To ensure you’re in compliance, first find a manufacturer that produces kingpins according to your local standards, and then verify their compliance. Your trailer must meet those standards to ensure safe, compliant hauling in your area. Local Standard ComplianceĮvery trailer OEM has its own international standards. Quality manufacturers will be happy to provide you with the information you need to verify the safety of their products. Choose kingpins from reputable manufacturers with a long track record of safe manufacturing practices. Perhaps the most important feature of any kingpin is its ability to keep the operator and the rig safe. Does the manufacturer stand behind its product with a warranty or stringent manufacturing standards? If not, you may have a problem finding a kingpin that can stand up to long hours of wear and tear on the road. Manufacturer standards and warranties.Choose kingpins from manufacturers with safe, reliable manufacturing standards and safety requirements. We’ll talk more about manufacturing requirements and standards below, but how a product is manufactured can tell you a lot about how it will perform. What is the kingpin made out of? A kingpin made from high-quality steel is likely to last significantly longer than a kingpin manufactured with poor-quality materials. That’s why it’s important to look for a kingpin with proven durability. This is an integral component for any rig, and should the kingpin fail, your trailer cannot move. DurabilityĪ kingpin is only as good as its lifespan. Here are 3 key things to look for when purchasing a kingpin you can trust to keep you safe for years to come.

If you’re in the market for a new kingpin, you might be wondering how you decide from all the different kingpin types and manufacturers. What Should I Look For in a Good Kingpin? When properly coupled, the kingpin keeps the trailer and tractor together while allowing the tractor to turn and pivot around its fixed point, ensuring semi trucks are able to transport product with ease. In addition to that primary function, a kingpin is also responsible (in partnership with the larger fifth wheel) for the steering and handling of the coupled rig. This small but mighty part comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, but works to do one thing: connect the semi-truck and trailer. By making the areas above and below the tapered area wider, manufacturers ensure another layer of protection, minimizing the potential that a kingpin could slip out of a fifth wheel’s coupling mechanism. This is where the fifth wheel locks around the kingpin to provide a secure coupling. Every kingpin has a tapered section that is narrower in width than the sections above and below it. This is why kingpins are often considered a “trailer solution” rather than a “truck solution.” They are always fixed to the trailer and then coupled with the tractor using a fifth wheel coupling device. One side of the kingpin is always welded to the semi-trailer. A kingpin may resemble any of the above images but always shares a few key features: Frequently referred to as the “pivot point between the tractor and semi-trailer,” the kingpin is the part used to connect a semi-tractor and a semi-trailer.

King pin semi truck