What am i doing wrong....5th wheel wont budge

Now THAT is a interesting problem.

Maybe toss your chains, tool box etc from your side box into the trailer doors.This is strictly a interesting post.... I don't know of anything of value of this posting....

TO CLARIFY, I am the one without value for this posting. I usually had weight issues in the back, never in the front. That must have some BIG dude... whew boy... oowie...

Thank you as always Mr Lepton, your posts have value here.

 

Ever looked closely at the pins?
Usually full of old grease and road grime.
Whenever I get a new issue truck,always move it forward all the way to increase fuel mileage and make weighing easier.
Front axle is nearly always under weight..unless your Fat Albert.

 

Sure, that works too. I just don't like to trust the weight of a loaded trailer on landing gear resting on asphalt or concrete that is questionable.

I spent 30 minutes cranking up a heavily loaded trailer at the South Dallas TA when I did a drop and hook there and the landing gear of the trailer I picked up punched through the asphalt. I barely could get under it even at full extension of the landing gear.

After that episode, I really do not like dropping loaded trailers onto landing gear and getting out from underneath it unless I am at a shipper, receiver, or terminal that I can count on having good quality surfaces, or if I absolutely have to drop on an unknown surface.

 

I had a T680 that had a weak air cylinder. You had to tap the end of the linkage with a hammer. I sprayed all the linkage with various penetrating lubes, soapy water etc, nothing helped. It wouldn't retract the pins all the way out of the holes or slide them back in the 1st part of the way...once you got the linkage past 1/3 of the way(from the fully retracted position) then it worked fine.

 

Everyone is overlooking another problem. What if the company welded a fifth wheel slide stop at that point and it can't go any further.

My previous company did that.

 

Put three 2x4's 14 inches long under each landing gear, that will prevent it from sinking in.

 

Good idea, but if I carry a solution for every possible scenario on my truck, my truck will start to look like my garage. I just stay under my load unless I absolutely have to disengage.

 

Get an air hammer for the pins. I've also seen frame rust between the frame and 5th wheel mount so bad the rust pushed the 5th wheel up and warped the whole thing and pinched it in the slides. Had to throw the whole thing away and start over.