1/2 fenders or full

I run 1/2 fenders because full fenders would interfere with removing the blocking pin from my 5th wheel. I made them as long as I could, though...have to slide the 5th wheel all of the way back to insert or remove the pin. If you can do full fenders, they'll do a better job than 1/2 fenders, just like 1/2 fenders are better than 1/4 fenders. That said, though, the only time I really have any issues is when I'm spinning the wheels slogging through some mud or running down a gravel road with new enough tires that they are picking up rocks and flinging them. USUALLY, I have a trailer on when I'm doing either of those, though, so that helps protect my rear window and mirrors.

 

Full is better to keep mud and water from slinging but like pedigreed said. Can't pull 5th wheel pin and it's harder to check and fix tires with them. On the plus side of half fenders it gives mud a nice place to sit after you drive through it. I run them half and just deal with it. They do their job and protect the cab

 

Im fine with half fender on t600 when pulling dry vans or reefer. When it comes like farm or oilfield operation definitely need full fender.

 

It completely depends on your operation

 

Quarter fender is about all you need pulling a box. When you've got your 5th wheel all the way back pulling open deck, you're going to need 1/2 fenders if you expect them to do much.

 

Put a taller 5th wheel stand on so it's easier to pull the 5th wheel pin as well as added clearance between the trailer and fenders & go with a set of full fenders, they'll keep both the truck and trailer a little cleaner when running in rain & snow. If you have to run tire chains you better stick with half fenders.

 

The reason I have my fenders cut off has nothing to do with the 5th wheel release pin to drop a trailer. I pull a frameless end dump, and occasionally a pneumatic tank, van, flat, or whatever else needs to be pulled to move the freight and make some money. When I'm hooked to a frameless end dump, there is a blocking pin that gets inserted to prevent the truck's 5th wheel from articulating...but that needs to be removed before pulling a trailer with a stationary 5th wheel pin such as a tank, flat, van, etc. The blocking pin is on the back of the 5th wheel, and when I slide my 5th wheel all of the way back, it will clear the fenders. I can drop trailers just fine with the 5th wheel in ANY position. It just needs to be slid back to insert or remove the blocking pin.

And as for the suggestion of getting a taller 5th wheel, that isn't always an option. For a truck like mine that is set up more traditionally in a fleet full of low-profile spec'd company trucks, my 5th wheel plate is already 8-10" higher than the company trucks. It is already a PITA hooking to a trailer they dropped, so it would be foolish to exacerbate that situation with an even taller 5th wheel.

 

Like somebody said earlier, it all depends on what kind of trailer you pull & your situation of what kind of fenders to use. If you can't run full fenders then don't run them, but if you do plan on running full fenders no matter what brand or what there made of weather it's stainless, aluminum, poly or fiberglass you should visit the wti fenders website to see what the minimum 5th wheel height should be depending on your tire size so the trailer doesn't hit the fenders when going thru dips or over hills.

 

I just wanted to clarify. I had posted about having cut mine back to 1/2 fenders to clear the blocking pin and a few posters seemed to think I was talking about the release pin to drop a trailer. If a person doesn't have a need for a blocked 5th wheel, it isn't something they'd be familiar with, so the confusion is understandable. Like I said, that was just to clarify a misunderstanding to avoid future confusion.