King of the road
Fontaine Fifth Wheel is the recognized industry leader for on-highway applications. All of our products for the highway feature exclusive Fontaine No-Slack® technology that gives our customers significant performance advantages over the competition.
THE PROBLEM. As a truck travels down the highway there is friction between the kingpin on the trailer and the locking mechanism on the fifth wheel. This friction causes wear to occur both on the kingpin and on the lock. The wear causes shock inputs to the frame especially felt during braking and accelerating. This shock to the tractor chassis makes drivers uncomfortable and causes premature wear to components.
THE SOLUTION. Fontaine No-Slack® technology compensates for this wear automatically. Our customers really appreciate the performance advantages of this exclusive Fontaine system:
- The design automatically adjusts the lock to accommodate for kingpin and lock wear
- You can switch from trailer to trailer without making lock adjustments
- A properly adjusted lock reduces shock inputs to the frame when braking and accelerating
- Reducing shock improves driver comfort and extends the service life of components
- The locking trigger design helps minimize high-hitching to reduce accidental tractor, trailer and tire damage
- The lock is activated by minimal coupling force (only 30 pounds) so there is less wear and tear on the kingpin
- The pull handle is the easiest in the industry and only requires a simple, straight pull to release the lock (no complicated sequence to remember)
These important features are standard on all Fontaine top plates for highway applications, but there are important differences that make a particular Fontaine top plate better suited for a particular application.
CAST vs STAMPED STEEL. Fontaine 6000 Series and 7000 Series fifth wheels share the same locking technology. The significant difference between the two is that the 6000 Series housing is constructed using stamped steel while the 7000 Series is cast steel. Why do we offer both? It's purely a matter of customer preference. Our technical team can help you make the best decision for your particular application, and it's great to know that Fontaine offers this advanced fifth wheel technology in both cast steel and stamped steel models. Another Fontaine exclusive!
CLEAN CONNECT. 7000 Series and 7000CC Series top plates feature the same locking technology, and both are constructed using cast steel housings. The difference between the two is that the 7000CC features Clean Connect™ technology. The Clean-Connect™ advantage is that the fifth wheel does not require grease to lubricate between the top plate surface and the trailer coupling plate. This grease-free surface eliminates the labor costs, materials and downtime associated with greasing.
All of these locks feature advanced No-Slack technology. Please contact the Fontaine Technical Team for professional advice that can help you match the right top plate to your specific application.
HIGHWAY MOUNTING BRACKETS. True, the top plate is the key component for fifth wheel to trailer coupling, but the foundation of the top plate is also a very important consideration. For highway applications Fontaine offers a choice of sliding and stationary mounting brackets, and we have the experience and know-how to help you match the right combination to your particular application.
SLIDING MOUNTS. A sliding mount allows you to "slide" the location of the top plate on the slide rails of the mounting bracket. This lets you transfer the load between the tractor axles, allows you to handle trailers with different kingpin settings, and gives you added flexibility to vary the total length of the tractor/trailer. In addition, a sliding mount makes equipment more maneuverable, accommodates trailers with short landing gear clearance and allows the driver to extend the unit for maximum comfort when weight permits. Fontaine offers the NWB Sliding Mount, LWB Sliding Mount and the AWB Sliding Mount for highway applications, all available in a wide selection of heights and slide lengths to match your equipment.
BLOCKED SLIDING MOUNTS. The Fontaine Blocked AWB Sliding Mount heavy duty non-tilting air slide fifth wheel is like two fifth wheels in one. You can use it for standard heavy-duty highway applications or you can lock the rocking motion for use as a non-tilting fifth wheel for frameless dump applications.
STATIONARY MOUNTS. Stationary mount fifth wheels are ideal for applications where the trailer kingpin setting, axle loading and vehicle length all remain constant for the entire fleet. Stationary mount fifth wheels are lighter than sliding mount fifth wheels. Fontaine offers PML stationary mounts for highway applications. Your Fontaine representative can help you choose the right one for your application.
Check out the links by each photo for more information or contact your Fontaine representative for professional advice to help you find the best solutions for your application.