According to the company, the new top plate replaces the H5092 and X5092 Series and combines it into one fifth wheel system. Like the 7000 Series the H7 features a cast steel housing and the Fontaine No-Slack locking system, the only trigger activated self-adjusting locking mechanism in the industry, the company says.
The H7 is available in the OEM and aftermarket channels, and offers several advantages to end user customers, Fontaine says. The fifth wheel lock self-adjusts in order to accommodate for wear and for variations in kingpin geometry. This means drivers get a snug, secure hassle-free connection as they move from trailer to trailer. The design also reduces shock inputs into the frame when braking and accelerating; so drivers get a smoother ride and components last longer for lower maintenance costs, the company says.
“Our mission with the H7 was to simplify our severe duty product line into one cast steel fifth wheel system that uses our most up to date No-Slack locking system,” says Mike Randolph, vice president sales and marketing, North America.
“The beauty of the H7 fifth wheel is that it offers a majority of the same working parts that you find in our current No-Slack 6000 and 7000 series top plates so the need to keep additional replacement parts in field will be greatly reduced,” adds Paige Petroni, vice president, aftermarket.
The Fontaine H7 is rated up to 70,000 lb., vertical load, a drawbar pull rating up to 200,000 lb., and has the option of being blocked (no-tilt) from the factory. Fontaine says it is a great solution for logging, heavy haul, oil field, mining and other severe-duty applications.
