Fontaine Fifth Wheel and sister company Fontaine Renew teamed up to test TMCSuperTech 2013 competitors on one of the most important connections in trucking: the one between the tractor and the trailer. After the event, they used the same equipment to connect with future technicians at Lincoln Technical Institute in South Plainfield, N.J.
The Fontaine team focused the Fifth Wheel Testing Stations at this year’s TMCSuperTech event on the trailer bolster plate and king pin. These components are vital to the proper coupling and uncoupling of the tractor and trailer.
The Fontaine companies built seven test stands designed specifically to test the competitors on TMC RP750, the Recommended Practice for maintaining and inspecting the trailer king pin and bolster plate. These custom test stands made it possible for technicians to determine whether measurements were within spec and to identify any equipment damage. The companies also provided judges for the testing station, three from Fontaine Fifth Wheel: Todd Kuipers, key account manager/marketing manager, Aaron Puckett, director of national fleet sales and Steve Mann, vice president of engineering; and two from Fontaine Renew: Hamilton Bridges, sales manager, and Robbie Laney, engineering and operations manager.
At the conclusion of the TMC event, the Fontaine companies donated the test stands to Lincoln Technical Institute for its diesel and truck technology program. Instructors will use the stands to teach proper fifth wheel maintenance, disassembly, inspection and assembly.
“It is always a pleasure to work with ‘Partners in Industry’ like Fontaine in helping LTI train and develop the technicians of tomorrow,” says Tim O’Connor, director of education at Lincoln Technical Institute. “The hardest part of teaching diesel and truck technology is keeping up with all the technical, maintenance and hardware changes in the industry. Fontaine’s donation of the fifth wheel stands is a well-accepted improvement to our training aids. I look forward to a continued relationship with the Fontaine companies.”
