5th wheel
Posted by legollama88@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 16 comments
is my trailer too far from my tractor how do i know and should it be closer or farther i have never adjusted it i only really need to adjust my tandems if anything
xxenoscionxx@reddit
I put mine in the 4th and 5th pin , starting from closest to the cab being 1 . That seemed to be the sweet spot with regard to making sure my drives were legal based off of my air bags psi gauge. ( 60 or less PSI ) and not to close that I could smush my aero if I turned to sharply.
scottiethegoonie@reddit
Keep it in the middle.
18WheelerHustle@reddit
If you don't absolutely need to slide it don't slide it - they are usually rusted to hell and you might have problems where it doesn't lock in place - if you do it at least do it when its convenient for a breakdown
afpup@reddit
Or maybe regularly slide your fifth wheel so it's not rusted to shit, and it just works well.
I switch regularly between RGNs, Step decks, hydraulic platforms, schnabelds, and perimeters. Then mix in various jeeps and boosters, you end up sliding the fifth wheel almost every other load.
Keep it lubed up, work the locks regularly, and she'll slide without issue.
elernius@reddit
I have never been able to slide a 5th wheel without having exactly this problem. I wouldn't bother with it unless there's no other way to get the axle weights at least close to legal. Even if one of the axles is a few hundred pounds over, I would just leave it.
Piledriver-34@reddit
Older guys have told me that if you keep the 5th wheel towards the back of the frame for too long, it can cause stress to the drive line or even cause you to lose some power uphill. Not sure how true that is. I keep mine in the middle because I don't have to worry about the weight on the drive axles with my job.
Getz3m@reddit
Set it to the middle and forget it. Drove with swift for a year least month. Never had an issue with any load I pulled.
clapped-out-cammy@reddit
Next time you are loaded to 80k, scale your truck. Look at what steering tires you run and then slide your 5th wheel depending on your weight. I got my steers weight set at 13,000 when fully loaded on drives. But I also run Michelin tyres.
Troubador222@reddit
They put a big deer guard on my truck and I have to keep my fifth wheel way back to stay under my axle rating on my steers.
clapped-out-cammy@reddit
Bout to buy me one as well so I'm gonna have to slide my 5th wheel back a bit.
12InchPickle@reddit
Go get weighted. Do you have to adjust?
aboywithhorns@reddit
I always set mine to when I’m close to 80000 lbs and as close to 34k on my drives to be at about 11800. Plenty of states allow for more than 12k on steers but this just keeps it simple. Once fifth wheel is set for that you should never have to move it again. I found keeping it this way results in fewer reworks necessary from vendor loads (Walmart Private Fleet driver here 😄).
ZipTieTechnicianOne@reddit
Adjusting it is easy enough. Lower the landing gear, drop your suspension, press the button that has a fifth wheel sliding emblem, drive forwards or backwards. As for location it depends on weight, but generally further back gives you a smoother ride. Refer to your scale ticket to adjust accordingly.
boibetterstop@reddit
Are you saying back as in towards the trailer or the truck?
ZipTieTechnicianOne@reddit
Towards the trailer. It’s all a teeter totter. 99 times out of 100 it’s set and forget. Only messing with it when moving the tandems still leaves you short a few hundred pounds.
boibetterstop@reddit
Gotcha