S hooks vs quick links: safety chains

[fmernyer]

Why would a trailer use s hooks on its safety chains? Why not quick links or something that's less likely to slip off?

Is there a reason that the s hooks are used? Is it because you'd want the trailer to let go under certain circumstances?

Can I go ahead and replace my s hooks with quick links or so I need to know more about the weight of my trailer or laws in my state....?

 

[bcp]

From:
CT DMV: Inspection of Trailers

"Safety Chain - Every tag-along or drawbar type trailer hitch or coupler used as a means of attaching a camp trailer to the tow vehicle shall also be coupled to the frame of the towing vehicle by means of safety chains or cables of sufficient strength and installed in such a manner to control the trailer in the event of failure of the regular trailer hitch or coupling. This means that the chains should be capable of being attached in a manner to keep the trailer coupler from dragging on the road in case of disconnect. Two safety chains or cables will be required unless the trailer tongue is specifically designed to be symmetrically supported by a single chain or cable. Fifth wheel trailers with any ball mount will require a safety chain or cable while fifth wheel plate and kingpin styles will be required to have a safety on or locking of the operating handle. Please also refer to Motor Vehicle Regulation 14-137-123 and 124."

 

[bcp]

I would replace S hooks on anything more than a very lightweight trailer. If using quick links, I like to get ones with a WLL or SWL stamp.

Bruce

 

[hslogger]

I constantly see light weight and some heavier trailers with really lame safety chain set ups. They are called safety chains to retain the trailer incase of a failure. I once had a trailer pass me about forty years ago. Since then I go heavy chain and heavy grab hooks or heavy slip hooks with keepers on them. Over kill on the safety chain doesn't cost much and if you ever have to use em you will really glad you got em.

 

[schmism]

my small 5x10 utility trailer has U hooks?... they are like REALLY long S hooks. my equipment trailer has 3/8 chain and grab hooks with closers installed by me.

 

[byronlj]

When I was in my teens all my cowboy friends towing horse trailers didn't want their safety chains to work. They would use weak welds or even hidden saw cuts to defeat them. They told me stories of trailers with livestock throwing their pickups about.
Don't yell at me. That was one thing I remember them talking about.

 

[aczlan]

I like these (Carry-On Trailer® S Hook, 3-3/4 in. x 6-3/4 in., Pack of 2 - Tractor Supply Co.) for single axle trailers.
The "Class 2/3" ones are rated for 5000# and have a safety latch so they dont fall off, but they have a bigger opening than a grab hook does.

Aaron Z

 

[woodchipper]

I would inquire about your local/State laws applicable to your trailer/weight application, as this does vary.
With my own experience towing a heavy trailer, and using "S" hooks at the end of the chain, It is calling for trouble if your trailer suddenly becomes disconnected from the hitch. Heavy chains and lockable slip hooks are not much more money for piece of mind. Also the attachment point on the trailer has to be equaly solid. No light gauge metal to be torn off in case of a sudden pull...

 

[aczlan]

I would inquire about your local/State laws applicable to your trailer/weight application, as this does vary.
With my own experience towing a heavy trailer, and using "S" hooks at the end of the chain, It is calling for trouble if your trailer suddenly becomes disconnected from the hitch. Heavy chains and lockable slip hooks are not much more money for piece of mind. Also the attachment point on the trailer has to be equaly solid. No light gauge metal to be torn off in case of a sudden pull...

NY requires that the chains be rated for the trailer GVW. I have two hooks rated for 5000# along with a 5000# rated chain installed on a boat trailer that MIGHT weight 2000# using a pair of the screw together links and a 7/16 grade 5 bolt (bolt goes through the tongue, links are a redundant backup around the "skid" on the underside of the tongue).
The haywagon (which weighs a lot more and doesn't have brakes) has two 5/16 g70 chains (which attach the axle to the tongue and continue to the tow vehicle) with g70 hooks. Its also not going anywhere.

Aaron Z

 

[devildog1]

All I can add is what this guy once told me in a campground was one time when he was towing and his twin axle rv lost a wheel bearing and then the other tire on same side blew. At this point he said he lost control and trailer flipped over taking his 2500HD Suburban over with it, he believes the reason trailer was attached to Suburban with heavy 3/8" chains and HD screw shackles, the reason why it flipped his rig. He said that if he had lighter S hooks trailer would have still flipped but not Suburban. In his towing rig he had his wife along with two daughters and his son, no one got seriously hurt.
DevilDog

 

[bcp]

How could chains exert twisting force to flip the Suburban? A sideways pull at hitch level is unlikely to flip it, too. I suspect the coupler did the twisting as it reached its limit of rotation.

