1 hour to unhook fifth wheel pin

Don't get to frustrated there is a few things that can cause this problem, UN even ground,pressure on the lock mechanism,out of adjustment of the the lock jaws.releasing the tractor brakes allowed for release of just enough pressure off the locking mechanism to unlock.

 

So you couldn't get the release handle on the 5th wheel pulled? Did you set your trailer brakes when you backed into the trailer?

 

There should be nothing putting pressure on the locking mechanism when you set the trailer brake, back up putting pressure on the front side of the kingpin. Crank the landing gear down till it just touches the ground. Pull the pin. If it still doesnt come unlocked, something is wrong. Dont mess around with a bad fifth wheel lock, if it doesn't unlock properly there is a chance that it will not lock properly as well.

 

Yep, what Critters said. I had a KW that was hard to pull the kingpin, I didn't set the trailer brake till I'd unlocked the trailer. Safer than not setting tractor brakes

 

Set the trailer brakes and release the tractor brakes. Put the truck in reverse. Back up slightly until you feel resistance. Set the tractor brake while the trans is in reverse, then put it in neutral.

Sometimes the truck will roll forward enough to apply tension on the jaws. You can pull the release arm all day and not get it to budge.

 

What brand of 5th wheel?

 

If it's a bad fifth wheel better not take the trk till it is fixed or replaced.Next time something worse could happen like it did to a driver yesterday.I watched the entire thing unfold.He hooked up, did the tug test,hes leaving and the trailer goes one way and the tractor another.The edge of the trl did land on the trk otherise it would have been a costly wrecker bill to come and pick the trl up.So he dollies down then takes the trk to the yard and come to find out the fifthwheel was bad.

 

Drove a few trucks with that issue. Even with a 5th wheel puller couldn't get it unlocked. Tried every trick I knew. Old Southern boy comes up says "Ya'll gots a chain?" Yep. Hooked that to the handle gave it a flip and boom it was open. Good old boys can survive.

 

sounds like too much work.If I would have to lift that heavy chain all the time to pull the pin then the company is going to pay me more,lol.