Fiver Pin Separated From Hitch on Interstate
We're both OK, but we were really shaken when our fiver separated from the hitch at 65mph on I-64 near Williamsburg VA Thursday morning. We have more than enough to be thankful and grateful for this y...
Forum Discussion
JIMNLIN wrote:fj12ryder wrote:
If the jaws don't lock around the pin you can't pull the trailer, it just pulls out of the jaws.
If it was high hitched the jaws can still be closed and may even pass the tug test. Under the right conditions any conventional 5th wheel hitch can be hi pinned....even the OTR pro grade Fontaine or SAF Holland or the Holland Binkley.
With 3000-3500 lbs (pin flange) siting on top of the hitch jaws it may even make it down the road aways till the pin slide off the hitch jaws. Most of the time the pin slides off the jaws on the first turn or two.
The OP had quite a ride. Glad all of his are ok.
This I have seen happen on semi trailers on railroad cars, they simply sit on top of a railroad flat-car with rub rails between the inner wheels and a fifth wheel hitch affixed to the car to hold the king pin in place. If the crane operator is not skilled the king pin will high-hitch and appear to be locked when in fact it is not. We have seen these ride for hundreds of miles with a lot of jerking from slack action throughout the train and some make it to destination, some do not as they slip from the hitch and either collapse on the car or fall from the car and into the woods by the tracks or get struck by an opposing train.
I too always did a tug test and would also leave the jaws closed and back under the hitch and watch the handle articulate left and right indicating that the pin went through the hitch. After I would take a bright flashlight even in the daytime and inspect from the bottom to make sure the pin was actually locked in and not resting on top.
