5th wheel locking jaws wouldn't close

Hey Digr - were you in a cold climate when the problem occurred? When that grease in the 5th wheel gets cold/frozen, strange stuff will happen.

 

i hate when that happens. it only takes once to never do it again. dag now i just jinxed myself.

 

i hope you didn't jinx yourself i wouldn't wish that on anyone

 

If it doesn't close hit that $h1+ harder. Give yourself whiplash... it'll close.

 

Dirty COLD 5th wheel grease can stop them from closing... If it does it again on your next hook spend a few minutes digging the crap out of jaws.

 

I would ALWAYS crawl under with a flashlight, and see the bar across, Git-R-Done.

 

I had to help a Prime guy who did that picking up his first load solo. Luckily, they were the jack type but it was still a PITA with a fully loaded trailer. The reefer came about 2 inches from smashing into the back of the sleeper.

 

I carry a shepards hook bungied to the catwalk specifically for this reason.

It doesnt happen often, Probably 5 times in my career, but it happens. Gotta pull the jaws open manually.

 

We call that jumping the kingpin and it is common among fat slobs who are too lazy to get out and check the height of the trailer they are about to hook up to.

One guy totaled a tractor by doing this, and almost killed himself, because it was a daycab.

Busted the back window out and everything.