Jost 5th wheels… the ones with the L shaped safety catch that drops down as the handle goes in.
They have a dog clip aswell (usually on a little chain) [sometimes its missing]the necessity of which is questionable. Do you always use it?
Its a long way under, means stretching over the wheel arches (nasty in winter)
& is tight up to the greasy trailer swivel plate.
I usually do.
This question ONLY applies to this type of 5th wheel.
i have the jost fifth wheel and i always clip even if i’m shunting a trailer better to be safe than sorry
yes, as far as i know if a clip is fitted it is law to attach it. The VBG couplings we had on Scanias didn’t need them, much easier to use.
i voted yes but have yet to find the chain,will give it a good look in the morning 
i voted yes although i have forgotten a couple of times.
i always check the mech has closed around the pin when i wake up or come in in the morning (do i get a brownie point? 
)
I voted never as I dont drive artics.
I always do as it’s just become part of the routine - I figure a dog clip wouldn’t be added if it wasn’t to be used.
I use it every time exept when one of the other drivers has removed it because he can’t be bothered with it. However, I defected it as “Dog-clip missing” enough times that it has stayed put for quite a while now.
If it wasn’t needed they wouldn’t go to the trouble of fitting it.
Think about it this way IF GOD FORBID it came off the fith wheel (trailer) on the road and hurt someone or worse…when the accident report investigation was put together and the finding was that the clip was not fastened …WHAT YOU THINK the law would say ?
I voted yes and I am even sad enough to get under the thing with a torch to check the pin is clamped in the jaws.
I voted yes,
It’s there for a reason.
I voted no cos I never do. Cant really see the need,the L shaped lever is spring loaded and indeed would fall under gravity into position. Having said that I always look to make sure it has. How far do we need go with locking devices? The early style 5th wheel only had 1 safety feature ie. the dog clip. No one suggested it should have another clip to prevent that one from coming adrift. Take it to its extreme and you can imagine a long line of ever smaller clips all preventing the next one from dislodging 
. And all of them smothered in thick black turntable grease 
always without a doubt
its there for a reason no matter how difficult it is to position please use it as trailers with no unit attached can spoil someones day when there skating down a road doing 56mph and the driver of said unit when he/she is flying through the windscreen (susies gone instant standstill) might agree with me
ALLWAYS The trucks I drive have a little saftey device incase you forget & its spring loaded so that once coupled its engaged. Its a pain sometimes to release the fith wheel especially on a 6x2 but well worth the hassle as on the odd ocasion i have forgotton.
I voted yes. I always put the dog in. As far I am aware it is a legal requirement.
Not so long ago one of our drivers got spot checked by the VOSA (can’t remember where). They went all over truck and trailer and tachos. The only thing they found was the dog clip not in place, so they issued an immediate PG9.
The driver had not put it in when he picked up the trailer on Monday morning, and this incident occured on the following Friday He thought it was hilarious.
The old man was not amused to pick up another black mark against his O Licence.
Always it covers your arse if anything happens
i voted always i never leave without it on, and for some strange reason i alwys check it on a morning if i’m out for nite,
Always fit it and carry a spare iin my bag for in case it’s missing. Not really needed now as I tow the same trailer all the time. I have said before one of the things that bothers me most is the thought of losing a trailer.
Dogmatix:
I voted never as I dont drive artics.
What about the dog - bet you got a dogclip for that
Driveroneuk:
Jost 5th wheels… the ones with the L shaped safety catch that drops down as the handle goes in.They have a dog clip aswell (usually on a little chain) [sometimes its missing]the necessity of which is questionable. Do you always use it?
Its a long way under, means stretching over the wheel arches (nasty in winter)
& is tight up to the greasy trailer swivel plate.I usually do.
This question ONLY applies to this type of 5th wheel.
you don’t need the dog clip as it has a automatic Clip,but when dog clip is fixed is it a legal requirement to fit them!