Play in trailer kingpin, how much is OK?

When you're empty. Lower landing gear. Disconnect 5th wheel. Slide truck forward. Grease wheel. Slide truck back under. If you got enough air line and electrical. You won't have to disconnect those.

Is what he's talking about.

 

I would recommend you avoid this shop in the future, if at all possible. The guy is an idiot ... and this is evident in such a statement ...

4-5 millimeters might be okay. But inches?

But "king pin slop" should NEVER feel like "an inch of slack". However, kingpin slop can be felt and heard while driving.

I recommend next time stopped, set the trailer brakes and release the tractor brakes and gently rock it some forwards and backwards to get a better sense of what's really going and what you really may be feeling. Could just as easily be a 5th wheel jaw needs adjustment, as a worn trailer king pin. OR, could be a combination of both, particularly if we're talking about both being older equipment.

Do you always pull the same trailer?

 

When I lube the wheel. I lower the landing gear just enough to touch the ground. Then drop the truck suspension and pull out. Lube her up. And slide back under with lowered suspenion. Touch the trailer BEFORE raising suspension. That way all the grease stays on wheel. If you slide under touching the trailer. Suspension raised. The front of trailer will scrape the grease off the 5th wheel. And you won't have much for the kingpin plate.

 

One thing no one mentioned...if you're a company driver and drop/hook regularly then if you adjust the 5th wheel, don't over adjust it for an older trailer that might have a king pin that has some wear because once you drop that trailer and try to hook to a newer one, you might not be able to get it to lock or it'll be too tight you might get it locked, but not get it unlocked at the next drop. Many modern 5th wheels are auto-adjusting.

 

If you read your fifth wheel instruction, it will explain how to unlock a stubborn overadjusted fifth wheel.

For my 5th wheel I have to whack that adjustment bolt with a hammer.

I adjusted to a newer and less worn kingpin.

 

There's actually a tool used to properly adjust the 5th wheel jaws as they wear. Basically a kingpin on a big lever. Lock it in and adjust the jaws as per mfg instructions.

 

There is a play amount on the fifth wheel for slack, i believe it is a 1/4 inch ( proably wrong tho) but i do know that 1/2 inch gets you in a lot of trouble at the yuma scale !!!

 

Make them get it tight. You don't accept a loose spouse so you should not risk a loose truck.

I had one container thankfully that was empty get completely off my 5th wheel on that ford 9000 day cab when the I-95 tydings bridge flipped it off the end joint southbound back onto land. The trailer thankfully landed on the aft drives and stay with us to stop instead of flying off into three packed lanes of rush hour around us at 80 running for that first pull.

No loose 5th wheels ever. Get someone to get it tight. If the company shop wont do it then pull into that truck dealer ship and make them do it. Company has to pay the bill because they legally not only own that truck, but it is very likely by VIN number that truck is already a existing customer within the dealership system.

Im picky. I get yelled at because I am picky. What I tell them is calm down, no one got killed from escaping trailers like in the past today. I fixed it like a good company man should, what is all the fuss. (Speak softer and softer the more they yell at you.) If they fire you for cause thinking you somehow did something BAD fixing one of thier trucks that needed fixing (Document that most particular) take that to the unemployment office and get your unemployment once the state finishes the case against them. (You did document the repair, who in the dealer repaired it, his manager, the associated phone numbers, physical location, log entry onduty location date and time vehicle inspecition report and copies all that revelant to that 5th wheel repair. Either way you are covered.)

Im expensive. But neglect and failure to fix stuff is way more expensive when people get hurt, stuff gets broken and people might die. Really expensive. Pay me because I am being a good employee. If you don't want good employees and wish to run crappy trucks, then I don't work for you.

 

I won't add to what is some great and accurate advice. However WHY are you using stand your ground in the future tense and NOT past tense? Listen hand, listen up. You NEVER and I mean NEVER place a CMV on the roads of this country until you are 100% sure that vehicle is safe! There is nothing to debate here. If you have a separation and someone gets killed or hurt it is YOU that gets the blame NOT that idiot mechanic.