New drivers please read - Hook up procedures...

Lmao. Another funny thread. Pls teach me how to tie my shoes.

 

It is much easier to either wear loafers, or buy the velcro closure shoes.

 

I've never really seen yard jockeys check the connection. Usually they hook, close the doors and off they go. What makes them so sure the connection didn't fail?

 

I've had it happen. Back when I was a freight guy with Old Dominion I had an old con-gear with a worn out 5th wheel let the back box go as I came off the scale. That definitely got my attention. It was a good hook or at least appeared to be visually but can't remember if I tug tested it.

Moral of the story do a tug test and visual check, and then the secret ingredient is to stay away from the old worn out no-name equipment that should have been taken out of service a long time ago. I liked the older dollies because they had dual tires and were more stable going down the road, but they didn't have the good Holland 5th wheel like the newer super single dollies, so I stayed away from those after that. (If I had my own truck it would definitely have a Holland on it.)

 

I've also done a good tug test, and then found the jaws only half way shut when I looked.

 

Does anyone know...

If the jaw are sloppy like the trailer slaps from the jaws to the front of the 5th wheel groove or vice verse when stopping, accelerating, does anyone know if turning that bolt sticking out the side of the 5th wheel righty tighty will adjust those jaws down tighter??? I tried it already, I think it worked but I'm checking if anyone knows for sure....

 

Trying to adjust the 5th wheel without proper knowledge of how to do it could be very dangerous.

Why not just get a qualified mechanic to adjust it properly?

 

I suspect the 5th wheel jaw is made up similar to a piledriving vibratory hammer jaw, threaded steel wedges with a bolt running thru; turn the bolt one way to draw the wedges together, the other way to spread the wedges apart-- adjustment.

Qualified and Mechanic are two words that in this industry that don't often go together.

As an owner operator I can't go running to the shop everytime my panties get twisted into a knot. Typically they will say 'we can't even get to it til day after tomorrow' and then they want to charge me $150 bucks an hour times two techs for 3 hours to tell me I would need a brand new 5th wheel when all it really needs is a little adjustment. Downtime costs me $1000 a day in lost revenue. That bolt is there to be beat on with a heavy hammer, I cannot fathom turning it a turn and a half would put people's lives in danger. I adjusted it about a year ago, just asking for confirmation from anyone who knows for sure that is the accepted method for adjustment.

I guess I missed that day at school recently where they told drivers not to do any work whatsoever on their equipment. I am hearing some drivers would call out a $500 bucks an hour tow truck because their blue gladhand air line busted or mudlflap fell off.