The following is an excerpt from that section of the High Road Training Program)

"Knowing how to couple and uncouple correctly is basic to the safe operation of combination vehicles. Wrong coupling and uncoupling can be very dangerous...There are differences between different rigs, so learn the details of coupling and uncoupling the truck(s) you will operate."

Now would be a perfect time for everyone to visit our High Road Training Program! Take some time to view the "Combination Vehicles" section. Look at page 51. It goes over the proper procedures for coupling and uncoupling a trailer

(The following is an excerpt from that section of the High Road Training Program)

"Knowing how to couple and uncouple correctly is basic to the safe operation of combination vehicles. Wrong coupling and uncoupling can be very dangerous...There are differences between different rigs, so learn the details of coupling and uncoupling the truck(s) you will operate."

This ^^^

LoL... Almost happened to me the other day when dropping an empty flatbed.... I had unhooked the lights and brakes and pull the pin and decided to move the trailer over a couple more feet just to get it more out of the way. I was dropping it at a customer lot. So I only reconnected the emergency line and pulled forward when I hit the brakes I heard a CLICK and thought Ooh that could have been bad. And this trailer only has a 12" kingpin setting...

I heard a lot about this happening to truck drivers. My instructor at iitr school told us to make sure after we parked overnight somewhere to check and do a coupling tug test to make sure everything was secure. Then take a flashlight and go and look physically at the kingpin and make sure the locking jaws are around the kingpin. I asked him why would someone want to be rude and pull the latch lever on the fifth wheel. He told me people do it for what ever reason,or they are mad at someone for something or trying to get revenge back at a company. It's really not the smart thing to try and get caught.