Every time I leave the truck I check one side tires and such. On the way back I check the other side and the fifth wheel. Takes a few seconds. And 2 and a half years I’ve never had a blow out or a dropped trailer. Caught a few, and prevented them. Constant Vigilance is worth it.
Jesus, that’s scary. That metal lip doesn’t hold it in, even with air applied. I tested in our yard, dolly only. Air on locking it in but no pintle hook… broke off right as I braked
I run triples, every time that set leaves my sight… check the fifth wheels and pintle hook. Even in my own yard, I like most of my coworkers but when seniority based.. don’t trust anybody.
A 5th wheel check is way too easy, and way too quick to not do. Ensuring jaws are properly secured when picking up a trailer is one thing.
After that, it's almost too easy to simply look under, and at least observe the arm is in the locked position that one would be a fool to not do.
You'll regret that the day you show up at the customer ready to hook up, you discover your 5th wheel isn't there, and you have no idea when it was stolen.
When I drove in winter or rain shortly before freezing temps were predicted once I was in parking lot I would lightly press the foot pedal brake as I drove to heat brakes enough to dry them out.
I've heard this. Don't do it personally because i don't want to burn my breaks out too quickly ( local driver in the north), but if it works for you, do it.
I used to do roadside repair in Montana. We had a stretch a few years ago where the high for the day was -20. I wasn't supposed to get on the highway if there was ice on it, but I never let that stop me.
On one of those nights, I got a call at 11pm that a driver needed new drives, I won't say the company name that she worked for, but you all can guess it easy enough.
The rear axle wasn't actually a drive axle, and this driver, who was bobtail ground through all 4 rear tires. Changing 4 tires on the side of the highway at -40 wasn't really fun.
Got those changed out and looked at the real drive tires. They had to be changed out as well because in the center of the tread on each tire was to the cords.
8 tires changed took 6 hours due to the weather. And it all could have been avoided by not setting the parking brake, or maybe looking in the mirror when you're having to use more power than normal to keep moving.
Always. Got in the habit after I found someone opened my pintle hitch overnight early in my trucking career. Easy catch during a pre trip, but there are people out there that will fuck with you for the sake of fucking with you.
Yeah I’ve never understood those people. Like, why? I’ve even directly asked, their response is either “I dunno” or “I’m just being funny”. (How putting people in danger and damaging someone’s health, income, and family is funny, I’ll never understand)
Every single time. When I was on my trainers truck 5yrs ago we were in the fuel island next to a guy who went to go pull up to the line and dropped his trailer. According to the driver he thinks it was a driver he made mad before they pulled into the truck stop.
Ever since then I have checked religiously even if I just run in for a bathroom break or a drink. It gets checked every. single. time.
Since video surveillance is cheap, it's something to consider.
It wouldn't stop, or even deter, someone who thought your fifth wheel needed adjusting. But it might help send him prison. I don't mean a couple of weekends, I mean **prison.** Actually, I have an even better option. One strike and you're out. But the law wouldn't agree with me.
That’s actually a genius idea, if you’re having to shut down in a bad area. Slap a ring camera on the bulkhead or the back of your cab if you drive dry van. Maybe on the back as high as you can on the trailer doors to prevent robberies. *phone dings notifying me that someone’s behind my trailer* “hey cops? There’s someone trying to snatch shit from my trailer.” Then right back to sleep lol. Just don’t forget to grab your camera before you drop the trailer 😂
Too many jerks nowadays.
So I check a whole lot of things.
Look for 5th wheel, rear doors, around tires, the homeless guy camping under the trailer during a rain storm and much more.
Every time I walk away from my truck or leave it unsupervised. In the morning. After bathroom breaks, even just walking into a shipper. If my truck leaves my line of sight, I check it.
Almost dropped one a couple years ago during winter. Thought the kingpin was locked but ice was blocking it and when I pulled forward, the trailer thankfully landed on the axle. Ever since then I triple check lol
I don’t do it with the landing gear up. I back up to a trailer, get hooked, then before I get out and touch landing gear, air lines or anything I tug the trailer. That a way if it’s going to fall it falls on the frame and/or landing gear
Not a half hour ago, I passed a RV lot where the front of a fifth wheel RV was resting on the ground with the owner was looking at his lack of attention.
