How does this happen?

Unloaded a heavy beverage load this morning, unhooked, hooked back up when empty, brought the empty here. Now I can't get the jaws to release and beating on the adjustment bolt isn't working either. It looks like one of the jaws bent somehow.

I've been noticing it's been getting harder to pull the release arm but I thought it was just me getting weaker from being sedentary compared to my previous jobs.

 

1000000956 by Kid Cricket posted Jul 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM

 

Yeah, I've tried everything. It's jammed up pretty good. I'm waiting for roadside but I doubt they'll be able to do much.

 

Got it out with a pry bar and some patience. Definitely needs a rebuild and I'll be down for a day. Fortunately it's just the jaws and shims and I should be up and running again soon.

 

My fifth wheel saga continues.
The rebuild did not last and it seems I lost some parts going through the mountains on I-26.

Handle won't pull. One of the pneumatic cylinders seems to have lost what was holding it on.

1000001139 by Kid Cricket posted Jul 27, 2025 at 6:15 PM

 

The fifth wheel has since been rebuilt. This time it just lost a cotter pin at some point down the road. I replaced it with a clevis pin and hopefully that holds up.