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Thread: Fifth wheel greasing frequency?

  1. #1
    Rawlco is offline Senior Board Member Rawlco is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Default Fifth wheel greasing frequency?

    How often should I grease my fifth wheel? I have just started doing a drop and hook twice per day on average. So that is ten different trailers per week.

    When I was keeping the same trailer for several weeks I would grease it every week or two. How often do you grease yours and what do you use for grease?

    Thanks.

    Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.
    --------------------------------------------
    The Road goes ever on and on
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    Now far ahead the Road has gone,
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    And whither then? I cannot say.

    -- J R R Tolkien

  2. #2
    Roadhog's Avatar
    Roadhog is offline Board Icon Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning. Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning. Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning.
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    I don't know about any said schedule on greasing. I generally run the same trailer, so I will often look at my plate, at least every 2nd 34 hour reset. Lots of the docks will ask for a dolly-down/disconnect to unload. (reefer) That is a great time for me to see how I'm looking. Another good time for me is when I do switch to another trailer, or do my Tractor PM. I always have them grease the 5th wheel.

    Grease is cheap. I keep a grease gun, and like to grease my trailer, when I adjust my brakes. I don't like to adjust my brakes by the self-adjusters. I usually get a trailer where that works just so-so. I can tell they are bad, when I try to set my tandems. I've been caught having to adjust my brakes in sub-zero temps, in the middle of the night...so I got in the habit of doing this on a regular basis, when I am in a good spot...like just unloaded at a dock, on a sunny day. That's when I will run my tandems all the way up and back several times...to clean the tracks.

    I'll notice bad performance with a dry 5th. Once you feel the difference, you kinda know. It is a good idea every so often to clean off the old grease...especially out of those grooves. They get filled up with dirt, and crap. That is what they are for. To spare the surfaces from rust, stones, dirt, etc. If you run a lot of dirt roads...you should clean and regrease more often.

    A dry 5th will put more wear on your tractor tires. You can notice the trailer acting stiff. It will also wear the suspension more, and the bushings and bearings.

    BTW Rawlco...congrats on your TMC Dedicated to the Home Depot dist center in Norwood MA. sweet!


  3. #3
    Phreddo is offline Board Regular Phreddo is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Default

    that's funny, i would usually scrape the stuff off the edges and reapply it to the end of the plate for reuse :P

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phreddo
    that's funny, i would usually scrape the stuff off the edges and reapply it to the end of the plate for reuse :P
    You're also applying all the dirt it has collected.

  5. #5
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    wimpy is offline Board Regular wimpy is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    A big loogy after drinking a Sunkist Orange soda works pretty good too!!
    I'll gladly pay u tuesday for a hamburger today.

  6. #6
    FlaCrakr is offline Rookie FlaCrakr is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Has anyone tried those velcro grease packets that you put on the 5th wheel plate and get squiched when you couple?

  7. #7
    BigWheels is offline Senior Board Member BigWheels is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Quote Originally Posted by FlaCrakr
    Has anyone tried those velcro grease packets that you put on the 5th wheel plate and get squiched when you couple?
    Yeah...I love how the spent package slides right off the 5th wheel. :shock:

    Actually, don't know about the velcro type :!: . I've used the plastic grease packets.

    At any rate, environmentalists love 'em.
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  8. #8
    Phreddo is offline Board Regular Phreddo is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rev.Vassago
    Quote Originally Posted by Phreddo
    that's funny, i would usually scrape the stuff off the edges and reapply it to the end of the plate for reuse :P
    You're also applying all the dirt it has collected.
    figure it's a choice between a little more dirt, or bare metal?

  9. #9
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    Roadhog is offline Board Icon Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning. Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning. Roadhog is a trusted source of information and would probably pick up your dry cleaning.
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    Quote Originally Posted by FlaCrakr
    Has anyone tried those velcro grease packets that you put on the 5th wheel plate and get squiched when you couple?
    I never used them. I like my grease gun best.
    But if I were to apply the packet, I'd set my plate the same way, as I normally do.