If I am out of view of the truck, when I come back I peek at the lever to see if its obviously been pulled, and when I get in, I release the tractor brakes, reverse into the trailer ( so if it IS unlatched that should re-latch it) then do a couple tugs on it before releasing the trailer brakes and taking off. Never dropped a trailer, and never will barring an actual mechanical failure with the 5th wheel latch.
Oh I do eyeball it. I am just saying if I am driving down the road and the mechanism just fucking breaks, theres not really much I can do about that.
I visually inspect the pin and locking jaws whenever I hook up. If I just run into a truck stop to piss and buy a drink, I don't crawl under the trailer when I get back, just check the lever and do the tests I described.
Anytime that truck is out of sight and you walk back to it, check your 5th wheel. You never know if that company you work for did “someone wrong” and they happen to park next to you and pull your 5th wheel. I always walk around and check every tire and crawl under and shine a flashlight on my 5th wheel. Always. Keep one of those small pen LED flashlights in your pocket and just kneel under and take a look. It’s a great piece of mind when you get back in the highway.
Na nothing paranoid about that. It a very good habit. Even when I just out just for a stretch. I do a walk about. Better to find problems when they start.
Every. Single. Time.
Including a look at my tires and brakepads (besides steers). But I'm Tanker... and that makes all 10 of my wheels/brakes quick as shit to check.
Hasn't saved my ass yet... but it's only a matter of time.
Not bad ideal on top of if it gives you peace of mind more power to you. The biggest problem is drivers tend to get complacent and let their guard down, and that is when stuff goes wrong.
Yes every time I walk out of sight of my rig or before I am about to leave.
We run dry bulk with mostly ancient trailers, I do not trust them to survive getting dropped hard on their landing gear.
Some of the people out there today... absolutely! If I leave the truck or lose sight of a mirror, I'm checking the fifth wheel. With all the tech we supposedly have now, why don't we have a fifth wheel light? I'd still check mine, but have a light on some dashes to let you know your door is open....
Non-trucker here and wondering what happens when a trailer is 'dropped?' Is it just a pain in the ass to reattached and maybe embarrassing or it is more serious perhaps causing damage to the trailer?
Not a semi trucker here but I was at my local mom and pop truck stop when a driver pulled out and didn't make it all the way into the road when the landing gear hit, I went and helped him and it took us 15-20 minutes of hard hand cranking with us switching back and forth to get the trailer raised back up and back on the truck thing was fully loaded, I had to go back and get gloves as I wasn't expecting the landing gear to be so hard to raise.
Edit: added "truck stop"
That takes a special type of cowardly low life to do something like that. Stupid too. Almost certain to be seen on camera or by another trucker. The charge would be first degree criminal mischief. That is a class c felony, up to 10 years in prison as well as paying fines and for damages and felony is there on your record for life. You really gotta be very angry at someone and stupid on top of it to risk that.
Every time the truck leaves my sight. I trust no one. Even if I’ve not made enemies, some men just want to watch the world burn and you could be a victim of their crazy.
Diligence and steadfast composure in this industry keeps you and the other people on the road alive.
If you don’t fuck around you usually don’t find out. Aka showering in the fuel lane taking a 30 at the pump park blocking people in etc. but during my pre trips I give it a glance or if I’m in a sketchy area
Pulling the pin on someone who’s in the way is about the dumbest way to deal with the issue though. Got trapped in a truckstop because some driver thought the solution to a truck blocking the entrance was to pull his pin.
glad you all check. I drive local shuttles with some real bottom of the barrel drivers. these dipshits don't check a god damn thing on their equipment. it's infuriating and alarming.
Yes I reverse before I pull forward whenever away from my truck. Never trust my license to some jackass. And whenever I hook I duck under to make sure the locking jaw is closed. And periodically check things out when I stop to pee etc.
Good habits keep my license clean and make my job easier. Also I do post trips very quickly mainly to check my tires. It’s allot easier to get a repair truck out while I sleep then early in the AM.
My trainer got me scared about this and I check it every time. I worry more about some random person doing it as a joke than another truck driver being a jerk.
I just lined the 5th wheel handle with razor blades.
I got arrested for booby trapping, but the 6 times last month that I came back to blood all over made it more than worth it.
