The ELI-te Fifth Wheel Coupling Assistant from SAF-Holland is optionally available on the company’s FW331 and FW351 models. It features a rugged and simple design with LED lights mounted on the fifth wheel that assists the heavy vehicle operator with the coupling process.
Incorrect coupling of a prime mover to a semi-trailer or B-double can be a very costly error.
Aiding drivers with bright white lights to allow the visual inspection of the jaws around the king pin day or night, ELI-te features a red alert light to warn unsuspecting drivers to a concern if the coupling hasn’t been completed successfully. This, according to SAF- Holland, will help to greatly reduce the instances of missed couples resulting in expensive dropped trailer incidents.
Good driver training on proper coupling procedures is imperative for all professional operations but even the strongest training will not alert a driver that something has inadvertently gone wrong with that coupling procedure.
ELI-te is there to help.
Whatever the cause of a mis-coupling ELI-te can alert the driver to a concern, providing five minutes of bright illumination so the safety conscious driver can easily inspect and ensure that the jaws are firmly closed around the kingpin.
Also, there is no need for torches or chassis mounted inward facing lights that drivers may accidently forget to switch off – it’s all automatic with ELI-te.
SAF-Holland’s ELI-te (Electronic Lock Inspection – technology enhanced) Fifth Wheel Coupling Assistant still requires the driver to get out of the cab to ensure a successful coupling. The driver is out of the cab to couple air lines and electrical cables so the ELI-te system helps with positive reinforcement of the required coupling procedure and eliminates the potential for a driver to miss the signal of modern dash mounted systems. Being entirely mounted directly to the underside of the fifth wheel top plate, ELI-te avoids costly installation of wiring and control units around the vehicle, needing only 12-volt ignition and ground wire connection.
But there are output signals available from ELI-te for those that prefer the convenience of internally mounted alters.
Dropped trailers do happen and they do cost lots of dollars in lost revenue and repairs if you’re lucky.
Public safety is a much bigger concern, so can you afford not to give your drivers every aid possible to ensure couplings are always properly connected?
ELI-te is a cheap insurance you can afford, you will never know when it saved the day and you will never see a bill from it for annual renewals of increasing insurance premiums.