What Happens If You Don't Grease Your Fifth Wheel

Ensuring that the fifth wheel plate is properly greased is common sense for many freight drivers, but the exact frequency of greasing and the amount of lubricant required at any one time may not be as clear as it should be, and LUEN has found that some drivers are accustomed to meticulously cleaning and lubricating their fifth wheels between loads, while others follow an annual overhaul schedule and only lubricate the part a few times a year. Given that each driver's schedule is different and changes frequently from week to week, the timing of lubrication operations varies, which can lead to improper lubrication.

When a tractor's fifth wheel is not properly lubricated, it can lead to a cascade of problems. Inadequate or excessive lubrication of the fifth wheel can weaken its performance and lead to a number of potential problems.

Consequences of improper greasing

Handling challenges:

The most intuitive consequence is in the handling, particularly in the steering. This can be manifested by abnormal steering feedback, such as feeling the tyres drift, slow steering response, oversteer and even difficulty in righting the vehicle after a turn. These conditions often prompt the driver to take the vehicle to a service station for a series of expensive checks that may ultimately reveal no substantial fault.

Increased wear and cost escalation:

Improper lubrication can also increase friction between vehicle components, accelerating wear on the contact surfaces of the trailer pinion and the drawbar locking mechanism, shortening the overall life of the vehicle and driving up future maintenance costs.

Cold weather woes:

Severe cold weather poses an additional challenge to inadequately lubricated fifth wheel plates. Conventional grease performance is limited below 10°F, and unless specially formulated, high-performance, low-temperature grease is used, it can cause the grease to solidify, affecting the smooth operation of the top plate, especially if it is over-lubricated.

Environmental and regulatory pressures:

Excessive lubrication can also cause environmental pollution, especially when grease drips onto the ground or bodywork. In many areas of the U.S., this is not only a waste of resources, but you can also face hefty fines.

How often should you grease your fifth wheel?

In response to these issues, lubricating the fifth wheel plate properly has become a critical part of the transport industry. For drivers who change trailers frequently, LUEN recommends lubrication checks and replenishment every time they connect.

In addition, adopting an automatic lubrication system is an efficient solution, which can automatically release the right amount of grease according to the vehicle's operating conditions, which not only saves the driver's time and energy, but also ensures the continuity and uniformity of lubrication, effectively avoiding the problem of omission and excess that may occur in manual lubrication.