No place for safety chains....now what?

[kellerqx]

My Tacoma bumper does not have any place ( holes ) for me to attach my trailer safety chains, only a trailer ball hole. How do I get around this problem without mounting a hidden hitch? My boat is only 14ft. Aluminum Smokercraft, so I dont believe weight is an issue for the bumper.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

Drill a couple of holes in bracket in the vicinity of the hitch and add some eye bolts from your local hardware store. Or, there is certainly a couple of bolts under there somewhere to which you can add a couple links of chain that would serve as a spot to hook the safety chains.

 

[avenger79]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

If you're worried about the looks only drill the bottom of your bumper and put eye bolts in. The weight is not an issue when it comes to chains they are required by most states. If they stop your without them they will not let you go with the trailer. You would have to have someone else come tow it home.

 

[djvan]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

have you looked under the bumper? Sometimes there are holes on the underside in some bracing that could easily be used to attach safety chains.

DougV>

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

look under the bumper, my bronco 2 has 2 holes either side of the ball mount that i found hold shackles just nice, available at any home depot.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

You should be able to find somewhere to attach to under the bumper or a little further in.

 

[flwestcoastboater]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

a truck! It must have some holes below the car for the chains. If not get some motor oil and a big drill bit

 

[redone4x4]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

look under the bumper, my bronco 2 has 2 holes either side of the ball mount that i found hold shackles just nice, available at any home depot.

you might have plastic caps over the holes, i would imagine they are still there though. then u can just run eyebolts through those. if theres no holes there, i would see what toyota would recommend, they might have an alternative for ya.

 

[5:00]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

you might have plastic caps over the holes, i would imagine they are still there though. then u can just run eyebolts through those. if theres no holes there, i would see what toyota would recommend, they might have an alternative for ya.

Exactly right. My Tacoma has the factory towing package but in the bumper recess there are three capped holes. One for the ball and two for the chains. Put in some heavy duty eye bolts with fender washers. Add some loc-tite or use two nuts on each one and you are all set.

 

[gunner1]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

Now let me start by saying that I'm am NO trailering pro by any means but shouldn't the chains be connected to something that ties into the frame of the vehicle? I would think that if the hitch failed/seperated that the bumper would simply tear or rip away under the stress. Like I said I'm no expert though.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

With the lightweight rig the OP is towing, there's little chance of the bumper failing. The safety chains are there in case the hitch on the trailer jumps off the ball. That happens more often than anything else, usually due to someone forgetting to put the pin in the latch.

Chains attached to the bumper will be fine for this particular use. For a heavier boat, a frame mounted hitch is highly advised, but the bumper will work for a lightweight boat.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

With the lightweight rig the OP is towing, there's little chance of the bumper failing. The safety chains are there in case the hitch on the trailer jumps off the ball. That happens more often than anything else, usually due to someone forgetting to put the pin in the latch.

Chains attached to the bumper will be fine for this particular use. For a heavier boat, a frame mounted hitch is highly advised, but the bumper will work for a lightweight boat.

Agree with this one entirely.

 

[Chris Hays]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

Now let me start by saying that I'm am NO trailering pro by any means but shouldn't the chains be connected to something that ties into the frame of the vehicle? I would think that if the hitch failed/seperated that the bumper would simply tear or rip away under the stress. Like I said I'm no expert though.

If your boats going to pull the bumper off it should'nt be hitched to it in the first place. I fabbed up a quick one for my buddy the other day who had the same issue as you, just took a 8" length of flat bar, (3/8"), drilled three holes in it with 1-1/2" between the center hole and outer holes, bent the bar 90 degrees twice between the inner and outer holes, then bolted the ball to the bumper through the center hole, and the two outers are for the chains....

 

[CATransplant]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

There ya go. The perfect solution. I'm thinking there may be a place you could buy one of those bars.

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: No place for safety chains....now what?

home depot, or a scrap yard, welding shop