How To Grease + Maintain The Fifth Wheel

How To Grease + Maintain The Fifth Wheel. In this video, Dave gives some basic instruction on greasing and maintaining the fifth wheel of your truck.
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[@SmartTrucking]

Hey there Big Strappers. So glad you took the time to take in today's upload. Do you tend to your fifth wheel as a company driver? Owner Operator? Love to hear from you.

[@Suddenly_Quinn]

Company driver for a 3 truck fleet. Looking to make the move to owner operator in the future. Try to grease and maintain things myself; I do my own oil changes and grease the whole truck. I might not own it but I treat it like I do

[@r0498]

Werner driver. They pay for the grease so I'll happily put it on the 5th wheel. Being on a dedicated account where we switch trailers constantly, I go through a lot of grease.

[@ThatOddGarage]

I love that you still give us tips and tricks regardless if you're out on the road full time. It's very refreshing and really shows that you care about all of us drivers.

[@tsumacity]

Mechanic here. If you've only got 23 seconds before you hook up, you can hold the grease tube vertically, take both ends off the tube and smash it down on the 5th wheel. It will leave a "Hershey's kiss" of grease. Continue to smash until you're done. Very fast. You also only really need to apply to the lower half the plate. The trailer will smear it up onto the top half. Keep the videos coming. Love em.

[@oldschoolnewschool6270]

I am glad you mentioned about excess grease in the jaws, I have seen many drivers try to hook a trlr in the winter and have a hard time because of excess grease. It is the little things that make or break anyone.

[@SoCal780]

You’re absolutely correct, Dave, greasing the fifth wheel is extremely important. Being that I drop and hook to a different trailer every day, I grease mine quite often because it needs it. I’ve been told that it helps to ease the wear on your steer tires as well as what you said about binding. That story you told was a great one. How foolish to make the SAME MISTAKE twice! Some ppl just do not learn.

[@OPB3031]

Dave thank you for everything you do. Ive been OTR with Schneider for just over a year now and if it wasn't for your knowledge in these videos I would have parked it a long time ago. I hope you have more livestreams coming up soon I love tuning in on those. Stay safe out there.

[@SAPPY4HAPPY1]

I always found it funny to watch someone who just greased their fifth wheel scrape all the new grease off on the front edge of the trailer because the driver was too lazy or inept to drop the bags before backing under the trailer. Or cranking the trailer up a turn.

[@johntaylor7256]

I always used an open tube with a paint stirring stick and put a thin layer on the plate then sprayed it with WD40 or something of the sort because I found it helped keep the grease looser for longer to keep from having issues

[@DJPereira2012]

I use bucket of red high temp grease and a paint brush. That's been working great.

[@WmJFaust]

As a brand new driver, I love these videos. I learned a lot of wisdom and gained critical experienced-based insights from this channel.

[@Moondoggy1970]

Outstanding knowledge passed down from an Old School trucker to a rookie like myself.I just passed my CDL test today & got my class A license today.I will make sure my 5th wheel skid plate is always on point well greased 👍🏽😎.

[@SoCal780]

Congratulations! I’ve been driving for 28 years now and I learned a LOT along the way from old timers like Dave in addition to what I learned from my own driving experience. Listen to them, they won’t steer you wrong. I’m sure glad that I did, and I STILL DO. The learning never stops. Good luck! 👍

[@RhBKeith]

Excellent advice! Regular greasing of suspension or steering fittings can help by being an early warning sign of trouble: if you grease often and all of a sudden the fitting won’t take grease, it’s a warning sign that could mean a pin is broken or something worn and moved.

[@MockOverdrive]

Just swapped out a Jost high rise with a low rise. Was in a hurry, took 2 tubes of CAT grease, opened both ends, put my mouth on one end, and blew out the grease instantly, then leveled with piece of wood. 😅 The look on my fathers face was priceless 🤣 he said "I never seen THAT before!"

[@peterpower0495]

I'm a company driver for the farm I work for but I try to stay up on greasing the fifth wheel especially cause I do a lot of drop and hooks. I didn't use to grease it but one time while I was driving making a turn I heard some nasty noises coming from the plate. From then on I lay some fresh grease on it a few time's a week. Before I back under a trailer I jump out and check it. Even though I'm paid hourly, I'm trying to be more like an O/O and decrease the down time from break downs. I hate having to sit and wait for a service truck to come out when I know I could've fixed it myself and been back on the road sooner.

