What is your preference safety cable or chain

[rbh]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Oregon has different laws pertaining to the size/weight of the trailer being towed. NO type of clips are required on the chains. The must be the correct tensile strength, be crossed under the tongue, not too short for turning, but not long enough to drag.

I'd recommend checking the state laws for where your vehicle and trailer are registered.

YUP, I just brought a dually tandem trailer (26500 pound GVW) out of Portland and the previous owner was running LT tires on it, I had to upgrade to load range "G" for max GVW and to register it.
The chain hooks were at one time spring loaded flaps, but were gone. (you can buy the flaps and springs in a kit, about $6 per hook.

 

[flycaster]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Thanks to all of the posters for your responses. I have a new Trailstar boat trailer which came equipped with spring loaded cables. If you crossed the cables to terminate to hitch they were extremely tight going under the nut of the ball mount. Therefore when I hooked the cables up I hooked them up without crossing. Somehow I GUESS that I forgot to lock the hitch and proceeded to go on my merry way. Traveled about seven miles thru town and country, got to within 1/2 mile from boat launch, hit a bump in the road and the trailer tongue went to the ground. Cables still attached but the tongue was under the truck. Only damage was that the wiring was frayed, blew the fuse for the trailer lights and my dignity was in question.
I am now the owner of some 5,000 Lb. chain with the chain link that can be threaded shut.

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Sorry for your mishap, but glad only your dignity was damaged!

 

[dingbat]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Consider yourself lucky. I know a guy that did the same thing. His chains where crossed but that still didn't stop the trailer from running into the back of the truck doing $2,800 in damage to the bumper and lift gate in the process.

 

[Cheetah 210es]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Chains all the way.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

Chains forever ! Mine came off ball because you can lock hitch when ball pushes lock on top of ball and I didn't catch .Didnt notice till getting on ramp crossed chains kept it in place under hitch no dammage but wore down bottom stop . I could not use trailer jack that was mounted to raise up to put back on but sizzior jack for truck would get under to put back on . Next time I might wrap the safty chains more so it won't drop as low . My chains had open j hooks and stayed on .

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

crossing the chains will not I repeat NOT stop the trailer from hitting (going under) the tow vehicle and USUALLY won't keep the trailer off the ground when the trailer mover forward closer to the tow vehicle..... the biggest reason to cross them is that it allows slightly shorter chains to not bind in turns... shorter chains maintain better control over the trailer if it comes loose from the hitch

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: What is your preference safety cable or chain

I have been a loyal chain user for twenty years...

Having said that my new to me boat/trailer(3 years ago) came from the factory with coiled rubber coated cables and they have been wonderful!!

They are pretty big and I have no concerns with them, they have never been an issue and they do not drag ever