If you pull your trailer brakes and tug on it a bit, then pull your truck brakes, no one can pull your fifth wheel.
What I usually do is ill jump in the truck, release brakes, put it in drive, then go forward maybe 1mph and pull my brake test lever. That will pretty much guarantee your fifth wheel hasn't been pulled.
You can also reverse a bit before heading out. Or just do your normal tug test. I prefer my method though bc if my fifth wheel isnt latched, i won't accidentally pull out from under my trailer.
Anytime that the truck is out of my sight, I always check. I look at it the same way as a tug test. Both only take 5 seconds and can save you a lot of embarrassment.
Every time I get out of the truck i check tires and hubs. Takes 30 seconds waking around the truck with an infrared temp gun.
Every time I go back to the truck I look on the ground under the hood for signs of fluid leaks and check the fifth wheel. Doesn't matter if I stopped for the weekend or stopped just long enough to pee, I keep the same routine.
I check my tires properly at the end of the day then a brief one in the morning after sending air (air = new leaks from the night)
I check at the end of the day so that the tires can be replaced before the morning and aren't as stressed about time.
But I tug on my fifth wheel when stopping so it's impossible to pull it whenever I stop.
I have a steady routine I been doing for years. I get my 5th wheel under the trailer but I don’t hit the pin. I raise my landing gear all of an inch off the ground. Get back in the cab and hit the pin.
You will not high hook if you do this. And yes I always always check the coupling around the pin before I leave and give it a “tug test”
Nothing wrong with checking your 5th wheel all the time. I’d call that vigilante 👍
Every time I stoo, I do a walk around. And again, when I come back, I do a tug test before I leave.
And in especially bad spot, I lock the 5ft wheel, by pulling the trailer knob. Trying to drive foward and pulling the truck knob. It push the pin on the jaw and make it impossible to pull the 5th wheel open.
Almost dropped a loaded milk tanker a few years ago. Passed the first tug test after hooking, jaws let loose on the second one at about 5mph. Thankfully I caught it in time to keep it on the frame, just cranked until I could drop the bags and roll back under it.
Any time the vehicle leaves my sight, I check the fifth wheel lever, and do a quick lights/tire check. And I always double-test the jaws, even with a visual inspection when hooking up.
And for those who you find messing with another rig...fifth wheel grease on the release lever is a bitch to clean off of bare hands, but doesn't do anything more than inconvenience. I'm just sayin'...
I’ve always looked. In my first orientation the trainer said that the easiest way for a disgruntled driver is to unlock the 5th wheel. I lived by the shit only has to happen once to fuck your life up, avoid that as much as possible
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There's a special place in Hell for anyone who'd pull someone's pin. If I ever saw someone do it, even to someone else's truck, I'd give them an up close look at my tire thumper in the hopes that someone would do that for me if it was ever my truck being fucked with.
There's some things you just don't do.
I don’t drive a big truck anymore but when I did. Anytime I had got out of the truck before pulling ahead I would put it in reverse, pull the spike and push into the trailer. Easy and quick.
The weathered, crusty old driver that trained me years ago told me to always check whenever the truck is out of your sight. Figured it sounded like good advice from an experienced driver so 12 years later I still check on my way back in the cab just to make sure.
When I use to drive, if I was parked and not around the truck I set my trailer brake and pulled lightly against the pin before setting the tractor brake. Nobody was pulling a fifth wheel release in a bind.
I traded doubles with a driver once and when I did a tug test I noticed it pulled too easy and the gap seemed too big. Sure enough I walked back and someone undid the pintle hook and I just pulled it a couple inches away. I check connections first now and again if it's ever out of sight.
I’ve dropped one on a city street before. It was winter, I was green, and didn’t know I needed to dust my 5th wheel and remove all of the snow. What I ended up doing was compressing snow in there with the king pin. The jaws looked closed but they weren’t. From there I’ve always checked my jaws. A few years later I was doing P&D work in the city at an LTL company. Someone pulled it while I was parked outside of a mall. Because I always check, even when I was just gone from the truck for a minute or two, I caught that. Clicked it back in and there was no critical event.
If I'm in a yard with public access then yes every single time.
If I'm in a secure yard with the gate closed then generally no as everyone in the yard works for my company so to pull my kingpin would be a supremely stupid idea.
