FedEx Freight | question for west coast drivers

blue4242

TB Lurker
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Something I've always been curious about. Why is the landing gear lever and dolly levers on the passanger side? Do you drive on the left side of the road too? lol
 
It encourages a walk around. Not only is a pre/post more likely, you might burn a calorie or two.
 
Take Note East Coast, we have no control over what side the landing gear is on. That's up to the person who orders the equipment. One thing I can say is our landing gear's work no mater what side they are on, which is more than I can say for that eastern crap. TP
 
so

What if you fall and bust your butt ...or worse on the ditch side of the trailer ..??? in the name of safety ... :clap:
I don't know about out in the west ...but around here there is some wild things in the weeds
I know the west drivers have had the hostlers putting up trailers ...but now you have to put your own trailer to the dock ... I just image some west drivers are not singing this tune any more about safety

FourDigitViking .... I agree we need to do better post trips ...I'd like to take the tire nocker to some boneheads over here that don't know what a post trip is ... what am I saying ... there is no over here anymore ... :biglaugh:

I guess its just what your used to.

Twice Pipes we used to have some really good/fast gears ... then some elcheapo started ordering trailers ... who had never put a had to one .. I just don't know what to say .... seems he works for FEDEX ... :biglaugh:
 
I think the main reason Viking ordered
trailers with landing gear handle on right
side along with congear handle on right
side is because our fuel tanks were always
on the right side and that is were we STILL
hang our dock hook.:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

On a serious note the main reason for
having everything on the right side is
to keep the city drivers from getting
run over while dropping a trailer out
on the street while doing their route. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:


:shift:
 
The other great issue with west coast trailers is with the air and electrical lines in the middle of the trailer. New Kws and Internationals battery and air tanks block you from reaching them. There is a bracket for a step on the air tanks but no step. I asked if there was any way to order the step and I was told no. I was also instructed in the proper method to combat this problem. Are you ready? Back up until your 5th wheel lays flat, set brakes, turn off truck, get out and hook them up, get back in truck and start it release brakes, back up and poof, problem all fixed. Give me a break! Of course when drooping out just reverse the process. So the thirty dollar step makes you start and stop the truck at least two more times per hook or drop. Does this make sense?
 
I think the main reason Viking ordered
trailers with landing gear handle on right
side along with congear handle on right
side is because our fuel tanks were always
on the right side and that is were we STILL
hang our dock hook.:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
I mean to tell ya ... you can have your dock hook
There is nothin like my in the cab air release 5th wheel button .... yeeaah :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
 
.

The other great issue with west coast trailers is with the air and electrical lines in the middle of the trailer. New Kws and Internationals battery and air tanks block you from reaching them. There is a bracket for a step on the air tanks but no step. I asked if there was any way to order the step and I was told no. I was also instructed in the proper method to combat this problem. Are you ready? Back up until your 5th wheel lays flat, set brakes, turn off truck, get out and hook them up, get back in truck and start it release brakes, back up and poof, problem all fixed. Give me a break! Of course when drooping out just reverse the process. So the thirty dollar step makes you start and stop the truck at least two more times per hook or drop. Does this make sense?

How new are you talking? I've driven new KW's, and I have NO problem reaching the middle of the trailer. Don't even have to climb up any steps.
 
Many years ago before Spring Brakes. This was how you did it nothing to keep trailer in place when the air leaked off. Using the above method before you coupled you would charge the system once charged you pull your hand brake down to hook because you only had single chamber service brakes. Old schoolers call this a short hook. The 11XXX KW T660's are the one's you have to do this with.
 
The other great issue with west coast trailers is with the air and electrical lines in the middle of the trailer. New Kws and Internationals battery and air tanks block you from reaching them. There is a bracket for a step on the air tanks but no step. I asked if there was any way to order the step and I was told no. I was also instructed in the proper method to combat this problem. Are you ready? Back up until your 5th wheel lays flat, set brakes, turn off truck, get out and hook them up, get back in truck and start it release brakes, back up and poof, problem all fixed. Give me a break! Of course when drooping out just reverse the process. So the thirty dollar step makes you start and stop the truck at least two more times per hook or drop. Does this make sense?

