saftey chain hookup

[tanuki]

I am a rookie at this?..I have a question regarding safety chain hookup. I purchased a 72? 5,000 lb.safety chain and I can?t decide the proper way to attach it to the trailer. Enclosed are 3 pic?s of the tongue. Pic #1 just shows what I have to work with. Pic # 2 I would have to cut the chain in half and attach to the trailer as shown. Pic # 3 looks like it would work as I would not have to cut the chain. I do not know the requirements here in NJ, but does the chain have to be bolted somehow to the tongue? Any help is really appreciated. The boat being towed is a old 14? Starcraft tinny and will be splashing soon.

 

[briangcc]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Every trailer I've owned has the safety chains bolted to the tongue. In your case, what I would do is drill out a hole on each side of the coupler, through the tongue and bolt the safety chains there. Looks like you have wiring run inside the tongue so protect that wiring with a sacrificial piece of wood. I'd rather screw up a piece of scrap wood then have to repair wiring.

Being a safety / overkill kind of guy, I'd use Grade 8 hardware to attach the chain to the trailer.

 

[blouderback]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Yeah, I would make it TWO seperate chains, not one just looped around. If you loop it and the chain breaks, you lose both sides. If it's 2 seperate chains and one breaks, you'll still have the other one.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: saftey chain hookup

To start you would cut the chain in half so you have two pieces - one on either side of the tongue. It looks like the manufacture's intent was that the safety chains be bolted to that "U" bracket welded below the hitch - one on each side using the holes in the bracket.

That said, the bracket looks a little flimsy - I'd either have a more sturdy bracket welded on, or, drill the hole through the tongue as suggested above.

 

[BOWMAKER1]

Re: saftey chain hookup

You could very easily leave the chain as one piece and loop it through the bracket as in picture #2. Then take a link and bolt it through the existing holes on either side of the bracket, just like you would if it were 2 pieces of chain, with individual bolts and washers, as big as will fit the holes, that would hold it firmly. Your current boat isn't very heavy and that bracket looks to be heavy enough and if something would happen to one side of the chain you would still have the other side and the loop through the bracket to hold things.

 

[bgc]

Re: saftey chain hookup

I have two bolts going through the bolt holes on the tongue. The chains are fastened to the bolts on the inside of the square tubing allowing the bracket on the bottom to act as a skid plate.

 

[Ned L]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Just remember that the chains are to be crossed in an "X" between the trailer and where they connect to the tow vehicle, and short enough so that the trailer tongue doesn't drag on the ground of it comes off the ball.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: saftey chain hookup

1. Bolt two seperate chains to the tongue with enough slack that you can make turns without creating tension. Make sure the chain is strong enough to support the trailer if it becomes loose from the tow vehicle.

2. Use hooks with safety clips to secure the chains to your vehicle. I don't know what type of tow hitch you have so this could change what type of hooks you need.

3. Check the State of New Jersey website regarding the towing statues or call your local Police, Sheriff or State Trooper.

 

[tanuki]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Thank you all for the input. I drilled out 2 holes thru the tongue and used 2 separate #8 hardness bolts to hold the chains. Pic attached.
Just wondering about the trailers with a spare tire wheel bolted to the front vertically......what would happen if the trailer disconnected and the spare bottomed out to the road surface before the "crossed chains"? Would the skidding rubber help stop the trailer or make the rear of the trailer come up over the top of the tow vehicle as would the tongue if it hit a pothole when disconnected? Just sayin'....

 

[briangcc]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Nice job, looks great!

In regards to the spare...hopefully the safety chains would catch the tongue of the trailer before the spare came into play. That's exactly why you cross them, to form a cradle to catch the tongue. If not, it'd more than likely bounce all around as the spare does not rotate. Good chance it'd shear the lugs holding the spare to the trailer letting the spare roll down the street/expressway/highway/whatnot for you to chase after once you have your tow rig stopped. Personally, I prefer not to find out

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Good job. If the spare did hit the ground it might help slow it down but it all depends at what speed it was traveling when it fell off of the hitch. Like briangcc said it shear it off. I would mount the tire where ever it is practical for you. I have seen trailers fall off of vehicles before and there is no telling where or what it will do. Some travel straight and stop, some go into on-coming traffic, some flip and some go in the ditch. It all depends upon the trailer, the load on it and conditions.

 

[bgc]

Re: saftey chain hookup

Looks good

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: saftey chain hookup

To me those chains look to TOO long. as Ned L posted.
hook up trailer with crossed chains. Now unhook trailer and see if trailer hits ground. if so, chains are too long.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: safety chain hookup

Re: safety chain hookup

The spare tire will hit the road with a little more force than the tongue weight because it is positioned behind the Ball.
The coefficient of friction will be about 70%, so the drag will be about the same as the tongue weight at the ball.
The tire will just skid along the road. There just isn't enough down-force on it to develop much braking action.
It is a locked up tire but it is only supporting 10% of the load.

The tire dragging the road is a far better option than the coupler finding a pot hole!
This will be the least of your worries!

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: safety chain hookup

Re: safety chain hookup

REALLY.??
the idea is to not let anyting hit the the road, and to make a slow graudual stop. so the trailer does not hit anyting at the ground or the veh.
Although easier said than done.

 

[tanuki]

Re: saftey chain hookup

To me those chains look to TOO long. as Ned L posted.
hook up trailer with crossed chains. Now unhook trailer and see if trailer hits ground. if so, chains are too long.

Thanks...I am in the process of getting a hitch on the Highlander, then I will shorten the chains to the proper length.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: saftey chain hookup

You can add your spare tire anywhere you want vertical or horizontal