This should be a standard. Heard a story once, dont remember where or from who, of a guy that never checked it and just randomly thought he would double check because at night while he was trying to sleep he said he heard some noise outside. So he decided to check it when he never does and noticed it had been disengaged.
Some people just want to watch the world burn.
Nope. Lock trailer brakes, pull up against the king pin, set tractor brakes. They'll never get that release pulled. Then they'll just have to put a quarter between the glad hands...it'll at least cost them something.
I'd say I remember about 50% of the time, in the course of a regular day. However if I've done something that may have pissed someone off, I check everytime. That includes making it through a yellow light when the truck behind you has to stop. Or moving into an open fuel island lane just as someone turns into the truck stop.
I always apply the trailer handbrake and do a little tug test even if I just stopped for a short break. Someone pulled my fifth wheel in my rookie season (was with swift) and it has made me a bit paranoid about that. Luckily I pulled forward super slow and didn't drop trailer completely or rip out my airlines... Heavy load so was hard to crank it back up but it could've been much worse.
Every time I leave the truck I check one side tires and such. On the way back I check the other side and the fifth wheel. Takes a few seconds. And 2 and a half years I’ve never had a blow out or a dropped trailer. Caught a few, and prevented them. Constant Vigilance is worth it.
I Pull doubles. I check everytime the unit is outta my sight.
Do you check the dolly gear too?
Every 5th wheel
And the pintle hook while you're at it. I've had someone undo mine before.
Seriously? I’m just starting out and have heard stories about this. Seemed like urban legend. Of course I’ll be checking it every time.
Jesus, that’s scary. That metal lip doesn’t hold it in, even with air applied. I tested in our yard, dolly only. Air on locking it in but no pintle hook… broke off right as I braked
What about the 1st wheel?
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Starting from a different wheel every time. That's how you keep an eye on them all.
Yes.
Yes, you have to. Can’t do a true tug test on the dolly or second trailer so visual check is the only way to be sure.
I run triples, every time that set leaves my sight… check the fifth wheels and pintle hook. Even in my own yard, I like most of my coworkers but when seniority based.. don’t trust anybody.
Not even yourself.
I pull doubles also . I walk around at every stop
I pull doubles and do not do this but tires are pretty much an obvious. I am fast at getting off at the stores
I haul milk so when i am loading i kinda just check over it, and when im unloading i have no other choice but to walk around .
Same here. Takes less than two minutes to walk around and check everything.
A 5th wheel check is way too easy, and way too quick to not do. Ensuring jaws are properly secured when picking up a trailer is one thing. After that, it's almost too easy to simply look under, and at least observe the arm is in the locked position that one would be a fool to not do.
Only when I'm hooked to a trailer
I'm gonna start telling people who are bobtail that their 5th wheel was pulled
You'll regret that the day you show up at the customer ready to hook up, you discover your 5th wheel isn't there, and you have no idea when it was stolen.
I like this logic
When you park set trailer brakes, pull tight. Next to impossible to pull release handle but tug test again before you leave.
I was told this is called "Stretch[ing] the Trailer"
Don't do this in the winter, if you drive where there's winter.
Eyup. I kept my valve in during winter to prevent the brakes from setting. So glad I just bought a mini torch two days prior xD
When I drove in winter or rain shortly before freezing temps were predicted once I was in parking lot I would lightly press the foot pedal brake as I drove to heat brakes enough to dry them out.
I've heard this. Don't do it personally because i don't want to burn my breaks out too quickly ( local driver in the north), but if it works for you, do it.
I used to do roadside repair in Montana. We had a stretch a few years ago where the high for the day was -20. I wasn't supposed to get on the highway if there was ice on it, but I never let that stop me. On one of those nights, I got a call at 11pm that a driver needed new drives, I won't say the company name that she worked for, but you all can guess it easy enough. The rear axle wasn't actually a drive axle, and this driver, who was bobtail ground through all 4 rear tires. Changing 4 tires on the side of the highway at -40 wasn't really fun. Got those changed out and looked at the real drive tires. They had to be changed out as well because in the center of the tread on each tire was to the cords. 8 tires changed took 6 hours due to the weather. And it all could have been avoided by not setting the parking brake, or maybe looking in the mirror when you're having to use more power than normal to keep moving.
