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Truck lifted by port crane along with container.
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...p_fullsize.jpg
Previously:
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...895#post206795
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...203#post203851
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...510#post205200
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...757#post170904
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...341#post196379
This is what happens when you aren't nice to the people who help you get your job done.
When you take a nap at the wrong place and the wrong time.
Mark
ALmost had this happen to me at Barber's cut in Houston. I was killing a day waiting on a flatbed trailer to get loaded to bring back to FT. Worth. So, I had this bright idea to yank container chassis or containers to pick up some spare change instead of having to just sit and cool my heals in the trucker's lounge.
At the chassis yard the guy says it's an extra $100.00 for you if you drop by the container yard on your way to the port and haul a container with you.
I'm a buck fifty instead of half a buck why the heck not? at the container yard they didn't want drivers out of their trucks so they loaded and locked down the container I get to the port this huge forklift runs over and latches the bridle on the top of the container and starts to heave it off the chassis just then another guy shows up to disconnect the container. Afterwards climbs u[p on my step and says sorry about that driver the forker was supposed to blast his horn to let me know to open the latches.
Does this sort of thing happen frequently I asked.
sometimes but not often, but the forkers are a strange breed they don't always remember to signal like I\m supposed to be able to read their minds.
I drove on over to drop the chassis and a guy jumps up to disconnect my hosed and 5th wheel so I get out and check.
What the hell you are doing driver? you not to get out of your rig.
If it is all the same to you, I have already had 1 bad experience with the yard men in this place, I told the guy at the chassis yard I'd yank 6 chassis for him today and I don't plan on needing to replace my hoses like I very nearly had to have my truck rebuilt over at the other end of the port.
About jerked your truck off the ground I bet. Yeah, they got this 1 forker over there that is dumb as a pretzeled crowbar. If you making another round just give a couple of short toots on your air horn, I'll make sure you get unhooked properly.
I did 3 more full pulls and stuck $600.00 in my pocket instead of having to sit and watch daytime dramas on the TV.
Looking at the location of the crane operator, if he did not watch the first couple of seconds of the lift, I wonder if he would be able to actually see that the tractor was still attached as the cab drooping may be out of his line of sight. I am sure the guy on the ground has a radio though. While there is always the "you pissed me off and I will show you" factor. Lifting a truck that high would more than likely be deadly if it became decoupled.
The king pin and 5th wheel are designed not to fail in circumstances as this, like when a truck goes over a bridge railing held from falling only by the trailer. or not to shear off in the impact of a head on collision. That doesn't mean they can't or won't fail though. Not sure what the designation of the steel in the king pin is now but it used to be forged Bearcat steel. strong wear resistant shock resistant with a super high tensile strength, but it is still just 2" in diameter at the smallest section. Not all 5th wheels are made equal either in the way they couple, then if you factor in the human factor of how well it had been maintained how well it has been kept adjusted, and how much wear it has on it. I sure wouldn't want to be the guy in the cab trusting my life to a 2' bar of steel.Quote:
Originally Posted by odd one