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SAIA | 2021 International Jost 5th Wheel

currious trucker

currious trucker

TB Lurker
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I've been using this new tractor and it has a dashboard button to unlock the 5th wheel. But I can't seem to figure out how to use it. Doesn't seem to be any instructions anywhere and nothing I've tried gets the "Jost" light to go red.

Anyone know the steps/sequence to make this work?
 
currious trucker said:
Thanks for the video link....... But the truck doesn't have the pull switch on the dash. It has a rocker type switch with a light on it and a separate jost box that indicates green/locked or red/unlocked.
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Usually have to have the parking brake set for it to release. Try that if you haven't yet.
 
My company has some Freightliners like that. Tractor brakes must be set and all the lines to the trailer disconnected before the wheel will unlock. Activate the switch, wait for the countdown, and I listen for the wheel to unlock
 
There garbage and there’s several issues occurring with this among others. I know that any amount of grease on the sensor will give false lock warnings randomly. The trucks themselves are a flop and have had leaking radiator fluid issues, underpowered ac units and other mechanical issues which has resulted in ours in the shops more than normal. If I would have have bought one of these, it would have got returned to the dealer.
 
I'm going to assume it's the same as the Freightliner and while I've driven a few of the newer freightliners equipo Des I have yet to get one to work consistently... On the front trailer.
Moving the rear trailer, or anything that you haven't been hooked to very long it seems to work just fine
 
Dracula said:
If I was still working, I wouldn't trust it. You've got to get out and lower the legs anyway and you're right there. Why get in the habit of unlocking the fifth wheel, from the cab? You get in a hurry, distracted, whatever,and drop that trailer. You know what will happen. Is it worth the risk?
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There isn't a risk if you follow a routine and don't deviate from it. Oh, another driver came to BS with you? Start the routine over. Oh, dispatch called to tell you you're going back out? Start the routine over.

Drop the landing gear. Remove air/electrical. Get in cab, release 5th wheel, drop bags, pull forward. Every time, save your upper body over the years of not yanking the release lever.
 
McUzi said:
There isn't a risk if you follow a routine and don't deviate from it. Oh, another driver came to BS with you? Start the routine over. Oh, dispatch called to tell you you're going back out? Start the routine over.

Drop the landing gear. Remove air/electrical. Get in cab, release 5th wheel, drop bags, pull forward. Every time, save your upper body over the years of not yanking the release lever.
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Agree with your staying focused routine because one thing happens to break that and your dropping a trailer or ripping airlines off but the new release levers are effortless if maintained properly and are far less work Pulling them than winding down these pos landing gears. I was very nervous seeing warnings all day that I wasn’t locked when I was. Now I wouldn’t mind seeing automatic landing legs instead.
 
RIPDavey28 said:
Agree with your staying focused routine because one thing happens to break that and your dropping a trailer or ripping airlines off but the new release levers are effortless if maintained properly and are far less work Pulling them than winding down these pos landing gears. I was very nervous seeing warnings all day that I wasn’t locked when I was. Now I wouldn’t mind seeing automatic landing legs instead.
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Sure, they may be effortless by your judgment, and even my own. But to that old hand that has a few more years left until hanging it up, maybe that stress on his arm/shoulder would be better off not having been endured.

Automatic landing legs I'm not really a fan of, I'd rather see drivers learn how to actually drop a trailer at the proper height.
 
McUzi said:
Sure, they may be effortless by your judgment, and even my own. But to that old hand that has a few more years left until hanging it up, maybe that stress on his arm/shoulder would be better off not having been endured.

Automatic landing legs I'm not really a fan of, I'd rather see drivers learn how to actually drop a trailer at the proper height.
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True but I stand by a release lever working properly is way easier than even moving a dolly even and yes it’s annoying when trls heights are high because you have over 3 manufacturers models with different heights.
 
RIPDavey28 said:
Agree with your staying focused routine because one thing happens to break that and your dropping a trailer or ripping airlines off but the new release levers are effortless if maintained properly and are far less work Pulling them than winding down these pos landing gears. I was very nervous seeing warnings all day that I wasn’t locked when I was. Now I wouldn’t mind seeing automatic landing legs instead.
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Used to have powered landing legs on UPS trailers years ago. Nice touch at the time.
 
Pyle has the remote unlock 5th wheels. Real nice in bad weather. Never did like reaching for the handle thru the slush and snow build up
 
xeastend said:
Pyle has the remote unlock 5th wheels. Real nice in bad weather. Never did like reaching for the handle thru the slush and snow build up
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Now if you would have said that you had to flip a jiff(or how ever the term goes) I would have been on board from what I’ve learned but still not enough to justify imo. I always had insulated rubber gloves.
 
RIPDavey28 said:
Now if you would have said that you had to flip a jiff(or how ever the term goes) I would have been on board from what I’ve learned but still not enough to justify imo. I always had insulated rubber gloves.
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The nice thing is that fifth wheels still have the manual release levers so that those who want to reach under still can and those who appreciate the new way of releasing can do it that way. Everybody's happy right? :smile new:
 
Drivers, just be thankful that you even have a release handle because back a 100 years ago , a certain ol timer(Seabreeze) on here never had this option when he started, he had to pry the locking bar open with a piece of rebar and place an ear of corn in there and slip out before it crushed. It was all about the timing. I would have never made it !
 
RIPDavey28 said:
Drivers, just be thankful that you even have a release handle because back a 100 years ago , a certain ol timer(Seabreeze) on here never had this option when he started, he had to pry the locking bar open with a piece of rebar and place an ear of corn in there and slip out before it crushed. It was all about the timing. I would have never made it !
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You're almost right, at one time we had Fontaine 5th wheels that required a 2ft rod to lift safety catch and pull the pin.
After about 2 months, all the pin pullers were gone and you laid on the frame to reach the handle.
About greasy as hooking a Jiff, that you younguns don't know about.
 
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