So did I. I'm hoping that with junior FT employees, PT employees, and off the street hires, I'll be sitting kind of pretty.
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So did I. I'm hoping that with junior FT employees, PT employees, and off the street hires, I'll be sitting kind of pretty.
P
pickup
Guest
I've learned something from those who pull doubles on a regular basis. They wrap electrical tape(the electrical tape is not used because of its ability to impede the flow of electricity) around the area where the hose and glad-hand come together so that it will be much less likely that the hose will become detached.
I have used electrical tape as well as twist ties(the ones we get to secure the the corners of the chassis) to make the marriage between hose and glad hand more likely to last .
If there is a slight detachment with the electrical tape or twist ties in place, the result will not be an immediate locking up of the back trailer. Viewing one's air gauges , i.e. noticing that the air pressure drops a bit quicker than normal before the air compressor kicks in would tell you something is wrong with that connection that you can't see.
QKRSTKR
Well-Known Member
Yes with the electrical tape. Mine came off the glad hand itself. The hose came right off the glad hand at the dolly. Glad hands were still attached. I stopped real fast but did get it off the road. It was a hose connection that had the band around the hose at glad hand. Be cautious if you see these. UPS doesn't use them, but they are out there.
One time I went to the shop after that for something else and had a connection like that and pointed it out to the mechanic. He replaced it immediately.
One time I went to the shop after that for something else and had a connection like that and pointed it out to the mechanic. He replaced it immediately.
MaceFremonti
Well-Known Member
Another thing they don't teach you in class is to double check all of your dollie air lines for bubbles AFTER all the tanks have had time to fill up. So when you pretrip the right side of a set and walk forward and hit the snubber you should run your hands along the hoses and check for bulges. I have found bad hoses multiple times double checking this way where as if you check them as soon as you turn the air on they may not show any weak spots....
cachsux
Wah
Probably find every bit of grease on the hose too.
Just plan on it happening at least once in your feeder career. When your set of doubles comes to a complete quick stop in the middle of 4 lanes of rush hour traffic and your driving in the path of least resistance you won't make it to the shoulder.
Not trying to freak you out but this event seems to be fairly common and can be dangerous.
I know several feeder drivers that had their red lines rip off the dolly on a bridge in heavy traffic. NOT FUN!
Just giving you a heads up.
Consider yourself lucky. It happens. Thats why some drivers use tape and plastic ties.
Quigley
Well-Known Member
Just curious since its never happened to me. How does a air line rip off a dolly while driving down the road?Just plan on it happening at least once in your feeder career. When your set of doubles comes to a complete quick stop in the middle of 4 lanes of rush hour traffic and your driving in the path of least resistance you won't make it to the shoulder.
Not trying to freak you out but this event seems to be fairly common and can be dangerous.
I know several feeder drivers that had their red lines rip off the dolly on a bridge in heavy traffic. NOT FUN!
Just giving you a heads up.
Some get pinched. On bridges the set can float and pull that line off.
Also just wear and tear on old equipment.
I guess its like not hitting a deer over a 30 year career. Some drivers are just lucky.
Never had it happen with a set (yet) but I pull LC's every day on my current run and it happens kinda frequently. Usually when I'm cutting it hard to put in on the door which isn't a big deal because I'm on the yard, but it's happened a couple times on the road as well when I make a tight turn.
Bumpy road can make it happen, had one come off on the Cross Bronx Expressway once, red line came off dolly. Couldn't drag the kite with the extra axle locked up. Just stopped dead in the middle lane, it was about 2am, I was worried about getting run over trying to fix it. I could see the skid marks for the next 2 weeks, Checked it again when I got over the GW bridge and it was starting to ride up again. Now I wrap the red line around the light cord, that I run through the lifting handle, puts a little extra tension on the hose.
I've also wrapped the glad hands in clear tape, (easy to find in a hub).
I also had them come off chassis pups, I guess that why some of them had that metal tab to prevent it. If they don't have the tab I wrap those in tape. Fortunately those are just about all gone to trailer heaven.
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What about the big birds feasting on road kill that wait to move at the very last second possible as you are right on their ass? Its kind of funny but also annoying.
MaceFremonti
Well-Known Member
Sometimes but I usually try to grab a dollie that has a recent inspection sticker. They are usually cleaner, have better tires and tighter 5th wheels....
retiredTxfeeder
cap'n crunch
When I was about to go to feeder school, my package center gave me gave me days off to give me time to study (our feeder schools back then were 2 weekends and a Saturday of the 3rd weekend @12 hours a day) I guess my center wanted to get rid of me in the worst way. They did tell me I was a bad influence on the younger package drivers haha.
retiredTxfeeder
cap'n crunch
I was absolutely a freak about having my tractor hoses/catwalk free of grease. Several times a week I'd go by the shop, find some of their red shop rags, soak them with the parts cleaner solvent and wipe my hoses and gladhands down.
