Hi all,
Didn’t know if to post this in the new drivers section or what. Anyway I was looking at a vehicle check sheet and it had a check for “Sliding Fifth Wheel - Working Yes/No”
How would I know (as a new driver) if the fifth wheel slider was working? I was never shown anything about moving the fifth wheel. Also what should I be looking out for in case I need to move it when I next get sent out?
Thanks.
You can only check if it’s working by using it. Normally it’s sufficient to ensure the safety clip is engaged.
To use it, you would put the trailer brakes on with the unit fully coupled to the trailer, release the safety clip, pull the lever in the same way that you pull the fifth wheel locking bar (but while that is still engaged) and then move the tractor unit forwards or backwards the increase or decrease the length. Then put the bar back into position and attach the safety clip.
That’s great Harry, thanks.
So is their anything particular to look for to know that the fifth wheel would definitely need moving?
I’m just thinking along the lines I wouldn’t like it to be set to couple close and me not realise and then hook up to a fridge and bang the flaming thing.
MrMartyn1984:
That’s great Harry, thanks.So is their anything particular to look for to know that the fifth wheel would definitely need moving?
I’m just thinking along the lines I wouldn’t like it to be set to couple close and me not realise and then hook up to a fridge and bang the flaming thing.
Most firms use the same trailers with the same position pins etc.
When I was on for Roadways on containers, they had 20’ skelly’s that you needed to slide the 5th wheel back for, otherwise the legs went through the lights 
, also had to drop it back for 45’ containers otherwise they would be on your bedding - no oops there, I didn’t make that mistake, but know a man who did.
You couldn’t leave it back there though, because 40 container full of scrap metal or waste paper would put your drive axle overweight, you had to bring it forward to the correct position to balance the weight on the unit.
Archbold used to have a few deep kingpin trailers and a few normal, but I wasn’t arsed about the fuel there, so just left it as far back as required for the deep pin trailers.
They can’t come up with enough crap on these daily check sheets can they, you can’t know if its working or not unless you try to operate it.
Great if you’re hourly paid, if they come up with just a few more you’ll do the whole shift just ticking boxes and then bugger off home… 
To be fair thats most unusual, was it somewhere like Asda where the 5th wheel is on one of two fixed positions, a ‘drive’ position and a trailer drop/pickup and suzie conection position fully back…in Asda Bedford case (don’t know about other refridgerated depots, presumably similar) you slide the 5th wheel back and forwards every time you pick up or drop a trailer, but there is a combination of 3 switches need to be depressed inside for the slider to release, not a normal outside handle…an excellent system by the way.
In other cases you’ll be hammering and bashing away at it big time to shift the thing.
A tip when having to slide the 5th wheel:-
Connect up to trailer…if possible…bearing in mind that if the 5th wheel has been left too far forward then you could hit the back of the cab with the trailer (or hit the legs with the tractor rear lights) before locking the king pin, so when looking at a previously undriven tractor unit cast your eyes over the 5th wheel adjuster as part of your own peace of mind check, and keep it mind when you approach a dropped trailer…yep, something else to think of.
OK so assuming you have connected to trailer…do not connect the lines (well you can depending on room but make sure trailer brake is on) and leave the legs down…then the best way to shift the 5th wheel is to drop all the air out of the tractor rear suspension, thereby taking all weight off the 5th wheel, indeed will lift it slightly…you might feasably have to lower (i put raise previously idiot ) the trailer legs if its been dropped too low for this, trying to shift a rusted and rarely used sliding 5th wheel without taking the weight from it can be a dickens of a job, you’ll struggle to even pull the locking bar out in some cases.
This is one of those operations that you really are better off with a clutch, most of satans auto box clutches are like an on/off switch, and you really do need the weight off, otherwise once you try to slide it with the weight still on it will take so much torque to shift that when it does eventually move it will go straight to its stops, and moving it back the other way will do exactly the same.
First time you have to do this its best to get an old hand to give you some help, most of the larger RDC’s will have a trainer who should show you and you will most likely have covered this on induction, indeed they may have recommended running positions for the 5th wheel depending on which type of their regular trailers you have on…Argos do this for sure.
if the 5th wheel has been left too far forward to connect safely to the trailer you want, then simply slide under another trailer with a king pin set well forward to adjust the 5th wheel back to a suitable position.
You can shift them by hand, using scaffold bars as levers etc if need be, but you’ll be mincing about on the catwalk or balancing on the rear chassis to get some purchase, not only will you get covered in grease, you stand a good chance of getting hurt, and i doubt insurance would cover for such an act.
if only sliders where greased that would be great.
if theres no sign of grease dont even bother to try
Argos MP so many trailer lengths
but at least you can slide the sliders
no nowt about Asda or Tesco auto systems
MrMartyn1984:
So is their anything particular to look for to know that the fifth wheel would definitely need moving?
Yes, the rear lights of your tractor unit scattered on the ground in a few hundred pieces where they have hit the trailer landing legs.
Harry Monk:
MrMartyn1984:
So is their anything particular to look for to know that the fifth wheel would definitely need moving?Yes, the rear lights of your tractor unit scattered on the ground in a few hundred pieces where they have hit the trailer landing legs.
Or the large dent in the bag of the cab where Mr Thermo King tried to come through.
Top tip if the fifth wheel is too far forward to couple in the first place.
Rather than standing on the catwalk kicking it, until your foot aches and getting fifth wheel grease all over your boot. Connect one end of a ratchet strap to the fifth wheel and the other to the chassis crossmember at the back of the unit. Tighten the ratchet strap with the handle and there will almost always be enough mechanical advantage in the strap to shift even a quite stubborn sliding fifth wheel back to where you want it.
If the slider is very, very stuck and the strap handle won’t shift it on it’s own hook one end of the strap to the fifth wheel and another to a solid point on the traier, like a ferry lashing eye on the leg etc and then get in the unit and carefully drive forward. Be very careful to make sure the strap hook is properly attached to the fifth-wheel, as if not, and the hook comes loose it may well get caught and tear a load of air lines/wires etc. out.
One more point, you usually can couple without re-locking the slider, which means you can carry on reversing back until you have the gap you want between unit and trailer but, always have another reverse back after you’ve locked the slider to make sure the pin is all the way home in the jaws.
Also, another tip, usually the slider handle is quite hard to access and stiff, particularly if directly over a wheel top. Again, get a ratchet strap and hook it on the handle so you can get less grease on you and give it more of a pull as well.
You want a gap from about the tip of your fingers to your elbow between the legs and back of the unit. You can do it with less though but if your not sure hook it up and turn really slowly round to full lock. You’ll know if it won’t make it. 
If you’re ever about with the spray grease its worth putting a bit along the runners just in case you do need to move it.
i found it easier to slide,if there was little or no weight on the 5th wheel