amount of pull needed for a 5th wheel handle

I have a Holland fifth wheel on my 97 Classic that makes me feel like a 3 year old

 

30 at a minimum to hundreds of pounds?
You must be very weak indeed to think that kind of force is involved.
I would estimate 10-30 on average, with the 30 being when it is cold.

Find a 50 pound bag of rice, or something, and lift it off the ground with one hand/arm. I would bet that is far heavier that any 5th wheel lever, even at minus 10 degrees.
And the 5th wheel lever is easier, since you can just grab hold and shift your weight to pull with very little effort from arm muscles.


And I always set the trailer brakes and then apply a little reverse pressure before I set the tractor brakes, just to make sure it is not binding.

 

I don't even think 10 is required.

Mine certainly don't require any effort.

But I've seem some that were a definite PITA

 

Hey!!! You are supposed to be retired!! You must never speak of trucking again!!

 

Retirement must be real exciting eh lol.....

 

Potentially enough to tear out your shoulder. Cuff first followed by some really important internal structural failure. That's how much pull it can impose on you sometimes. You try everything you can, if you are trained properly to minimize that kind of effort to pull a 5th wheel.

If I had to pull the pin on a strange truck, the first thing I do is make sure that it's not parked while putting pressure on that kingpin. Not even God can pull it at that point.

 

About 1 ounce. the push button to release the 5th wheel on my dash.

 

I have never released a 5th wheel that took less than maybe 30 lbs of pressure. I've only been driving for 4 years though, hauling modern reefers.

 

If it requires more effort then necessary. The kingpin is binding.

I usually park trailer. Gentle clutch to push truck back before parking truck. That keeps the binding away. Makes pulling lever whole lot easier.

 

Let's not forget when it's below zero and you have to work the handle back and forth a few times just to 'warm up'the grease....

I've also never used a j-bar on a regular basis. I bought one, once, but found it's just easier to reach my hand in there than anything. Especially on those cold mornings.