[@Brett235]

This is a pet peeve of mine. A dry fifth wheel is hard on your front end components as well. We had a driver come in one afternoon and I just happened to be at the shop. He told my boss that it sounds like his rear end was going out, so he unhooked from the trailer and they went on a test drive and the noise stopped. They hooked back to the trailer and went again and it made the noise. The boss told him that it must be in the trailer so unhook and get another trailer. I walked over and took one look at the fifth wheel, got my boss and showed him how dry and shiny it was. They greased it and hooked the trailer back up. Went on a test drive and the noise stopped. Dry fifth wheels cause a lot of different things to happen.

[@Capitanvolume]

Greasing is the most important thing to do. I'm a licensed mechanic and drove for many years. When I ran a trucking company we greased the trucks weekly, did inspections and cleaned the trucks. Other drivers would be jealous that our company always had new equipment. Joke was on them, our newest truck was 19 years old! We had nearly all original components on the truck

[@johnmaines2288]

I won't lie. U mention not to use the cheap stuff and I agree 100%. But I've had wonderful luck with walmarts super tech oil brand when doing oil changes. Has a few more dinosaurs in em haha. I also sometimes use the tractor supply brand as well.

[@matthew6202]

The guy in your story needs a slick plate lol. Thank you for your informative video, I have been lubing the springs and components as well with a grease spray wasn’t sure if that was good to do but you confirmed I have been doing the right thing! I can’t find any grease zerks for my bushings though, they are getting replaced tomorrow anyways so I will check then.

[@chriswilley88]

Thanks for making this video, as a new driver I’d like to learn more basic maintenance I can do myself

[@BradWeber82]

Again another great video Dave. Thanks for the info. Also love the story time clip. Take care!

[@kevinbreckenridge6729]

I like bulk grease and a big putty knife. Save the good grease for important things.

[@TwiztedDTrucker]

Your a life saver and natural behind the camera

[@maxpuppy96]

Excellent video, I grease a fifth wheel the way you do I use to grease the whole thing and got tired of cleaning brand grease of my deck plate.

[@Jason-Hicks]

The carrier I work for uses slick pads on our tankers because we rarely unhook our tractors, but I still like dropping my trailer periodically and checking the bushing in the jaw of the 5th wheel and the face of it as well. Stay safe drivers and keep the rubber facing down.

[@timothydrumm5690]

DAVE, you're the very BEST...keep going strong!

[@Thattruckerkid]

Awesome video man some great advice in this one. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@JohnNorris411]

I maintain everything well. But my big ocd thing are crystal clear windows and mirrors. I love me clean glass, then I head out, get 2 miles up the road and splat, a giant f**king bug in the center of my line of site, Drives me nuts.

[@DJPereira2012]

More maintsince tips is good. Greasing the other parts of the truck are critical too.

[@AGreedyTree]

If a trailer was dropped with the landing gear too high, I use it as an opportunity to grease the fifth wheel. I back under the trailer until the king pin is a foot from the locking jaws then lower the trailer down onto the fifth wheel before coupling. That way the grease doesn't get pushed off.

[@ronaldhopper7820]

Great tips and great story !!!👍🏻👍🏻

[@clydeacor1911]

I like using Lucas 5th wheel lube, it costs 25% as much as grease and lasts 2 to 3 times longer. I also never lube my 5th wheel slide because grease and other oils attracts dirt which really jamms things up when you're needing them to move. As long as you don't let rust freeze them up it'll always move, usually use a dry silicone lubricant on them.

[@billlowe6883]

Always good straight up demonstration of proper maintenance.

[@lilmike2710]

Gotta make sure those pins can go in and oot. 😜 🇨🇦 ❤️

[@georgewilson1184]

Thanks Dave I learned something new you illustrated that there is a grease zerke underneath at the pivot point by the fifth wheel legs that’s good Dave but I know drivers & grease jockeys that think they are bakers decorating a cake

[@chrisborey1734]

Great information. Thank You for all your knowledge.

[@6582rg]

Excellent advice and demonstration.

[@leehuff2330]

I get laughed at all the time for it, but I lube mine before each trailer. I carry a tub of grease and a putty knife. I put a couple small dabs on each side of the bottom, followed by a light drizzle of 85w-140 gear oil. Additionally, I usually put about 4 little dabs of grease under the nose of my trailers (I usually pull double pups, so I grease my dolly just like my tractor). I've found that when I hook up, the grease under the nose or the trailer gets pushed back onto the plates instead of getting scraped off. As far as oiling the pivot points goes, I also hit the release linkage.

[@scottberry5266]

I put the Teflon slip plates on the fifth wheel, now I just put a little slick soap or what ever I have on it. Works great and done with all the mess.

[@russellsimmons8284]

I always get something good from your videos. Love the channel. Keep trucking!

[@Capitanvolume]

Pro tip. if you are hauling the same trailer all time I recommend cleaning all the grease off and using a Teflon lube plate. they last about 50000km and save the coupling. they also keep everything clean and there's no grease dripping on the axle.

