5th Wheel replacement Favorite

I had a Holland on mine and replaced it with a Holland.
I have liked this brand for years. Just a matter of choice.
Then also if you change brands will it work in your current slide tray?

 

Not an owner op, but this should be an interesting thread. I always preferred a Fontaine 6000 fifth wheel. I've heard that the aluminum no lube fifth wheels are lighter, which is advantageous if you run heavy (every little bit helps, I guess). My concern would be the grease residue left behind on the upper plates of any trailers you may pull. Does this harm the no lube fifth wheels in any way? I wouldn't see how it would, but I guess anything is possible.

Darn good question, I know I didn't help at all. But I'm betting you'll get some good replies to this one.

 

I own that same fifth wheel, I bought mine "new" 3 years ago, Same with me, I hooked up and had over an inch of slack in a "no slack" fifth wheel.

Was I Pissed, So I read the owners manual thinking I had a bad wheel.....

truckinfast, There's a bolt on the passenger side of the fifth wheel to adjust the stop rod.....I played with it for a while and got it adjusted to where I have about an eighth of an inch play now........

Make sure you are uncoupled when you adjust the stop rod.......Even better if you have a 2 inch pipe to use to couple and uncouple..

 

Do you guys have the rotating ball-race fifth wheels, the ones that rotate on a single or double row ball bearing? You never get wear anywhere long as you keep the bearing greased. The face of the fifth wheel is free of any grease.
I've got German-made Josts on double row ball race, had them for years, never give trouble.
Disadvantages: they are higher than a normal skid plate, and you have to have a block on your trailers so the jaws are always lined up with the trailer kingpin.

 

You can buy a service kit with new jaws for about $150 from your dealer. The primary lock is a serrated jaw that wears smooth eventually. The secondary lock is a latch. You are probably feeling it fall back on the secondary lock. New jaws will fix that, assuming the rest of the assembly is ok.

 

True, there's virtually no wear long as you keep the grease up, but do you have them in North America? They are fairly common in Oz, specially with O/Os with their own trailers.
Another thing, when you are on sharp angle, like when the tractor is 90 deg to the trailer, the fifth wheel is always lined up with the tractor, which has to be a good thing.

Edit: I meant lined up with the trailer. My bad. It puts less stress on the frame of the tractor when you are on a sharp angle and you are going through a dip

 

Oz,ballrace fithwheels are only found in Aussieland.Weight and/or height are no one else has then.