Hello every one , Dose anyone have any pictures of the different types of safety clips for fifth wheel couplings .We have a unit with a spring loaded safety locking mechanism that has broken.It is the type that is operated by pulling on a thin wire strop,A while ago some units had these fitted but were not very successful and were soon replaced with the good old fashioned dog clip ,Can anyone help 
kind regards aceman 
If you mean this type of mechanism I’m surprised they were unsuccessful, I’ve never had any problems with them, maybe I’ve just been lucky.
The only problem I’ve had with the wire strop is that I tend to wind it around my hand when pulling it and, then using the same hand, pull the handle. Which results in the strop cutting into the hand/fingers. 
I think it is a far better system because, if the spring fails on the ‘drop lever’ gravity will still (normally) result in it engaging.
Problems arise with a ‘mixed’ fleet, or when people get into the ‘habit’ of not checking that the ‘safety’ has engaged.
Dog clips are fine when they are working, but I have had several relatively new vehicles, sometimes only months old, where the spring on the dog clip has failed. The only option then is to engage it, and then invert it, and hope that it doesn’t rattle free.
Is there is BSI (or EU) standard for dog clips fitted to fifth wheel couplings? From my experience, patently not. Perhaps we need one. 
It would add, at the construction stage of a new vehicle, less than a quid.
The law used to be if there was a dog clip attached to the fifth wheel it had to be secured but if the dog clip was missing you could drive legally. It may have changed?
aceman:
Hello every one , Dose anyone have any pictures … the type that is operated by pulling on a thin wire strop,
Hi aceman, I think this pic is of the ‘wire’ type that you mentioned…
TBH, I never encountered problems operating this type of device.
Being a left-handed person, I found it easier to operate the pull device with my right hand, then move the handle forwards (to the right,) which would retain the spring-loaded part of the device, then pull the locking bar with my left hand or both hands if it was particularly difficult.
However, I have encountered broken spring problems with type above AND the familiar ‘dog-clip.’ My preference is for the dog-clip, but as they can suffer a broken spring OR siezed pivot, I always carried a small padlock as a back-up. 
when the latch has dropped the fith wheel is locked you do not need to to attach the saftey hook but if fitted needs to be located at the top of the latch
Thanks everyone for all your help and your pictures it will be most helpful
Sorry foget to add signatur kindest regards aceman
Here are a few of a low ride unit i used to drive,but the fifth wheel would also raise for standard trailers.
It never had a dog clip as the release bar was par of the handle when it was pulled out.
Tonyb