    When I'm greasing, I dolly down, until I hear my air bags, disconnect the air lines, then I release the kingpin, dump the tractor air, and just start to pull away releasing the kingpin. I stop before the plate comes away from the trailer. I dolly up/down just enough to keep a slight clearance between the trailer deck, and the 5th wheel plate...but still low enough for the kingpin to engage, and not walk over the top of the plate.

    That way, when I grease... I can ease the 5th wheel plate back under, leaving all the grease where I want it, and not scrape most of it off on the front edge of the trailer deck.

    You can use less grease, and not have a gobbed up mess dripping from the front edge of the trailer deck....or spread out on the trailer deck ahead of the plate.

    If I am hooking up to a new trailer, and want to grease... I'll hook up first, make my adjustments, then pull away, as I described to grease. When you set yourself up like this...it really doesn't take much time, and you get lined up, for a simple reconnect, and keep your grease where you want it.


  10. #10
    FlaCrakr is offline Rookie FlaCrakr is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Thanks for the tip, Roadhog.

  11. #11
    Phreddo is offline Board Regular Phreddo is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    2 things tho
    1, airbag dump isn't standard on all tractors
    2, when you dump the air, pay attention to your 5th wheel. sometimes it stays flat and can bang into the next trailer you try to hook if you don't tip it up.

  12. #12
    bigtimba is offline Board Regular bigtimba is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Every 30 - 35,000 miles, whether it needs it or not.
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  13. #13
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    Kurbski is offline Board Regular Kurbski is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Anybody using the teflon 5th wheel disc ? We have one on a daycab that pulls a 6k tanker trailer. Nothing like advice from the pro's on CAD. KW offers some info here on maintenance and inspections if your interested... http://www.kenworth.com/5100_tips_vi...0111272004.asp

  14. #14
    Rawlco is offline Senior Board Member Rawlco is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurbski
    Anybody using the teflon 5th wheel disc ? We have one on a daycab that pulls a 6k tanker trailer. Nothing like advice from the pro's on CAD. KW offers some info here on maintenance and inspections if your interested... http://www.kenworth.com/5100_tips_vi...0111272004.asp
    I did come accross an old post somewhere about the fact that greasing the teflon fifth wheels voids the warranty. So if you ever hook to to trailer that has been greased the little bits of dirt in the grease will chew up the teflon and it will need to be replaced.

    Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.
    --------------------------------------------
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    Now far ahead the Road has gone,
    And I must follow, if I can,
    Pursuing it with eager feet,
    Until it joins some larger way
    Where many paths and errands meet.
    And whither then? I cannot say.

    -- J R R Tolkien

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    Kurbski is offline Board Regular Kurbski is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    Appreciate the info. I did ask about that vary fact when the maint shop greased it anyway? Didn't know it voided the warranty..but asked why we bought it if we are going to grease it? According to some were just a bunch of "dumb ole fireman". LOL

    Hey.I went to Portland HS and lived in Bridgeton btw. My dad use to take me to oxford plains and beech ridge speedways and I had the bug real bad for years. 8)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurbski
    Appreciate the info. I did ask about that vary fact when the maint shop greased it anyway? Didn't know it voided the warranty..but asked why we bought it if we are going to grease it? According to some were just a bunch of "dumb ole fireman". LOL

    Hey.I went to Portland HS and lived in Bridgeton btw. My dad use to take me to oxford plains and beech ridge speedways and I had the bug real bad for years. 8)
    OPS makes for a good night, Specially spectator drag and other "odd" races.

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  17. #17
    Hwyfly is offline Member Hwyfly is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    We use Multi-Purpose Extreme Pressure Wheel Bearing Grease. Chassis Grease from Napa Auto Parts. 75-600 Works great!
    Hwyfly
    --------

  18. #18
    chubyboy is offline Member chubyboy is an unknown poster at this point.  Don't let him/her around power tools just yet.
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    i grease mine whenever i begin to see bare metal...



    on a side note, wasnt there also like a carbon-graphite no-lube 5th wheel?

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