High hooks and high drops - Safety Saturday

To learn more about CRST, visit www.crst.com

[@captaindrywall]

I never thought of the air bag losing air and making the front of the trailer go up. thanx.

[@drmr4evr69]

Great tip,thanks

[@roberttaira6943]

Must be Pegasus video, this never happens to Expeditors.

[@oscarsilver3773]

Leave a gap below the landing gear when you drop the trailer? Let me know how that works out for ya :P

[@drmr4evr69]

I sense sarcasm in your response. Trust me , there's way more pros than cons in leaving a 1 inch gap. Just saying. Only 27 yrs experience. But if you can enlighten me please do...we can always learn something.

[@oscarsilver3773]

@@drmr4evr69 Sarcasm would be the use of irony to mock or convey contempt. This, my friend, would be doubt. And thank you for the 27 years of ..., but Trust Me doesn't negate that doubt. Feel free to list the pros and cons, as you've positioned yourself in the seat of knowledge on this subject. It might even help my doubt :)

[@drmr4evr69]

@@oscarsilver3773 well quite frankly Sir, I am honored that you seek knowledge on this subject. 1) the cons are very minute...for example the sound is greatly increased as you disengage and uncouple which may inadvertently wake up your co-driver. Number 2 you will effectively scrape off more 5th wheel grease as friction is a science not a theory. 3rdly you will have to wait on your air bags to re-inflate before you proceed to move the tractor after disengaging , your single drive will not get traction (to expedite this simply engage your differential) but that is entirely for another video. Let me reiterate. The Cons are minute. The pros are 1) you can't ever high back if you use this technique. 2) and probably the most important...your successor can't ever have a reason to claim workers comp because he threw his back out trying to crank down a heavy load. That sir is the most important of the pros which definitely outweighs all of the minutiae of the cons . I hope this demonstration helps you and other new comers to the profession as my knowledge comes with unendowed wisdom through life experience. God bless ;-)

[@oscarsilver3773]

@@drmr4evr69 that's a nice and thoughtful list there. However, might I add just a little something to think about: In the CRST trucks, they dont have air bag dumps, so having a trailer too low can present it's own problems, which cannot be so easily rectified. As you mentioned, it's much easier to lower the trailer than raise it, when fully loaded. The dropping of the trailer suddenly raises the sleeper berth, which can be an annoyance to the co driver. And it's a lot easier to get out and look for a gap under the trailer than to scoop up a trailer that's too low. Any way you put it, there's more than just set and forget it here. While training may be lacking in consistancy in our company, to the best of my knowledge, the following guidelines should be considered when backing: 1) backup until the back trailer axel is completely under the trailer. 2) get out and look for any gap between the tractor and trailer 3) lower the trailer if needed to eliminate said gap 4) hook to trailer 5) raise landing gear And for dropping the trailer: 1) set the tandems to desired location for unloading 2) lower the landing gear until the sand shoe touches the ground in low gear 3) switch to high gear and crank 1.5 to 3 rotations. You should be able to hear the air bags inflating. This is to say nothing of the hoses, chord, chocks, kingpin release, or break releases. Hope it helps clear things up :)