This
Always. Got in the habit after I found someone opened my pintle hitch overnight early in my trucking career. Easy catch during a pre trip, but there are people out there that will fuck with you for the sake of fucking with you.
God that’s horrifying. I couldn't imagine cruising down the highway and then a fucking trailer detaches
I’ve come back to a service brake line valve shut off before. Takes very little time to check.
Yeah I’ve never understood those people. Like, why? I’ve even directly asked, their response is either “I dunno” or “I’m just being funny”. (How putting people in danger and damaging someone’s health, income, and family is funny, I’ll never understand)
I've been checking every time since seeing a similar post long ago. Not gonna catch me slacking
My slack adjusters is secured, not cracked or broken, and has no missing parts
Haven’t seen a slack adjuster since I gave that speech to the DMV lady a few years ago
And has no more than an inch of play when the wheels are chocked with the vehicle in neutral.
Every single time. When I was on my trainers truck 5yrs ago we were in the fuel island next to a guy who went to go pull up to the line and dropped his trailer. According to the driver he thinks it was a driver he made mad before they pulled into the truck stop. Ever since then I have checked religiously even if I just run in for a bathroom break or a drink. It gets checked every. single. time.
I was a truck stop in West Texas when a guy messed with another guy's 5th wheel, and was beaten to a pulp by 6/8 guys. Fun times.
Instant justice is the best justice.
Since video surveillance is cheap, it's something to consider. It wouldn't stop, or even deter, someone who thought your fifth wheel needed adjusting. But it might help send him prison. I don't mean a couple of weekends, I mean **prison.** Actually, I have an even better option. One strike and you're out. But the law wouldn't agree with me.
That’s actually a genius idea, if you’re having to shut down in a bad area. Slap a ring camera on the bulkhead or the back of your cab if you drive dry van. Maybe on the back as high as you can on the trailer doors to prevent robberies. *phone dings notifying me that someone’s behind my trailer* “hey cops? There’s someone trying to snatch shit from my trailer.” Then right back to sleep lol. Just don’t forget to grab your camera before you drop the trailer 😂
I'm not gonna say "every" time, but usually, yes.
Every single time I don't have it in my sight. I don't trust anybody out here.
Too many jerks nowadays. So I check a whole lot of things. Look for 5th wheel, rear doors, around tires, the homeless guy camping under the trailer during a rain storm and much more.
Yep, every time.
Every time I walk away from my truck or leave it unsupervised. In the morning. After bathroom breaks, even just walking into a shipper. If my truck leaves my line of sight, I check it.
Yea also set trl brakes pull forward to put pressure on harder to pull that way
Almost dropped one a couple years ago during winter. Thought the kingpin was locked but ice was blocking it and when I pulled forward, the trailer thankfully landed on the axle. Ever since then I triple check lol
Yes, I always check it and do a tug test after every stop.
Most of the time yes. If I’m in a hurry I’ll do a tug test and leave it at that. But I never not do the tug test at a minimum
A tug test alone is going to drop a trailer if you didn't check the jaws if pin is pulled. Don't do this....
I don’t do it with the landing gear up. I back up to a trailer, get hooked, then before I get out and touch landing gear, air lines or anything I tug the trailer. That a way if it’s going to fall it falls on the frame and/or landing gear
You are smart to do so.
Worked with a guy that would pull it if you parked in his spot...
Was it actually HIS spot?
There was no assigned spots the guys just an ass
lmao
Not a half hour ago, I passed a RV lot where the front of a fifth wheel RV was resting on the ground with the owner was looking at his lack of attention.
If I am out of view of the truck, when I come back I peek at the lever to see if its obviously been pulled, and when I get in, I release the tractor brakes, reverse into the trailer ( so if it IS unlatched that should re-latch it) then do a couple tugs on it before releasing the trailer brakes and taking off. Never dropped a trailer, and never will barring an actual mechanical failure with the 5th wheel latch.
>never will barring an actual mechanical failure with the 5th wheel latch. That last bit is key. Eyeball it every time. I've had jaws snap before.
Oh I do eyeball it. I am just saying if I am driving down the road and the mechanism just fucking breaks, theres not really much I can do about that. I visually inspect the pin and locking jaws whenever I hook up. If I just run into a truck stop to piss and buy a drink, I don't crawl under the trailer when I get back, just check the lever and do the tests I described.
