{"id":93016,"date":"2007-08-27T16:24:02","date_gmt":"2007-08-27T16:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/article\/pulling-trailers-safely_o"},"modified":"2007-08-27T16:24:02","modified_gmt":"2007-08-27T16:24:02","slug":"pulling-trailers-safely_o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/products\/pulling-trailers-safely_o\/","title":{"rendered":"Pulling Trailers Safely"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inexperienced drivers often believe that a strong truck with a trailer hitch is all that&#8217;s needed for safe hauling. A good truck with the right hitch is certainly very important, but it has nothing to do with pulling that trailer safely.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Driver knowledge and experience must be added before a trailer can be pulled safely. The driver must understand the pulling characteristics of his particular truck. Slight differences between vehicles can make a huge difference in the performance of the truck\/trailer combination on the road.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Same could be different<\/b> <\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Individual trailers, and even identical trailers, often pull very different when moving down the road. Length, loaded weight, balance, and tongue weight of the trailer are other important factors in how well it pulls (and stops) at road speed. Beyond that, the trailer&#8217;s lights, brakes, load security, and flagging (if needed) are critical issues every driver must check before hitting the road.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trailer lights and hook up (including the safety pin) must be checked each time the driver makes a stop. Walk around the trailer to check the load and tie downs before heading to the next destination.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tongue weight is a critical safety issue. If there is too much weight, the front of the truck lifts slightly, often affecting the performance of the brakes in an emergency. If there is too little weight, the trailer has the tendency to sway excessively in turns and during stops. In an emergency, rear truck tires can lose traction and jackknife.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most trailers should have a tongue weight of around 60% of the total trailer weight. The trailer can normally be balanced properly by shifting a heavy item forward or backward before tying everything down.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trailer brakes must be in good working condition and be properly adjusted. Check to make certain that they are operating properly before pulling into traffic by depressing the manual lever on the brake controller. Adjust trailer brakes for each trailer you pull, every time you use it.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When stepping on the brake pedal, you should be able to feel the trailer brakes apply, but they should not jerk the truck. If a problem develops with the adjustment process, a mechanic will be able to help you master the skill.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The condition of the truck is also important. Pulling a trailer puts a heavy load on the vehicle, and if it is not running properly, don&#8217;t risk breaking down in traffic. Mechanics prefer to work on the truck at a lot or in their shop rather than in traffic along a congested highway.<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Operator skills<\/b> <\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Driver experience is very important. Learn to drive the trailer, not the truck. In other words, drive so the trailer maintains proper road position in curves and turns, and most importantly, stays in the proper lane. Longer trailers make this skill extremely important.<\/p><\/div> <!--nextpage--><div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ability to stop safely may be the single most important factor in pulling a trailer successfully. In traffic, taking the ditch is much better than ramming into stopped cars. Heavier loads require greater following distances to provide an adequate stopping space. Talking on the cell phone or getting involved with radio programs or other conversations rob the driver of his safety factor.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Load shifts can make you feel like you are riding a roller coaster. Properly secured loads should not shift, but liquids, such as a water wagon, are constantly changing. Empty or full liquid tanks should not be a problem; however, partial loads can become major concerns, including slapping the truck forward into another vehicle at a stop. Tipovers on turns, curves, and when the wheel hits a curb or drops off the edge of the pavement are common.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Backing, turning around, and maneuvering in neighborhoods are a major cause of accidents involving trailers. The good news is that trailers are seldom damaged enough to need repairs. The bad news is the other vehicle almost always needs lots of expensive repairs.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, if backing up and hitting another vehicle, the driver is held responsible regardless of what the other vehicle was doing at the time. If at all possible, have a second person watch for other vehicles or obstructions when backing up, especially in congested areas.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safe trailer operation requires patience. If there is not adequate room to get through, wait or go another way. Squeezing through an opening is a recipe for an accident. On larger trailers pulled behind dump trucks, patience is a requirement, not necessarily a virtue.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two photos of the parking lot (below) are prime examples of a dump truck driver that lacked patience. He pulled off as soon as his air pressure built up enough to release the truck brakes, and well before it built up enough to release the trailer brakes. The dump truck dragged the loaded trailer for a considerable distance before the trailer brakes released. In a short time, the driver will probably be calling to complain his trailer pulls rough and the tires have to be replaced to get rid of the worn flat spots.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If any part of the load extends more than 3-ft beyond the rearmost part of the trailer, it must either be lighted or marked with a red flag not less than one foot square. Orange silt fencing material or painting the ends of the uprights orange or red does not make the vehicle legal.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Load security is often critical. How would you like to follow a trailer down the road and get your car&#8217;s nice paint job sand-blasted free, or even worse, encounter a piece of metal that bounced out of a trailer bin at road speed?<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pulling trailers safely is a critical skill that must be learned and practiced.<\/p> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Bob Parrish is a former OSHA inspector and has been safety director and newsletter editor for McGee Brothers Co., a large Monroe, N.C., mason contractor, for about 10 years. He can be reached at 704-372-7610 or<\/i><a href=\"mailto:rmparr@bellsouth.net\" target=\"_blank\">rmparr@bellsouth.net.<\/a><\/p><\/div> ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inexperienced drivers often believe that a strong truck with a trailer hitch is all that&#8217;s needed for safe hauling. A good truck with the right hitch is certainly very important, but it has nothing to do with pulling that trailer safely. Driver knowledge and experience must be added before a trailer can be pulled safely. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"scheduledNewsletterDates":[],"_scheduled_newsletter_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"zonda_content_type_url_append":"_o","zonda_dfp_zone":"","zonda_exclude_recommended_contents":false,"zonda_exclude_most_popular":false,"zonda_exclude_tagged_results":false,"zonda_eyebrow":"","zonda_last_newsletter_date":"2099-12-31T23:59:59.999-05:00","zonda_original_url":"","zonda_pdf_version":0,"zonda_print_headline":"Pulling Trailers Safely","zonda_promo_abstract":"Driver knowledge and experience are a must in order to ensure that a trailer can be pulled safely.","zonda_promo_headline":"","zonda_promo_image":0,"zonda_subheadline":"It takes much more than a strong truck and hitch."},"tags":[],"news_item_type":[28],"section_10":[81561],"subject":[1464,53860],"organization":[],"award":[],"person":[],"product_type_10":[],"content-group":[],"event":[],"location":[],"state":[],"brand":[84326],"jlc-category":[],"year_tax":[],"sponsor":[],"coauthors":[93053],"class_list":["post-93016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","news_item_type-article","section_10-products","subject-aggregates","subject-brake","brand-masonry-construction"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pulling Trailers Safely<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It takes much more than a strong truck and hitch.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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