How do you hook up to the trailer

Step 1 - Make sure there's a trailer behind you to connect to.

 

you pay attention in the school you are attending....

Seriously, they will teach youi.

 

Just an observation for the OP. If you are really only 18, unless you have a gig lined up already, you may find it hard to get a job even after going to school until you hit 21.

 

Well when I come to a tlr, I look at the general condition of the front. I dont look at the king pin although I am sure some do, there is just so much grease under there its hard to see of there are any cracks, king pin might be bent though. Line up to back under, usually if your tires are even or within an inch of lining up with the side of the tlr then your 5th wheel will be lined up good and you wont move the tlr sideways too much, which you dont want.
Turn on lights and flashers. Gotta check to make sure the tlr is high enough or low enough otherwise you will have problems. After awhile you will be able to tell by where you tires are in relation to the tlr as far as height.

Back under slowly and gently and you will hear your 5th wheel jaws lock in place. There is no need to ram the truck into the tlr to get it to hook up. Do a tug test. Get out and attach the air lines and elec. cord. It's also a good idea to look at the jaws to make sure they are hooked around the kingpin. Hooking and unhooking I always do the lines first. Crank up landing gear all the way. There are usually two speeds and you will figure out real quick which one to use. Sometimes it's hard to know which way to turn it though because different manufactures make them different. You make sure you dont drop the tlr by making sure your truck is properly connected the the tlr.

Like they said, this will be all taught in school. Maybe different variations or what not.

 

Step 2- hook it in reverse and go like hell..... Ok not really.

 

Okay, these clips are duller than dishwater, but they'll help answer your question; a picture's worth a thousand words. BTW, I looked for "hooking up" on YouTube. Do that, and you'll find clips about hooking up that have nothing to do with trailers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2JG6H5x2CA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpLEjseA0Yo

 

I'm too lazy to edit. Here's more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfEdLsJtW_s&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWnyD36_uk&feature=related

 

I always try to sneak up on the trailer,by the time the trailer realizes what's happening,it's too late. Works EVERY time.

 

Uh, OK...rookie mistake confession time.

I was sent to pick up a trailer at an unmanned drop yard in NC one day. Wasn't told anything about this place...didn't even know we had a yard there. No mention of anything except "the bills are in the box on the nose". Great.

I locate the trailer, position my unit in front of it, and back under her gently. Didn't latch. Pull up, back to the pin again. Nothing. After several more tries, each getting increasingly violent and powerful, I got it hooked.

But they were never going to be able to use that kingpin lock again.