Safety Chain size

[bkwapisz]

My Ranger Trail trailer has a strap winch and NO safety chain to chain the bow eye to the trailer. I am in the process of getting one but would like an opinion as to what the required/recommended size/thickness of chain is. (Other than the obvious "one that fits.") Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Safety Chain size

Ayuh,... 1/4"....

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Safety Chain size

Ayuh,... 1/4"....

Thank you, sir!

 

[robert graham]

Re: Safety Chain size

Chain is a great idea and required by law. If you lost your trailer, popped up off the ball, ball broke, whatever, while on the highway, folks can die, and they be looking for you! We had a tragedy here in Greenville, S.C. just last week where a ball broke, lost trailer, folks stopped, got rear-ended, killed mom and dad, left 2 new orphans, still looking for owner of trailer, who did NOT stop! I had just hooks on my safety chain, bought and installed some heavy duty hooks with safety clips on them. Good Luck!

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Safety Chain size

....no smaller than the suggested 1/4", and be certain that it is welded link and galvanized.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Safety Chain size

The OP is asking about the trailer to boat safety chain.
But the suggestions are still good.

I would use larger chain for the trailer to tow vehicle chains. And properly sized for the weight of the boat and trailer combo being towed.
Always use the work load rating, not the breaking strength rating for any application.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Safety Chain size

The OP is asking about the trailer to boat safety chain.But the suggestions are still good.

I would use larger chain for the trailer to tow vehicle chains. And properly sized for the weight of the boat and trailer combo being towed.
Always use the work load rating, not the breaking strength rating for any application.

Thank you. I have 5/16" and good hardware on the hook to the tow vehicle, just nothing on the trailer to the bow eye to aid in the event of winch failure. I do have stern straps as well but apparently this trailer never had a bow-eye safety chain. I'm a safety guy.

For clarity, I am talking about the chain which is missing in the following picture:

 

[gozierdt]

Re: Safety Chain size

I used 5/16 welded, galvanized chain. I agree 1/4 would probably do ok, but it's not expensive to go up to 5/16. My turnbuckle is a little longer than I like, but it's what I could find locally, quickly. I bought 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle iron stock with a hole drilled through one of the legs in the middle to attach it to the trailer tongue, with a 3 x 3 5/16 U-bolt to hold the angle down to the tongue. Used galvanized shackles to attach the chain to the angle iron, and to the two ends of the turnbuckle. I use another shackle through the bow eye on the bolt.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Safety Chain size

I used 5/16 welded, galvanized chain. I agree 1/4 would probably do ok, but it's not expensive to go up to 5/16. My turnbuckle is a little longer than I like, but it's what I could find locally, quickly. I bought 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle iron stock with a hole drilled through one of the legs in the middle to attach it to the trailer tongue, with a 3 x 3 5/16 U-bolt to hold the angle down to the tongue. Used galvanized shackles to attach the chain to the angle iron, and to the two ends of the turnbuckle. I use another shackle through the bow eye on the bolt.

I like that idea. Do you tighten the turnbuckle down snugly?

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Safety Chain size

If you tighten the turnbuckle down snug it will reduce the effect of the boat suddenly moving forward "snapping" the slack out of the chain which would increase the effects of the apparent load.

I believe the "snapping" movement of the chain suddenly taking up the slack would fall under "breaking" strength, whereas being tight and just holding the boat in place would be in the "working load" rating.

Although it seems to be a small difference, just remember that your boat may weigh 3000 or more lbs, and if the vehicle is traveling at 55 or more mph when it stops suddenly, that's a lot of mass continuing to move forward.

There's probably a mathematical formula that can tell us just how much, but I can't figure it out.

So I use 5/16" chain, also.

 

[gozierdt]

Re: Safety Chain size

The "snapping" load you mention can easily go to twice and more than the original load. It's the reason I use a turnbuckle and the 5/16 chain. And I do turn it snug when I am trailering, loosen both it and the winch while parked.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Safety Chain size

The "snapping" load you mention can easily go to twice and more than the original load. It's the reason I use a turnbuckle and the 5/16 chain. And I do turn it snug when I am trailering, loosen both it and the winch while parked.

Good advice here, thanks. I'm stopping off at the hardware store after work today to grab some stuff to fab up a turnbuckle setup.

Thanks again fellas!

 

[insanity]

Re: Safety Chain size

You could also run the turnbuckle down at an opposite angle to the trailer beam if it were to come off then it will help in the boat not having a slingshot effect. I was going to run a safety chain like that but now seeing the turnbuckle I will run that from the trailer to the bow eye, then use chain from the winch post to the bow eye as well.

 

[gozierdt]

Re: Safety Chain size

Yeah, I know that the setup I have mainly holds the boat from sliding backwards. It would help prevent a forward slide as long as the winch post holds up, but I've heard of them breaking. I want to add a second chain/turnbuckle setup that holds the boat from going forward, but I have to weld a support beam to the trailer to get a decent angle on that one. Winter project...

 

[insanity]

Re: Safety Chain size

Yeah, I know that the setup I have mainly holds the boat from sliding backwards. It would help prevent a forward slide as long as the winch post holds up, but I've heard of them breaking. I want to add a second chain/turnbuckle setup that holds the boat from going forward, but I have to weld a support beam to the trailer to get a decent angle on that one. Winter project...

That would be easy use a tab with a hole in it.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Safety Chain size

There's probably a mathematical formula that can tell us just how much, but I can't figure it out.

Anyone got a link to some info on this, as in perhaps a chart or equation where you plug in your boat's weight and it tells you what minimum size / working load of safety chain / strap you need?

 

[gozierdt]

Re: Safety Chain size

You can find the proof load for any given size of chain but all that will tell you is if the chain will lift the boat under ideal (quasi-static) conditions. There is no such chart for emergency situations. The peak impact force will be different for each combination of acceleration/deceleration/other strength members in the system/weight/etc/etc. Here's a quote from one US government safety document:

18.2.5 Impact Loading. Do not subject chains to impact loading.

And another from the Canadian OSHA:

What should you avoid using chain slings?

* Avoid impact loading: do not jerk the load when lifting or lowering the sling. This increases the actual stress on the sling.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Safety Chain size

No matter how thick the chain and how heavy duty it is it is only as good as how well it is connected to the trailer.
Just my 2 cents though.

 

[tractoman]

Re: Safety Chain size

The "snapping" load you mention can easily go to twice and more than the original load. It's the reason I use a turnbuckle and the 5/16 chain. And I do turn it snug when I am trailering, loosen both it and the winch while parked.

I like the turnbuckle idea, but what is the weight rating for it and it's breaking point? I didn't think they were that stout.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Safety Chain size

Gene, is there a load rating for the turnbuckle? It seems like that could be the, er, weakest link,