Home › CDL Practice Tests › Combination Vehicles Questions › Question 123
What is the purpose of the fifth wheel's throat or slot?
- A.It drains water from the plate
- B.It guides the kingpin into the center of the jaws as the tractor backs under the trailer
- C.It stores the safety latch
- D.It is where the air lines attach
Correct answer
B. It guides the kingpin into the center of the jaws as the tractor backs under the trailer
Why
The V-shaped throat funnels a slightly off-center kingpin toward the lock point. It can correct small misalignment, which is why straight, slow backing works so well.
Manual topic: Combination Vehicles - Coupling Equipment · From the Combination Vehicles practice bank (CV-123).