Difficulty unhooking trailers in cold weather

Ah winter..always fun lol.

So here is my issue:

I am dropping a trailer:
-Trailer brakes set
-tractor bumped back, brakes set
-dolly legs down to usual height for dropping trailer
-fifthwheel handle pulled all the way out
- jaws stay closed

No matter what I do i have to fight with the darn thing to get unhooked.

Last night I got out from under it by dumping the tractor air, cranking the trailer up and eventually the jaws on the fifthwheel opened and I got out from under it.

What am I missing here? Only happens in cold weather (-20c or less usually).

 

Fill a squirt bottle with fuel and spray the jaws. You most likely have grease buildup and the cold temp is making it nearly solid.
Let it soak, then trip and open the jaws.

 

Yeah, that's a good idea, I did get a big lump of grease out of there last night.

I was moved from the truck i had for the last few years into a truck with an x15 and 18 speed Eaton. Like it but hate the fithwheel lol.

 

Nice video, but that is not the problem, I know how to pull the pin and it locks out as it is supposed to do.

 

Maybe like he says, grease/gunk build up.

 

Yeah, I'm going to look at cleaning g any bits out that I can.

Really should have thought of this when it was warmer lol

 

Got a good hot stream cleaner…?

 

Sadly no, lol.

But looks like we are getting a Chinook...going from -25c today to +3c by Monday.

 

Pull into a tank-wash or truck wash anywhere. They will have steam or hot water by the trainload.