robroy:
How did it go then Harry ■■
Wasn’t any great drama, think I prefer driving an artic though.
I saw a Dutch drag trailer parked in a layby the other week and right in front was a car with nobody in there, don’t know what the Dutch driver was going to do on his return.
Carryfast:
the nodding donkey:
If you drive an A frame trailer, the distribution of the trailer load wont affect the handling of the combination very much, but a rigid bar trailer will. To much weight in front of yhe axles will overload the drove axle of the unit, and to much weight behind the trailer axles will lift the drive axle.That flaw alone,in addition to the potential for the tail to wag the dog,should really be considered bad enough for the close coupled,what is really just an over sized car and caravan type combination with all the same traits,to be banned.While the move away from A frames is a just a case of dumbing down the job to suit the steering wheel attendants.While to be fair at least the continentals and scandinavians still seem to be staying more with A frames and in fact developing them in the form of rigid and artic length trailers in that regard.
While ironically after almost 20 years out of the job I’d probably still find it easier going back to A frames now than artics,having always liked the A frame configuration even before I started driving them.
So, because you don’t know how to load a close coupled W&D properly they should be banned. Does this apply to all vehicles?
trucken:
Carryfast:
That flaw alone,in addition to the potential for the tail to wag the dog,should really be considered bad enough for the close coupled,what is really just an over sized car and caravan type combination with all the same traits,to be banned.While the move away from A frames is a just a case of dumbing down the job to suit the steering wheel attendants.While to be fair at least the continentals and scandinavians still seem to be staying more with A frames and in fact developing them in the form of rigid and artic length trailers in that regard.While ironically after almost 20 years out of the job I’d probably still find it easier going back to A frames now than artics,having always liked the A frame configuration even before I started driving them.
So, because you don’t know how to load a close coupled W&D properly they should be banned. Does this apply to all vehicles?
No it’s because after around 4 years of driving caravan type outfits followed by ‘proper’ ones it’s ‘because’ it needs to be loaded ‘properly’ to the point of being a liability to all concerned and the probability that at some point it won’t be.Such as in trunking operations where the driver has no involvement in loading.Which is how the previous driver on it ended up on his side facing south in the north bound carriageway of the M6.While at best leaving the contradiction in the need to provide a decent trailer nose weight on a job which needs the prime mover to be maxed out.Or for that matter the need to totally redistribute the load of a trailer when doing multi drop loads to stop massive drive axle overload.
IE more like a liability on the road because the steering wheel attendants can’t reverse a ‘proper’ drawbar outfit. 
I’ve obviously been loading mine wrongly for the last 20 years then 
Carryfast. Please shut the ■■■■ up.
bald bloke:
I saw a Dutch drag trailer parked in a layby the other week and right in front was a car with nobody in there, don’t know what the Dutch driver was going to do on his return.
Had this problem myself once or thrice, even came close to grabbing a ratchet strap and dragging the car out of the way!
I always think now when I have to leave it, “will some half wit park their car here?”
If the answer is probably or yes, I move and find somewhere else, lately I try and find a spot just by double yellows.
bald bloke:
I saw a Dutch drag trailer parked in a layby the other week and right in front was a car with nobody in there, don’t know what the Dutch driver was going to do on his return.
I had this once with a Stobart lorry parked in front of mine,mentioned it on here and got a right hammering,
bobbya:
I had this once with a Stobart lorry parked in front of mine,mentioned it on here and got a right hammering,
And quite rightly so, we all know Stobrat drivers are the cream of the crop !!!
Talking of the tail wagging the dog I loaded a close coupled Murfitt truck near Milan with tumble dryers, then I got to the next collection point to load washing machines on the trailer, had been told they would be tumble dryers as well and they wouldn’t shift anything around even though it was the same company, 42 mph max then the fun began …
raymundo:
Talking of the tail wagging the dog I loaded a close coupled Murfitt truck near Milan with tumble dryers, then I got to the next collection point to load washing machines on the trailer, had been told they would be tumble dryers as well and they wouldn’t shift anything around even though it was the same company, 42 mph max then the fun began …
Especially on the downhill bits. 
Always wondered why a serious international drawbar using outfit like Murfitts used close coupled.instead of A frames like everyone else with any sense on the continent did. 
Harry Monk:
Driving a wagon and drag next week, never driven one before after 30 years on artics, can somebody give me the 2 minute “Wagon and Drag for Dummies” Guide?
Easy peasy Japanesy LOL.
If it’s a draw bar trailer with the wheels at each end it will follow the trailer almost exactly in the same tracks. If it is a trailer with the wheels in the middle it is much easier to reverse, the first one mentioned is a sod to reverse unless you get lots of practice. I loved driving my wagon and drag on the road show job.
Over here, the A frame trailers (with a turntable at the front) are called dog trailers and the others (like a big car trailer) are a pig trailer.
Harry Monk:
Thanks all, it went fine, it was easier to reverse than I was expecting though the enormous turning circle caught me out the first time I tried to corkscrew it. Only real problem is that they sent a muscular young lad to show me the ropes and do the physical side today (handballing 30-40 sofas off the truck) but were expecting me to do it on my own tomorrow so I said “Err, I won’t be doing that”.
But Harry, you’d have been handsomely compensated when you did yourself a mischief, wouldn’t you? You might have missed a trick there…
going on to a tandem spread axle soon can’t see it getting in easy as a triaxle or normal tandem .
bald bloke:
I saw a Dutch drag trailer parked in a layby the other week and right in front was a car with nobody in there, don’t know what the Dutch driver was going to do on his return.
I had this happen to me a couple of times when I pulled an “A” frame. I used to make sure the ratchet hand brake was still on tight, choc the rear wheels then drain the air out of the air tank. With the brakes off and the wheels free to turn, I could then physically pull / push the “A” frame bar out to the side enough for me to reverse onto it, couple up, maybe have a little shunt backwards and forwards and then pull away around the obstruction. It was a pain in the arse but it worked.
Ah well, that’s done, was quite painless really. Won’t be going back there as I think it’s fair to describe my planner as a complete and total piece of knobcheese, and I ended up hanging up on him when he started shouting at me down the phone because I was held up by traffic on the M6. On a bulk tipper next week, done loads of that so should be ok if boring. Need to do four weeks’ more work really then I’ll take a month or two off.
trucken:
So, because you don’t know how to load a close coupled W&D properly they should be banned. Does this apply to all vehicles?
The rest are socialist concoctions
Harry Monk:
… I ended up hanging up on him when he started shouting at me down the phone because I was held up by traffic on the M6…
I have never understood why some people (managers, supervisors, etc) feel that it is acceptable to shout and / or verbally abuse others down the phone. Quite often they say things or act in a manner in which they would never do face to face. Horrible, weak little cowards. Good luck with the couple of months off H, from what you posted earlier it sounds like you might well need it!! 
Shame there’s no bus stops on the M6. You could have parked in one to get a fine and then caught one home.