Unlocking a fifth wheel that has accidentally tripped shut......

Yep. Every tractor is built this way. At least everyone I've looked at. The only exception was 1 class 8 straight truck that later had a fifth wheel put on it. And surprise surprise, the frame was twisted from catching the trailer.

 

Hey whatever works for you.I've always used a fifth wheel puller and never had any problems.I just prefer that way.

 

I agree completely. Just wanted to throw that curve ball at ya. You did say touch and i guess i just felt like screwing with ya over it.

Another reason not to let the frame real touch a trailer. Corrosion. You scrape that paint off it will start to rust. Makes me miss the days of aluminum frames. But they weren't really anybetter. They always disintegrated at the suspension mounts.

 

I used to think they were for "sissies" (as you joked before) until I got a brand new Cascadia at my last job that was spec'd with a fifth wheel which had a handle that basically could not be pulled by hand when you were hooked up. It required you to lift up before pulling, and my hand ran out of real estate under the trailer. It was a really bad design.

I even had to use a special technique with a puller, twisting the handle with the hook to lift it before pulling it toward me. Other drivers even called the shop wondering what was wrong with it, so I had to give them a tutorial on how to effectively release that fifth wheel. Luckily only two trucks had them. Crazy.

 

Bob, that's a common problem. And its not a bad design of a fifth wheel. Its ordering a truck with a fifth wheel designed for another application. Back under a tanker or flatbed instead of a box/reefer and you would have more than enough room to lift the handle.

 

Might be the yard dogs they don't care how they drop it too low too high no space to even get in to crank

 

That makes sense. Sure was a pain with that reefer, though.

 

I bet. A knuckle scraper for sure.

 

There is another reason why it is high. Air ride trailer, and the air has since dumped. That will lift the nose a little if one dropped it on the high side.

 

It's a combination of the two. At company prioperty it is the yard dogs mostly, That is where I messed up my shoulder.