If the chains broke, the runaway trailer may have killed some other family.

Bruce

 

[aczlan]

How could chains exert twisting force to flip the Suburban? A sideways pull at hitch level is unlikely to flip it, too. I suspect the coupler did the twisting as it reached its limit of rotation.

Only way I could see is if the trailer went off the side of the road or went completely upside down and pulled the tow vehicle after it.
Now, I could see the sway/weight distribution system (such as the Reese SC) causing that...

If the chains broke, the runaway trailer may have killed some other family.

I agree. If something comes loose, I want it to stay attached to my vehicle so I can control where it goes at least a little bit.

Aaron Z

 

[devildog1]

How could chains exert twisting force to flip the Suburban? A sideways pull at hitch level is unlikely to flip it, too. I suspect the coupler did the twisting as it reached its limit of rotation. No trailer flipped heavy trailer and HD chains and shackles held and the weight and momentum took Suburban with it.

https://youtu.be/kwOqARlw1EI,,https://youtu.be/oZoGzZL6YSI

If the chains broke, the runaway trailer may have killed some other family. No there is an un-coupler break- away cable that activates breaks on trailer if cable pulls out plunger.

DevilDog

 

[devildog1]

Quite a few of them on U tube, don't know all circumstances, but it happens
DevilDog!

https://youtu.be/sLE1nn0P9AI?list=PL498CA39227F5E6B8

 

[aczlan]

If the chains broke, the runaway trailer may have killed some other family.

No there is an un-coupler break- away cable that activates breaks on trailer if cable pulls out plunger.

That's all well and good, until the brakes on one side pull a little harder than another (or one side hits a piece of debris) and the trailer swings into the next lane and pushes another vehicle into an abutment or (if on a two lane road) into oncoming traffic.
Here is an example of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWFvzwtQ6ZY and another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKrB4sL_C8k

Aaron Z

 

[Eric_Phillips]

I don't think anyone disagrees that an out of control trailer can flip the tow vehicle. The question comes from a previous poster that said because the chains were attached with shackles instead of S-hooks is why his vehicle flipped. I find it hard to believe the chains or there method of connection could be the cause of flipping the tow vehicle. Either the ball came to the end of its travel or the trailer pulled the vehicle sideways enough to cause it to flip.

 

[aczlan]

I don't think anyone disagrees that an out of control trailer can flip the tow vehicle. The question comes from a previous poster that said because the chains were attached with shackles instead of S-hooks is why his vehicle flipped. I find it hard to believe the chains or there method of connection could be the cause of flipping the tow vehicle. Either the ball came to the end of its travel or the trailer pulled the vehicle sideways enough to cause it to flip.

As I understand it, Devildog is claiming is that it is safer for the tow vehicle to have the S hooks so they bend and let the trailer come loose in the event of a problem rather than keeping it attached and flipping the tow vehicle.

Aaron Z

 

[davrow]

U-Haul here wraps the chain through the safety chain connection point and the s-hook hooks back into the chain itself. With the rubber keepers, I don't see anyway the s-hook could come undone. There simply would not be much stress on it. The real stress is on the safety chain itself.

 

[devildog1]

I don't think anyone disagrees that an out of control trailer can flip the tow vehicle. The question comes from a previous poster that said because the chains were attached with shackles instead of S-hooks is why his vehicle flipped. I find it hard to believe the chains or there method of connection could be the cause of flipping the tow vehicle. Either the ball came to the end of its travel or the trailer pulled the vehicle sideways enough to cause it to flip.

Only telling the story as it was told to me here. I'm not an expert on towing but I can believe that if the chains were twisted or short or became tangled and trailer flipped over that it could take tow vehicle l over. Maybe your the expert or you saw this accident, if so then you know.

 

[devildog1]

As I understand it, Devildog is claiming is that it is safer for the tow vehicle to have the S hooks so they bend and let the trailer come loose in the event of a problem rather than keeping it attached and flipping the tow vehicle.

Aaron Z

]No Aaron not me, the gentleman telling his story said for his future towing he will not have such a robust chain and shackle setup on his trailers. He said he will stick with the S hooks so if he has an accident again the trailer won't flip his tow vehicle over like the first time. It will break away and his family would be safer for it.
DevilDog