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Thoughts on my fifth wheel

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Dino soar, Oct 29, 2019.

  1. Oct 29, 2019 #1
    Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    I'm finishing up my truck and the 5th wheel is going on very shortly

    I bought the truck with a bad engine so I've never hooked up to anything with this fifth wheel I have no idea about it.

    The lever pulls out and locks with no problem. If I take a bar and I push against the Jaws the fifth wheel positively locks shut.

    The question I have is that when I pull the lever it seems as though the Jaws are not open that wide.

    In the picture with the Jaws open, when I put a bar on to it and open the Jaws a little farther they don't go very far and they lock shut.

    Can anyone tell me if your fifth wheel Jaws open completely or do they open like mine?

    If they are supposed to open all the way, does anyone know what the problem is?

    20191029_165639.jpg 20191029_165706.jpg
     
    Dino soar, Oct 29, 2019
    Dino soar, Oct 29, 2019
    #1
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  3. Oct 29, 2019 #2
    x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    The Jaw is a U shaped device right? In my mind lever length should pull on a spring under that plate to rotate that U all the way around to clear the kingpin to unhook.

    And likeways in reverse when hooking on. It should have a pretty "CLANK!" and nothing loose after that anywhere.

    (If the 5th wheel contains a big bolt in the front just below the lip of the plate, that tells me you will get loose and that trailer and it's load will pound back and forth wanting out of that Jaw.) something to consider.
     
    x1Heavy, Oct 29, 2019
    x1Heavy, Oct 29, 2019
    #2
  4. Oct 29, 2019 #3
    starmac

    starmac Road Train Member

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    It is working properly. The lever will not open them wide enough, when you pull out from under the trailer the king pin finishes pushing them open.
    Now all that said, if you close and lock it without a trailer, many times you will have to manually open them enough for the king pin to slide by them.
     
    starmac, Oct 29, 2019
    starmac, Oct 29, 2019
    #3
    SL3406, Tx Countryboy, Hulld and 1 other person Thank this.
  5. Oct 30, 2019 #4
    mitmaks

    mitmaks Road Train Member

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    Might do rebuild depending how old it is
     
    mitmaks, Oct 30, 2019
    mitmaks, Oct 30, 2019
    #4
  7. Nov 1, 2019 #5
    Rideandrepair

    Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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    They should open, many a times while B/T, jaws will lock closed. One pull, and wide open again.
     
    Rideandrepair, Nov 1, 2019
    Rideandrepair, Nov 1, 2019
    #5
    Dino soar Thanks this.
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