Loose Canon :clap:

The easy fix, especially if you are not 6 feet tall
and can't reach to hook your air lines and light
cord in the middle of the trailer, is to turn your
truck to the right at a 45 degree angle, so that
when you get out the glad hands and seven way
plug will be in the same location as a P trailer.
You can also back up a little bit instead to get
the nose of your truck pointing to the right
some 45 degrees. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:shift:
 
How new are you talking? I've driven new KW's, and I have NO problem reaching the middle of the trailer. Don't even have to climb up any steps.

Franklin :clap:

East KW's don't look nothing
like a West KW.
West KW have two steps and
deck plate over the frame to
stand on to hook air lines and
light cord in the middle of
West trailers. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:shift:
 
I mean to tell ya ... you can have your dock hook
There is nothin like my in the cab air release 5th wheel button .... yeeaah :biglaugh::biglaugh:

slackdragon :clap:

We use the dock hook to unhook
both the tractor and congear handle. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
Our newer truck now have 5th wheel
handle on the left side. But 5 year
old and older trucks all had 5th
wheel handle in the right side.:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:


:shift:
 
Franklin :clap:

East KW's don't look nothing
like a West KW.
West KW have two steps and
deck plate over the frame to
stand on to hook air lines and
light cord in the middle of
West trailers. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:shift:

Not any more River, the new KWs dont have a deck plate or steps, have 2 tanks with the battery box on left side and then the chain hangers makes it pretty crowded not room for a step.
 
Not any more River, the new KWs dont have a deck plate or steps, have 2 tanks with the battery box on left side and then the chain hangers makes it pretty crowded not room for a step.

popsmc :clap:

I have not seen any of the new
KW T-660 show up in the West
yet, but they could have a step
or two incorporated into the
side fuel tank fairings. :biglaugh:

Do you know of any West
Service Centers that have any of
these new T-660 trucks yet???

:shift:
 
popsmc :clap:

I have not seen any of the new
KW T-660 show up in the West
yet, but they could have a step
or two incorporated into the
side fuel tank fairings. :biglaugh:

Do you know of any West
Service Centers that have any of
these new T-660 trucks yet???

:shift:

Don't worry about it. It has been decided that the West will never get a new tractor. We aren't good enought for them.
:eck13::eck13::eck13:
 
Don't worry about it. It has been decided that the West will never get a new tractor. We aren't good enought for them.
:eck13::eck13:

Trailer Trash :clap:

You are probably good enough. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

But the new trucks are only going
to those drivers that have BIG miles runs.

Your run may not qualify you for a new truck.
So it is hand me downs even if San Jose
is there no more. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:shift:
 
Trailer Trash :clap:

You are probably good enough. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

But the new trucks are only going
to those drivers that have BIG miles runs.

Your run may not qualify you for a new truck.
So it is hand me downs even if San Jose
is there no more. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

:shift:

Well, if the deciding factor about who gets new trucks is runs with big miles, that pretty much eliminates about 95% of the California based drivers getting new trucks. Maybe we'll get chicken lights for our forklifts and chrome for our handtrucks.
 
The problem is the corporate people that order this stuff haven't got a clue on how to use it ore why it's there. All of the west trucks have dock hooks on the out side I've seen to many people with bad shoulders and rotator cuffs. When we were Viking they asked us what we needed as fare as equipment and how it should be set up. We had easy pull fifth wheels on everything not the 70 lbs pull "jost" fifth wheel like we have now. In my opinion FedEx is not an easy to work with to many rules that us out here in the west don't know about I'm talking about the stuff thats not written down in black and white. I feel like Harrison treats us like the bastard step child. But thats only my opinion!
 
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