Greasing the fifth wheel
 

What is the use of greasing the fifth wheel so much if while coupling half of the goo gets scraped off by the trailer's edge, and the other half gets smeared all over the bottom of the trailer before the fifth wheel locking into the kingpin?

I poured a pound of grease on the fifth wheel plate, and after carefully backing and coupling, I checked the bottom of the trailer, there was grease everywhere except between the fifth wheel and the trailer.

You are probably putting too much grease on the 5th wheel. Try using less grease. Stay away from the front edge, the trailer will even the grease out when you couple up.

Easy fix - raise your trailer up a little higher (or dump your air bags), so you have a little bit of space between the 5th wheel and the kingpin plate. Back up under the trailer until you are just about to engage the kingpin, and lower the trailer (or inflate the air bags). Then all that magical grease gets where it needs to be.

You gotta remember something else. All them grease zirks at the pivot points are there for a reason.

Don't use as much grease, but grease often! I do it once a week in winter. Ever wonder why in summer grease lasts so long? I've never understood that!

I use Lucas fifth wheel lube. Its a tacky, grease based thick liquid in a squeeze bottle. Just squirt it in a 'z' patern up and down the wheel on both sides then let the trailer smear it around when you drive. You have to warm it up in the winter before you squirt it or its hard to get it squeezed from the bottle. I can lube my wheel about 6 or 8 times with one bottle.

I don't use any greae, I only pull one trailer and I have a plastic 5th wheel plate.

Thank you
 

Thank all of you for your prompt answers. I'll use less grease. And especially to Rev.Vassago - - raising the trailer a little and backing keeps the grease where it belongs.

I think all truckers concerned with this issue should do the same.

Re: Thank you
 

It's also kinder to your airbags. I always dump my airbags when hooking and unhooking from a trailer.