safety chains

[timjones]

Is there a certian lenght that the saftety chains should/need to be? i took a look at mine this evening and they looked pretty unreliable so i'm going to replace them.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: safety chains

Long enough that they don't bind on a sharp turn and short enough to support the tongue and keep it off the pavement (in case of a hitch separation) when connected properly crossed under the tongue. Take a look at your old chains and see if they meet that criteria. If so you have a length to make the new ones.

 

[woosterken]

Re: safety chains

here's what i did,hook it up, jack knife the truck 90* (degrees) to the trailer to the left, l_ (bottom line is truck). hook chain from left side of trailer to RIGHT side of truck.

the jack knife truck 90* (degrees) to the trialer to the RIGHT _l (bottom line is truck), hook RIGHT chain from trailer ,to left side of truck.

make the chains X under tongue of trailer,that is for support incase of hitch or ball failure.



woosterken

 

[HappierWet]

Re: safety chains

here's what i did,hook it up, jack knife the truck 90* (degrees) to the trailer to the left, l_ (bottom line is truck). hook chain from left side of trailer to RIGHT side of truck.

the jack knife truck 90* (degrees) to the trialer to the RIGHT _l (bottom line is truck), hook RIGHT chain from trailer ,to left side of truck.

make the chains X under tongue of trailer,that is for support incase of hitch or ball failure.



woosterken

Maybe my visual is bad on your description.......BUT,
I would think that as the trailer swings from one side to the other it is travelling in an arc....so the longest point in it's travel would be around 45 degrees either side of center.

 

[woosterken]

Re: safety chains

happierwet,
yes that is true, but i was saying, to get the chains the right length , jack knife it 90* (degrees) to the point just before the boat or trailer comes in contact with the corner of the truck.
that way you know your chains are good even in the worst case.

woosterken

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: safety chains

Long enough to criscross to veh. and not touch the ground by ? inches
The object for crisscrossing the chains is. In the event the trailer comes off the ball, the chains will support the trailer and the tongue of the trailer will not drag on the road.
The hard part is not to panick and hit the brakes, and cruise gradually to the side of the road.

 

[Stachi]

Re: safety chains

If the chains drag on the road, after adjusting length at 90 degrees as stated above... a lite weight spring can be attached to the chains to keep them off of the road.....the kind that hold your screen door snap chain outta your hair.....just enough tension to hold them up a bit.
Think of crossing the chains as 'forming a basket to catch the tongue of your trailer'.... if they were not crossed... the tongue would go right to the pavement...
The chain hooks shoud be sent thru the hitch from under.... not sent thru from the top...pull one of the chains up under the back of your tow vehicle...watch how the hook acts when its pulled up under yer tow truck... try it both ways and see the difference... happy safe trailering dudes !!

 

[NakedDog]

Re: safety chains

Where I live (Manitoba, Canada), I believe the minimum is 18 inches, and must cross under.

 

[Reel Kahuna]

Re: safety chains

I believe the length has been answered. Being that you're replacing the chain, remember to get heavy enough links so that it won't break if the trailer accidently uncouple from your ball hitch.
I say this because years ago on my 20' cuddy that weighed about 4000# the trailer "popped" off the ball and the factory cable that came on the trailer snapped apart like a pretzel. Fortunately I was pulling off a stop sign so no damage done. BTW I replaced that cable with 3/8" link chain.

 

[DianneB]

Re: safety chains

... the factory cable that came on the trailer snapped apart like a pretzel.....

My new trailer came with cables .... don't like cables! .... and they were WAY too long. One of yesterday's jobs was replacing the cables with chains .... each chain rated to carry the full weight of the loaded trailer.