[@dantelarrero3096]

Especially when there are slick roads. 👍

[@Mark.is.watching]

I have recently started using the Schaefer's 5th wheel lube and I gotta say, best lube I've used and I can honestly tell bc the trailer doesn't drive me as much as the shell, Lucas, or the wolfs head. It's an aerosol which is odd but my Mack just takes to it like a fish to water. This video should be shown to every driver starting with a company or a school. I'm an o/o now and the amount of guys ignoring their 5th and having to rebuild is shocking.

[@SoCal780]

Tell me about it! My truck has 2.5 million miles on it now with the original fifth wheel. I see dry fifth wheels all the time in our yard, I just don’t get it. They will though…

[@bierutki]

It’s interesting that I still came to watch this video even though my truck has a greaseless fifth wheel.

[@cybersoil100]

Dave, what lubricant did you use from the spray bottle? I'm new to trucking and don't know if it was something like WD-40 or silicone spray or something else. Thanks.

[@aaronlopez8237]

Very nice.

[@carlosaguirre1313]

My Friend Good afternoon Thanks for teach us how to take carre of this important componenent. BEST REGARDS 12 August 2022

[@jeffreyhernandez9768]

Love this channel

[@lavernseegert2719]

OMG yes at least every week

[@nickdonalds0546]

RIP Dave

[@harryknutts8428]

Do you have any particular type of grease that you recommend because there’s lots of different types of Greece grease

[@djhoftender5916]

The videos are great i love all the information but im always wondering if he has another truck that he uses or if he still drives

[@hudson8865]

Thank you very much.

[@ThatDrillmanYT]

Love your videos. Thank you sir

[@OpeoAslam]

I wish my fifth wheel came with greaseable bracket pins because mine have been seized for years now. A trailer can still make it pivot, even an empty one, but I can’t help but think that it can’t freely move could be an issue.

[@sheldonjanzen3483]

I just take the tube of grease, pop the cap and squeeze it right onto the 5th wheel like a toothpaste tube. You just use the end of the tube like a scraper and smear it along the grooves and over the flat spots. Takes less than 2 minutes.

[@grantlocknessmonstersess4081]

We got some free samples of them but they make these little grease packets that are completely encased in a wax coating and they are messed free and you pull it out of the box and set it on your plate and it does it’s thing. Obviously paying more for the convenience but I thought they were cool

[@alenagoddess2400]

Make sure you don't get your hair near the grease especially when hooking doubles it can ruin a good hair day!

[@RavenBlaze]

Informative

[@jackgill9662]

You need to try that green apple grease.

[@teamdada2194]

You dont grease only in the crevices? Just all over? Did you inform to let out the air before backing up to not smear the front of the trailer? Been watching for 5 yrs now so comment lightly. Thank you

[@jeffreymoore7729]

Haaa i worked for a scrap metal company (heavy freight) the #2boss in charge broke the king pin off the trailer, pulling into the scrap yard .. too fast😜😆 funny Schitze'

[@kennynance7024]

Whats your take on the 5th wheel wear pads. I started running one and it seems to be doing good sofar. I do grease my jaws but the plate i do not with the poly pad on it. Love the content, come on

[@Brett235]

We put those poly pads on our fifth wheels and they did good for a while but now they have started to come apart. I took mine off and went back to greasing it. We had the bolt on poly plates from Freightliner and Peterbilt.

[@NorthEastOhio]

Would once a month b ok to pull the tractor from the trailer? Our dump trailer stays on our western star basically all year

[@joelabraham1263]

Can we use wd 40 to lubricant the jaws and the pins?

[@thchighflyerz]

Is there a general rpm range to shift 13 speeds

[@Lostcause1974]

We use these International 5th wheels that don't hook when backing into a kingpin. We have to back to the kingpin, then manually release the 5th wheel release arm. Any ideas on why this issue happens and how to fix it?

[@genek6056]

BBBY stock will go to $19 next week. Semper Fi

[@jesse75]

Can the plate on a fifth wheel eventually get thin and wear a hole in it ?

[@ralphmartinez9768]

I get to cheat with my lowboy when I break it apart. The neck sits about a couple inches above the fifth wheel and that’s when I’ll shoot grease in their so when I hook up it sits flat on top of the fifth and doesn’t push out the grease.

[@behroozkhaleghirad]

Main question is that how often should OTR O/O who never needs to decouple trailer from tractor should detach them and grease the 5th wheel?