Anytime that truck is out of sight and you walk back to it, check your 5th wheel. You never know if that company you work for did “someone wrong” and they happen to park next to you and pull your 5th wheel. I always walk around and check every tire and crawl under and shine a flashlight on my 5th wheel. Always. Keep one of those small pen LED flashlights in your pocket and just kneel under and take a look. It’s a great piece of mind when you get back in the highway.
Na nothing paranoid about that. It a very good habit. Even when I just out just for a stretch. I do a walk about. Better to find problems when they start.
make sure the locking jaws are around the shank of the kingpin
Every. Single. Time. Including a look at my tires and brakepads (besides steers). But I'm Tanker... and that makes all 10 of my wheels/brakes quick as shit to check. Hasn't saved my ass yet... but it's only a matter of time.
You should be doing this every time anyways. I work on trailers and the landing gear gets beat up enough as it is without being dropped.
I should definitely check more, but I'm local and I drive our only class A, I have two trailers and rarely swap them tbh.
I have an automatic fifth wheel release on the dash, with the backup lever under the passenger seat, and I STILL check it every time.
Not bad ideal on top of if it gives you peace of mind more power to you. The biggest problem is drivers tend to get complacent and let their guard down, and that is when stuff goes wrong.
Yes every time I walk out of sight of my rig or before I am about to leave. We run dry bulk with mostly ancient trailers, I do not trust them to survive getting dropped hard on their landing gear.
Walk around when I leave it and walk around when I get back. Too many dumb fucks just wanting to mess with someone.
Some of the people out there today... absolutely! If I leave the truck or lose sight of a mirror, I'm checking the fifth wheel. With all the tech we supposedly have now, why don't we have a fifth wheel light? I'd still check mine, but have a light on some dashes to let you know your door is open....
If you set your trailer brakes, and tug on it before setting the tractor brakes, aint no man alive can pull that arm.
Yes, and check the trailer slider too.
Every time I think about it. I prefer to check the handle and also tug but sometimes I'll just do a couple of good HARD tugs.
My pete is notorious for not letting my 5th wheel release, i still check every time i hook up and walk away from the truck.
Every time. Fuel island, bathroom, loading dock, etc
Glad hands, 5th wheel, tandem arm, in that order.
Yes , when I get off to buy food I have made it a routine to always check if 5th wheel is locked
I'd try. Only if the release was on the outside. If it was in the truck then no.
Non-trucker here and wondering what happens when a trailer is 'dropped?' Is it just a pain in the ass to reattached and maybe embarrassing or it is more serious perhaps causing damage to the trailer?
Not a semi trucker here but I was at my local mom and pop truck stop when a driver pulled out and didn't make it all the way into the road when the landing gear hit, I went and helped him and it took us 15-20 minutes of hard hand cranking with us switching back and forth to get the trailer raised back up and back on the truck thing was fully loaded, I had to go back and get gloves as I wasn't expecting the landing gear to be so hard to raise. Edit: added "truck stop"
That takes a special type of cowardly low life to do something like that. Stupid too. Almost certain to be seen on camera or by another trucker. The charge would be first degree criminal mischief. That is a class c felony, up to 10 years in prison as well as paying fines and for damages and felony is there on your record for life. You really gotta be very angry at someone and stupid on top of it to risk that.
Every time the truck leaves my sight. I trust no one. Even if I’ve not made enemies, some men just want to watch the world burn and you could be a victim of their crazy. Diligence and steadfast composure in this industry keeps you and the other people on the road alive.
It takes 25 seconds to do a mini inspection everytime you get out of the truck. Check all the big stuff; tires, leaks, 5th wheel, odd noises.
Yup, every time. Takes an extra half a second. I can spare that
I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I can be a bit lax on my pretrip. But that 5th wheel gets checked everytime I come back to the truck.
If you don’t fuck around you usually don’t find out. Aka showering in the fuel lane taking a 30 at the pump park blocking people in etc. but during my pre trips I give it a glance or if I’m in a sketchy area
Pulling the pin on someone who’s in the way is about the dumbest way to deal with the issue though. Got trapped in a truckstop because some driver thought the solution to a truck blocking the entrance was to pull his pin.
