Trailer Safety Chains

[Hokiefyd]

I was always taught that you cross the trailer safety chains once or twice before hooking them to the vehicle. This is so they will catch the trailer tongue if it comes off the hitch ball. This is the proper way to use them, right?

I very rarely see it done correctly. I see them all the time hooked straight to the vehicle (without being crossed). I suppose it's good that they're being used at all, but it bothers me that so few seem to use them correctly.

Have you all noticed the same thing?

 

[Chris142]

The crossing them is the law here

 

[GreeCguy]

I've never crossed them nor seen them crossed. We always twisted them to take up any slack so that if the trailer came loose, it would hang by the chains but not drag the ground.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I've never crossed them nor seen them crossed. We always twisted them to take up any slack so that if the trailer came loose, it would hang by the chains but not drag the ground.


Twisting them is what I mean by "crossing" them...like a DNA helix.

 

[KD0AXS]

Crossing them is the correct way. Unfortunately, there are way too many people that don't understand and/or care how to properly tow a trailer. I see it all the time...no safety chains, lights not working properly or at all, cargo not properly secured, grossly overloaded, the list goes on. As a commercial driver, any one of those things will get me a huge fine and put out of service. For the general public, no one even looks at them.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I've never crossed them nor seen them crossed. We always twisted them to take up any slack so that if the trailer came loose, it would hang by the chains but not drag the ground.


Twisting them is what I mean by "crossing" them...like a DNA helix.


Wait...if you mean twisting them individually and not twisting them together, then no, that's not what I mean by crossing them. This is what I mean:

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Crossing safety chains, (left to right hook eye, etc), allows the chains to be hooked with less slack and still be able to make tighter turns. It might help to catch the tongue but don't depend on it. I once smashed a big fist sized dent in my 66 Chevy pickup tailgate even though the trailer was loaded well forward.

 

[eljefino]

My chains originate at the same through-bolt on my trailer's tow-bar so if I cross them once it usually winds up happening under there where noone sees them.

Though I guess I could helix them a couple times so it's more visible and evident.

 

[Donald]

I had the ball mount come out once as the UHAUL person (idiot) did not put the pin in correctly. Glad I was going up hill and not down.

I thought crossing the chains was to make the trailer track properly behind the tow vehicle if the trailer came off. Not to catch the tongue. But it might do that also.

What about the break-away. Do you want that to activate if the trailer comes off but is still held by chains or only if it gets loose?

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I've never crossed them nor seen them crossed. We always twisted them to take up any slack so that if the trailer came loose, it would hang by the chains but not drag the ground.


Twisting them is what I mean by "crossing" them...like a DNA helix.


Wait...if you mean twisting them individually and not twisting them together, then no, that's not what I mean by crossing them. This is what I mean:

+1
Also, do not cross them multiple times as this apparently weakens the chains in case of accident (according to rv forums I read).

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I had the ball mount come out once as the UHAUL person (idiot) did not put the pin in correctly. Glad I was going up hill and not down.

I thought crossing the chains was to make the trailer track properly behind the tow vehicle if the trailer came off. Not to catch the tongue. But it might do that also.

What about the break-away. Do you want that to activate if the trailer comes off but is still held by chains or only if it gets loose?


I think the break- away is in case the chains break and your trailer is rolling down the road without you.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I've never crossed them nor seen them crossed. We always twisted them to take up any slack so that if the trailer came loose, it would hang by the chains but not drag the ground.


Twisting them is what I mean by "crossing" them...like a DNA helix.


Wait...if you mean twisting them individually and not twisting them together, then no, that's not what I mean by crossing them. This is what I mean:

+1
Also, do not cross them multiple times as this apparently weakens the chains in case of accident (according to rv forums I read).


The wires are not in the correct order in that picture.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Originally Posted By: Donald
I had the ball mount come out once as the UHAUL person (idiot) did not put the pin in correctly. Glad I was going up hill and not down.

I thought crossing the chains was to make the trailer track properly behind the tow vehicle if the trailer came off. Not to catch the tongue. But it might do that also.

What about the break-away. Do you want that to activate if the trailer comes off but is still held by chains or only if it gets loose?


I think the break- away is in case the chains break and your trailer is rolling down the road without you.


You are probably right, but if a heavy trailer comes off the ball and is being dragged by chains and you are going downhill, you are not in a good situation.

 

[supton]

If the trailer comes off the ball, you are in a bad situation period. The chains are there for when it all goes bad.

To go on a tangent: what about chains that use an S hook to connect, rather than a D ring? You know, a hook that just kinda drops onto the loops on the receiver for the chains, vs the sort that are looped back onto the chain and secured into place? My first thought is, geez what's to keep the S hook from falling off? My second thought is, geez they wouldn't use them if it wasn't safe...

 

[meep]

1. a single cross is legally required here in AL.. My trailer makes it silly--- both chains are welded to the same mount point, in the center of the bar. So the cross doesn't really make an 'x', more of a 'Y' with a twist at the base.

2. The 'x' is designed to catch it before the hitch hits the ground, so you can control it. If it digs a hole and rips the chain off, you have no control.

3. My breakaway will probably yank if the ball separates but the chains are still in tact. I'm ok with that. The e-brakes aren't able to lock it, but will probably stop it pretty quick. Unless it turns... in which case it's gonna roll over (travel trailer).

4. Mine came stock with big hooks with that little springloaded lock on the end. In the past I've always used threaded rings (sort of like shackles) to tie it all together. The hooks are in good shape so I'm ok with them for now.