Gear Head Lube says it has come up with a cleaner, more environmentally friendly way to lubricate fifth wheels.

It introduced at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s spring meeting a soy-based lubricant that comes in 3”x3” dry pads with the texture of a hockey puck, that the driver places on the fifth wheel before coupling. The weight of the trailer liquifies the grease and normal steering movements distribute it over the fifth wheel to where lubrication is needed.

It’s faster and cleaner than traditional greasing methods, the company claimed, and because it’s soy-based it’s also environmentally friendly.

“The use of grease guns or applying grease by spatula is messy and time consuming,” said Todd Whiting, director of product development at Gear Head. “Additionally, without measuring the amount of grease being used, it can be easy to over-grease or under-grease the fifth wheel.”

The company says the pads work even in extreme cold weather, but acknowledges they can stick together if stored in extreme heat. The best applications are drop-and-hook, where the fifth wheel requires frequent greasing.

The no-mess pads are cost-competitive with traditional grease guns, but Whiting noted fleets that purchase grease in bulk will find the pads more expensive. Even so, they say drivers appreciate the cleanliness and convenience of the new greasing method.

The driver simply places two pads on the fifth wheel before coupling and off they go. Asked by TruckNews.com if the pads don’t simply get pushed off the top fifth wheel surface, they said only if it’s on an inappropriate angle to begin with, in which case even regular grease will get pushed off.