Yes you can travel without it. That in itself isn’t keeping the pin in the fifth wheel. However if you get pulled it’s a black mark against you and potentially a fine. When I got pulled the DVSA officer checked the clip was in. It’s just like you can drive without the kegs wound all the way up, but if it’s checked you can get done for it.
WhiteTruckMan:
By rights. You should pick up on the lack of a clip (if missing) during your walk round check, report the lack on whatever defect reporting system is in place and refuse to take the vehicle out unless sorted.
100% spot on.
Ken.
Rowley010:
It’s just like you can drive without the kegs wound all the way up, but if it’s checked you can get done for it.
Would that be £1000 for every full turn of the handle?
peirre:
Rowley010:
It’s just like you can drive without the kegs wound all the way up, but if it’s checked you can get done for it.Would that be £1000 for every full turn of the handle?
I think that’s an RDC story isn’t it? But I do believe if they aren’t wound up properly you’d at least be asked to do it there and then at the very least.
peirre:
Rowley010:
It’s just like you can drive without the kegs wound all the way up, but if it’s checked you can get done for it.Would that be £1000 for every full turn of the handle?
Blimey - I always understood it to be 50 quid per turn! That’s inflation for you…
Pike84:
My understanding is that dog clips them self’s are not a requirement. The requirement is that there is a secondary locking device, the dog clip is just the cheapest solution.
We run with a fifth wheel where the release arm drops in a recess when locked, as per manufacture. No dog clip or L bracket required. Just a quick look to ensure is seated and off we go.Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
I believe you are correct,
This is from the DVSA’s own vehicle inspection manual,
Examples of a secondary locking devices are:
a. A dog clip and chain.
b. Spring loaded pin between the operating handle and the body of the 5th wheel housing.
c. Lever dropped behind the operating handle.An optional third 5th wheel locking device such as a dog clip with a chain or wire from the
secondary clip to a hole in the handle could be fitted. The chain or wire may only be there to
assist the operator to unlock the secondary device. The absence of a chain/wire is not a
deficiency if its only purpose is to prevent loss of the dog clip.
So you must have a secondary locking device, but it doesn’t have to be a dog clip, however if you want you can also use a clip as a third locking device, but that’s not a legal requirement.
As for the trailer legs not being wound up fully, in the DVSA’s enforcement guide for Feb 2020, there is nothing directly relating to that, only offences for Legs, feet and handles being insecure, £100 fixed penalty for that.
Might be some miscellaneous catch all, but I can’t find that in their rather comprehensive enforcement guide.
I was a bit worried by some of the very authoritative sounding replies above as most of ours don’t have them either.
Delighted to see the ever reliable Muckles proving the ever reliable Mazzer and others are correct once again and I have no need to worry myself on that one at any rate.