5th wheel failed ... help me understand

My last job before becoming an O/O the exact same thing happened to me on my first day of a new job. I back it in hard and gave it 2 tugs, got out and looked to see that the jaws were closed and the skid plate was flush to the bottom of the trailer. The guy who was showing me the ropes decided that he wanted to drive, so as he left the lot he rolled the trailer wheels up over a curb and the trailer popped off in the street and ran into the back of the cab. I figured I was fired, but I wound up staying for 2 years with no other problems.

 

Do all 5th wheels have adjustments? Cuz mine don't have the usual nut in the front. Or anything underneath.

 

• Make sure the trailer is completely sitting on the 5th wheel, especially when parked in an uneven surface.
• Listen for a click when you connect (on some 5th wheels).
• Do a tug test.
• Visually check that the 5th wheel handle is completely pushed in.
• Visually check that the 5th wheel jaws have completely enclosed the kingpin. This requires some experience of how “completely enclosed” looks like. Each 5th wheel may look a little different.
• Keep an eye on the trailer as you pull forward. If the connection is bad, you won’t make it out the yard.

 

Aint nobody got the Balls to Rebuild their own 5th wheel?

Yeah, The guy saying hes OCD about the 5th wheel......Should be.

That thing comes off on the highway- Even tho you did your tug and checked for the Jaw and Wedge in place- You'll Kill if that trailer decides to Stay in Traffic once it disconnects- Pray that it goes right into the right hand ditch

And It'll be several vehicles- Not just one- Lotta Blood and Ripped up Bodies......

You might as well Just Pull the Trigger right then and There to end it......Easier than dealing with what you'll deal with.

 

Some have the adjuster in the face of the plate, right side. Don't remember which brand it is.

 

2 months ago. England made a left turn off the scale and down the street. Another left turn and down the street. A right turn at the traffic light. Got straight and dropped his.

Shipex dropped his halfway through that same right turn.

 

I'll have to look underneath on mine. There's nothing on the out side.

 

There's more than one brand that has adjuster on right side of plate. They are much better 5th wheels than most out there. They have a long bar that comes straight across to lock the kingpin in. Not jaws. Doesn't easily open up and let go.

 

I lost my trailer in a parking lot. Snow on top of the 5th wheel cause it to happen when I hooked up. It came off when I started pulling

 

Wow! Tell us about that?

I lost 5 bundles of 2x4 in Chattanooga TN on I 24, because the bundles wasn't tight when banded. Snapped all 6 straps like rubberbands.

The inpatient traffic ran over the lumber on the interstate not because they couldn't stop, but just they wanted to. Like Jeeps at an off-road trail