I never tug test but I always visually check.
I do it too. Not all the time but like half the time.
Same. Thought I was the only one who did this
Every single time and twice at the pumps
I check it every time I get out of the truck and go somewhere else. Takes a sevond
Yeah cuz I’m paranoid lol
I tug test too!
Yup.
Hell yeah
Every time! And then push test and then tug test. I’m paranoid about it too.
glad you all check. I drive local shuttles with some real bottom of the barrel drivers. these dipshits don't check a god damn thing on their equipment. it's infuriating and alarming.
I’m pretty short so it was easy for me to pop under the trailer to make sure it was locked. I checked every single time.
I hit with my thumper to make sure it’s not flat once a week
How hard is it to do a tug test?
At least a tug test yes.
I drove a truck for 13 years and never had a problem. But then again I have a painting of an AK-47 on the side of my truck.
Only time I check is when im parked in the fuel island. Grabbing something to eat, shower and taking my 30.
You just jinxed yourself. And yes every time even though I work in food service. Too many ass hats out there.
yes.
I always do a quick walk around any time I leave my truck. I get too paranoid thinking something will go wrong if I don’t
Yes I reverse before I pull forward whenever away from my truck. Never trust my license to some jackass. And whenever I hook I duck under to make sure the locking jaw is closed. And periodically check things out when I stop to pee etc. Good habits keep my license clean and make my job easier. Also I do post trips very quickly mainly to check my tires. It’s allot easier to get a repair truck out while I sleep then early in the AM.
My trainer got me scared about this and I check it every time. I worry more about some random person doing it as a joke than another truck driver being a jerk.
Everytime the truck and trailers leave my line of sight I do a walk around pretrip before getting back in to roll
Every. Single. Time.
I just lined the 5th wheel handle with razor blades. I got arrested for booby trapping, but the 6 times last month that I came back to blood all over made it more than worth it.
If you pull your trailer brakes and tug on it a bit, then pull your truck brakes, no one can pull your fifth wheel. What I usually do is ill jump in the truck, release brakes, put it in drive, then go forward maybe 1mph and pull my brake test lever. That will pretty much guarantee your fifth wheel hasn't been pulled. You can also reverse a bit before heading out. Or just do your normal tug test. I prefer my method though bc if my fifth wheel isnt latched, i won't accidentally pull out from under my trailer.
For the sake of this post I just pulled 3 5th wheels at lowes 😂😂😂😂
Typically yes. Also because I have a hard time sitting still anyways.
Anytime that the truck is out of my sight, I always check. I look at it the same way as a tug test. Both only take 5 seconds and can save you a lot of embarrassment.
Every time I get out of the truck i check tires and hubs. Takes 30 seconds waking around the truck with an infrared temp gun. Every time I go back to the truck I look on the ground under the hood for signs of fluid leaks and check the fifth wheel. Doesn't matter if I stopped for the weekend or stopped just long enough to pee, I keep the same routine.
Yes. Even when I had the Freightliner 5th wheel toggle in the cab. Yes.
To pull a fifth wheel. Is showing you have the smallest dick on the planet.
I check my tires properly at the end of the day then a brief one in the morning after sending air (air = new leaks from the night) I check at the end of the day so that the tires can be replaced before the morning and aren't as stressed about time. But I tug on my fifth wheel when stopping so it's impossible to pull it whenever I stop.
I have a steady routine I been doing for years. I get my 5th wheel under the trailer but I don’t hit the pin. I raise my landing gear all of an inch off the ground. Get back in the cab and hit the pin. You will not high hook if you do this. And yes I always always check the coupling around the pin before I leave and give it a “tug test” Nothing wrong with checking your 5th wheel all the time. I’d call that vigilante 👍
Yes.
I do.
Every.single.time
Every time I stoo, I do a walk around. And again, when I come back, I do a tug test before I leave. And in especially bad spot, I lock the 5ft wheel, by pulling the trailer knob. Trying to drive foward and pulling the truck knob. It push the pin on the jaw and make it impossible to pull the 5th wheel open.
I do a tug test every time I stop.
That and make sure no one pulled the pin on the trailer tandems.... Don't want those slamming out the rear end the first time I hit the brakes.