[@Brett235]

Once a week. Go to just about any truck stop and get those small bags of grease. While the trailer is empty dolly it down and drop your airbags on the suspension leaving a gap between your fifth wheel and the kingpin plate on the trailer. Put a bag of grease on each side and air your suspension back up. That will bust the little bags of grease and now you have a greased fifth wheel.

[@billsmith8739]

Have you seen the ware pads that you can use that bolt to the fifth wheel?

[@Brett235]

We installed those about a year ago and now they're coming apart. Some of the drivers have to drop and hook twice a day and those loaded flatbeds loaded with treated lumber are heavy, I'm guessing that's why they started breaking.

[@worthyrobinson]

I was checking my truck one time when I was at the dock my driver trainer cussed me out and said it's bad luck LOL

[@questkiddy1]

had a dot cop write up a leaking hub seal on my axle just case their was grease from my recently lubricated 5th wheel that fell on the wheel

[@Ricardo_C]

Currently 5 degrees in Denver and trying to grease is impossible.

[@gearhead2322]

There's got to be a better solution without having to deal with bucket and a grease gun. :)

[@Popwarner-x1w]

You know when it's low on grease when you have a hard time streering the Damn thing

[@Dr_Nick_]

A lot of modern trucks have automatic 5th wheel greasers.

[@danielnargiso2614]

Battery operated grease gun is alot faster ,& also I use green machine synthetic grease

[@someperson7]

I always kept the fifth wheel greased but I didn't know it could have such a serious consequence. I just did because you were supposed to. Kinda feel like I dodged a bullet now.

[@dougsmith7031]

Learn about Schaeffer's 5th wheel lube in a spray can.

[@mikyahalbena-yasharal3387]

I was told, “You only have to lube 5th wheels, IF THEY are all metal;” if they had that rubber buffer, on top, you don’t have to put lube on it.” What say you? I’m not talking about the lube points, jaws, etc. Just the plate.

[@Acordionista509]

If I had my own truck i would take the time to take the old grease off, but the company I drive for is super cheap and doesn't care about the drivers whatsoever so I just put the new grease on top of the old grease

[@clydeacor1911]

You do know your comment on your thoughts are probably the same that your company has on you. You say they're cheap and don't care about the driver's, have you stopped to think why the company acts that way? Maybe it's because they think that their driver's don't care or take the time to properly care for the equipment that their given. It's that level of thinking on both sides that makes it bad for both parties. I myself don't care what the company does or thinks about me, I care what I think about myself and that's why no matter who I'm working for if I'm charged with a piece of equipment I always treat it as if it's my own, every employer that I've ever worked for has come up to me and said how impressed they were with me and how rare it is to have someone do what needs done without having to ask and every time that it's happened it came with a very substantial bonus and I do it because that's who I am and not for the bonus.

[@TwoScoopsRB]

Teflon fifth wheel pads …. Cleaner ….drier

[@OperatorPuski]

Trailers run $200k these days? 🤔 I guess if you deck one out with a fancy conestoga and sliding tandems, dump valves, scales, lift axles, aluminum here, stainless steel there it can add up fast

[@johndyck985]

Or... put a teflon plate on and get rid of that mess. I always hated having a greased fifth smell wheel. I have gone to teflon and never looked back.

[@kalvinlabuik3366]

No way will I neglect the fifth wheel now the way I grease it is squeeze out the tube at the heel of the fifth wheel on both sides smear it with the empty tube a bit the let the trailer do the rest of the spreading 👍

[@gearjammer5499]

WELL IT'S KIND OF A S***** BOSS TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I MEAN IS THERE NO REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE ON THESE TRUCKS EVERY OIL CHANGE AT A MINIMUM THEY SHOULD BE GREECE.

[@ericsoles1055]

If it a company truck and trailer I would believe that the company job when they do pm on trucks

[@johncothren6943]

Ultimately it's your responsibility, any mechanical failure resulting in personal or property damages will fall on the driver's shoulders.

[@apuertorican1773]

Anything regarding the truck is the drivers responsibility. If you’re a trucker you should know that.

[@terryanderson4366]

Sounds like the man not greasing fifth wheel of someone else's truck was not being monitored about routine maintained. Hope owner changed management skills. This is manegement issue. Watch dogs not paying attention can only blame themselves.

[@eddiemcfadden4386]

Fifth wheels most don't need to be greased

[@769270865]

Clean off old grease?! No thanks. I know it is a step if you want to properly do it but it just can get way too messy, I just squezz som grese on it if I see any bare metal part. I just let compnay do it every 3 month during BIT inspection

[@Brett235]

Don't be lazy. "Not my truck not my problem" isn't an excuse. That's YOUR rig that you drive every day so take care of it. Keeping the fifth wheel greased and clean is a sign of a professional and someone that takes pride in their job.