5th wheel locking jaws wouldn't close

Well you all can take this for what it is worth.
I have a 2012 Cascadia and have had this happen continually. Then on this past Thursday it happened again in white out conditions in Grand Rapids, MI. I tried lowering the trailer, raising the trailer to no avail it just wouldn't lock. Finally I had the yard jockey move the trailer for me to see if that would make a difference. After a couple of times of backing under, it finally locked. Did my tug test then went under to insure it was locked. The load was going to PA and during the trip I reset hours once and fueled once and during both times out of truck I did my walk around and physically checked my Fifth wheel to insure that trailer was secure.
During the last strech of the trip while getting off I-80 onto I-476 I noticed a little play in the trailer and the fifth wheel. Then again when paying toll in Allentown.
I pulled to the side to check it out and the 5th wheel locking mechanism was coming open. It was open about an inch or so. I tried several attempts at getting it to close but it wouldn't. I was only 2 miles from the reciever so I limped her into their lot and attemped to drop the trailer. The Fifth Wheel would not release. After an hour or so of several futile attempts at dropping this trailer with and without the help of several other drivers I called my Road Assist to let them know that there was a proplem with the Fifth Wheel. They sent out a guy from the local Freightliner dealer in Allentown and he messed with it for about an hour doing the same things I had already attempted.( remember I am only a driver and don't know anything)
Then what they finally had to do was torch the locking pin off the fifth wheel then I was able to pull out from under the trailer.
What I later found out and this is mainly why I am sharing this expierience with all of you. Especially the Frieghtliner guys, is that Frieghtliner has been installing poor quality fifthwheels on their trucks. The metal that they are made with is coming out of China and isn't rated for the loads that we have been hauling.
The shop foeman at the Frieghtliner dealer said that they had 27 calls for fifth wheel problems this last month.
Then when talking to my fleet manager she said that she has 16 of the frieghtliners in her fleet and that 9 of them are down right now because of the fifthwheel. That is including mine.
We have had several trailers dropped in yards and from what she said on the road also.
So please take this for what it is worth and be careful.

 

Thanks for the info. I too have a cascadia and have always had proplems. Everyone thinks I'm a good driver because I check so much just scared of drooping a trailer on the highway.

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Sometimes when a trailer is dropped on an uneven surface your fifth wheel and the upper plate are on intersecting planes and it won't allow the jaws to fall into battery because they can't go around the pin. So if you get under it at a slightly different angle or do like you did and raise or lower the trailer a bit then it will work. Usually nothing to worry about, just make sure you check it to make sure everything is locked up if it happens again.

 

when its cold,snowy etc guys get a can of panther piss to spray the grease,jaws etc with, it will soften the grease up and help free things up to avoid sticking.

 

I haven't run into the locking jaw not closing, but....

LOL... It seems that 8/10 loads that I pick up, the trailer is too high, and I have to fight lowering it. Most of the time I end up chasing down the yard jockey, and getting him to raise the trailer, so I can lower it. Turns a 10 minute job into a 30 minute job. Am I missing something, or is that the only way to lower a trailer when it won't move by hand.

 

Not sure if it's been mentioned but you can carry some short 2x4's or 2x6's and back up on to them. If you got air suspension dump the air before you back up then when stopped put the air back in. Dont back all the way under just enough to get the plate under the trailer. Raise the legs some then remove the wood and hook up.

 

It should lower in low gear. If not, they need written up. They probably lack maintenance and need greased in most cases. Depending on the company, some trailers dodge the bullet and don't see a shop for longer than normal. I always check inspection stickers and report them if need be.

Either your company has alot of inexperienced drivers dropping trailers wrong or many times empties go in one lot and full ones on a pad. The change in terrain is enough to change the trailer height.

 

If the locking jaw has a little bit of free play,when off a trailer. The spring that pops the locking jaw closed,is broken. The spring needs to be replaced,there,s no way around this. Always have hardwood blocks to put under drive wheels,for trailers that where dropped high,the heavy high dropped trailers, usually have the handle on the clamp stuck in high range.Backing under the blocks will take pressure off,the landing gear,so you can crank the trl down and get hooked up.

 

Exactly!
Funny how they build the fifth wheels to rely on that spring to keep the jaws shut.
My truck only had 90k on it when the spring broke. Cheap Chinese Parts!
Now i check the jaws and the spring all the time.