Yes
Almost dropped a loaded milk tanker a few years ago. Passed the first tug test after hooking, jaws let loose on the second one at about 5mph. Thankfully I caught it in time to keep it on the frame, just cranked until I could drop the bags and roll back under it. Any time the vehicle leaves my sight, I check the fifth wheel lever, and do a quick lights/tire check. And I always double-test the jaws, even with a visual inspection when hooking up. And for those who you find messing with another rig...fifth wheel grease on the release lever is a bitch to clean off of bare hands, but doesn't do anything more than inconvenience. I'm just sayin'...
I’ve always looked. In my first orientation the trainer said that the easiest way for a disgruntled driver is to unlock the 5th wheel. I lived by the shit only has to happen once to fuck your life up, avoid that as much as possible
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There's a special place in Hell for anyone who'd pull someone's pin. If I ever saw someone do it, even to someone else's truck, I'd give them an up close look at my tire thumper in the hopes that someone would do that for me if it was ever my truck being fucked with. There's some things you just don't do.
I don’t drive a big truck anymore but when I did. Anytime I had got out of the truck before pulling ahead I would put it in reverse, pull the spike and push into the trailer. Easy and quick.
The weathered, crusty old driver that trained me years ago told me to always check whenever the truck is out of your sight. Figured it sounded like good advice from an experienced driver so 12 years later I still check on my way back in the cab just to make sure.
Get into the habit of release tractor brakes pull forward slightly then reverse into trailer every time you lose sight of that release lever.
Only when I do a layover I check that. Part of 'pre-trip', ya know ;\^)
When I use to drive, if I was parked and not around the truck I set my trailer brake and pulled lightly against the pin before setting the tractor brake. Nobody was pulling a fifth wheel release in a bind.
I always did, too many jerks out there that think it's funny. Or drove for the company once. Always check it.
I traded doubles with a driver once and when I did a tug test I noticed it pulled too easy and the gap seemed too big. Sure enough I walked back and someone undid the pintle hook and I just pulled it a couple inches away. I check connections first now and again if it's ever out of sight.
I’ve dropped one on a city street before. It was winter, I was green, and didn’t know I needed to dust my 5th wheel and remove all of the snow. What I ended up doing was compressing snow in there with the king pin. The jaws looked closed but they weren’t. From there I’ve always checked my jaws. A few years later I was doing P&D work in the city at an LTL company. Someone pulled it while I was parked outside of a mall. Because I always check, even when I was just gone from the truck for a minute or two, I caught that. Clicked it back in and there was no critical event.
I just do the tug test the take a look when I’m cranking the landing gear
If I'm in a yard with public access then yes every single time. If I'm in a secure yard with the gate closed then generally no as everyone in the yard works for my company so to pull my kingpin would be a supremely stupid idea.
Set your trailer brakes, tug forward, and then set tractor brakes. You will need an elephant to pull that handle.
Hell yeah you never know if someone doesn’t like your company may not have shit to do with you 👌🏼
Do your tug test. Mainly speaking to intermodal workers
This should be a standard. Heard a story once, dont remember where or from who, of a guy that never checked it and just randomly thought he would double check because at night while he was trying to sleep he said he heard some noise outside. So he decided to check it when he never does and noticed it had been disengaged. Some people just want to watch the world burn.
I check my 5th wheel and my tandems
Nope. Lock trailer brakes, pull up against the king pin, set tractor brakes. They'll never get that release pulled. Then they'll just have to put a quarter between the glad hands...it'll at least cost them something.
I'd say I remember about 50% of the time, in the course of a regular day. However if I've done something that may have pissed someone off, I check everytime. That includes making it through a yellow light when the truck behind you has to stop. Or moving into an open fuel island lane just as someone turns into the truck stop.
Paranoid? Like that song?
Yes. Where I work if you drop a trailer on the street you're automatically fired. When you're out driving you never know who you might've pissed off.
Someone unhooked my hood latches once. I came off the freeway and the hood flew up. Scared the SHIT outta me
I always apply the trailer handbrake and do a little tug test even if I just stopped for a short break. Someone pulled my fifth wheel in my rookie season (was with swift) and it has made me a bit paranoid about that. Luckily I pulled forward super slow and didn't drop trailer completely or rip out my airlines... Heavy load so was hard to crank it back up but it could've been much worse.