Tight Situation

We dropped and picked up a trailer at the Prime drop yard in Fontana. Trailer parking space there is tight. The trailer we were supposed to pick up was in a row of about 10 trailers packed inches apart from each other. It was impossible to get in between them to raise the landing gear. Luckily another driver was there whose trailer was also squeezed in. He had experience driving a yard truck (there was no yard jockey on duty) so he hopped in the one on the yard and pulled our trailers out far enough for us to get to the crank handles. Now what would you have done if there was no one there to pull your trailer for you? You can't drag it out with the landing gear down, can you?

I was lucky enough that the landing gear was off the ground an inch or so after I hooked, so I pulled it forward enough to raise the gear

If the trailer is low enough, backing under it will pick it up enough for you to pull it out and get to the landing gear. If not, sometimes you can crawl under and get to the crank, and turn it a few times to get some clearance to pull it out. Otherwise you find a yard jockey or a reasonable substitue like you guys did.

Grumpy Old Man types faster than I do....

We have that problem all the time in some of our yards especially Chicago, the trailers will literally be touching.

We just hook them and drag them out enough to get to the legs. I'll hook the lines and release the brakes first, some people dont they just drag them with the brakes locked.

Back in half way so the landing gear is still accessible. Crank landing gear down till it touches ground, then back up a turn or two so it is slightly off the ground and secure the crank handle. Now slowly back the trailer all the way into the spot. Once your in the spot, dump the tractor air bags and allow them to fully deflate. The landing gear should be sitting on the ground now and all you have to do is disconnect your hoses and release kingpin.

This will also make it easier on the driver who picks up the trailer. Backing under the trailer will pick it up off the ground sightly and allow them to just hook hoses and pull it out enough so they have room to crank up the landing gear.

That yard is always ridiculously tight.

Something else you could do in that situation is put something on the ground for your drive tires to back up onto while you're backing under the trailer.

Sounds silly, but something like a few boards laid on the ground may be just enough of a shim to get you up to where you need to be. Dump your bags, back onto the boards under the trailer, raise your bags to lift the trailer.

I've never tried it, but it might work!

Something else you could do in that situation is put something on the ground for your drive tires to back up onto while you're backing under the trailer.

Sounds silly, but something like a few boards laid on the ground may be just enough of a shim to get you up to where you need to be. Dump your bags, back onto the boards under the trailer, raise your bags to lift the trailer.

I've never tried it, but it might work!

...and also engage the differential lock to spread the torque between two axles (instead of just 1). Improves traction and reduces the risk of twisting a driveshaft.

I gotta ask, if they are that close is it next to impossible to not rub the others on your way out if you have a trailer on each side?

Wow! You all have some great ideas I'd have never thought of. Thx.

Army, there may or may not have been some paint exchanged among trailers. Luckily I was not the one pulling it out.