Safety chain length

[Eric_Phillips]

I know you are supposed to have the safety chains such that they can support the tongue should the trailer come unhitched. This works fine especially if you have some drop on the hitch so the chains are going up to the vehicle from the trailer. With my new camper I have to use about 6" of rise on the hitch. The ground clearance where the chains attach to the vehicle is only about 6". So even if I have no slack to turn corners the chains will be too long to support the tongue. Also crossing them on this trailer is a farce. There is a single attachment point about 6-8" back. The only separation between the two chains is the width of a chain link. This is on a minivan pulling a ~3200lb camper so I don't have much in alternative attachment points. Is there anything that can be done to make this safer?

 

[Redlands Okie]

Rubber bungee cord to hold up the chains.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

They don't drag on the ground when towing.

 

[bcp]

Use higher grade or over-strength materials, checked often.

For example, don't use a 3500lb ball for your 3200lb trailer.

Use a padlock in the coupler latch, so someone can't open it in a parking lot while you are eating.

Upgrade the safety chain and hooks.

I've seen a crossbar welded on a tongue to separate the chain attachment, and an additional chain loop under the ball, that the chain passed through.

Bruce

 

[davrow]

Single attachment point of safety chains on trailer is illegal in Washington state, possibly other places too. Even though this how they are sold, it is a requirement to use two chains with separate attachment points.

Even you agree your current configuration is a joke. Your safety and the safety of others is no joke. Fix your safety chains so they work properly. Please.

 

[flyerdan]

So you have a rise hitch where your chains go down from the trailer tongue to the hitch? Sounds like there's nothing to be done unless you can raise the attach points to a level near the ball, by welding some loops on top of the bumper or something similar.

 

[4570Man]

My personal opinion is leave them alone and hope they break if it comes loose. There’s no way you’re keeping the flailing camper in the road and then you’ve got 2 out of control instead of one.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Hmm, wow

 

[Btown]

Safety chains are supposed to keep the trailer attached to the vehicle so it can bring the trailer to a semi controlled stop, if the tongue is dragging on the ground or in the air. It’s all good. People get killed by trailers that disconnect and go down the road by themselves, if it stays connected to the vehicle you should be able to stop it.

 

[Snaker]

I've got a story about these chains and trailer connections and I hope to explain clearly.

I bought a used enclosed trailer in 2017. I had several trailers through the years but only this and one other were tandem axle with electric brakes.

So I need to use it, I hitch it up, connect the wire harness and the breakaway cable and off I go. I believe what happened was that I lowered the trailer hitch onto the ball but the hitch didn't set down fully on the ball. That hitch is some weird design/brand that I've never seen before and there is no extra space for the ball to pass the latch piece, no wiggle room at all. The other problem is that the hitch latch can be closed and locked even though its not actually latched. Regardless, my fault for not checking closely.
I go a few miles and get on the Interstate. I just get settled in and I feel a big tug. Look in the mirror and see the trailer smacking into the rear bumper. I get on the brakes and the trailer starts flopping around and tossing the ol Yukon around pretty violently. I was able to keep it in the right lane (mostly) and when the trailer hitch jammed up against the bumper I got on the brakes as hard as I could and got onto the shoulder and stopped with out hitting anyone.

I look things over and I see this:
The safety chain still connected
The breakaway cable was still connected but hadn't disconnected the switch
The wire cable had completely ripped out of the connector with the connector still plugged in

So after the hitch unhooked I had no trailer brakes.

That got me looking at that and pondering. On this system A person would almost need to somehow measure these three things and adjust accordingly. The wire cable should be long enough to have slack when the chain is stretched and the breakaway cable should be short enough to disconnect before the chain is stretched but long enough to not disconnect inadvertently .

Anyone else ever ponder this?

 

[Btown]

The break away cable is there to stop the trailer if it becomes completely detached from the tow vehicle not sure I would want a trailer that comes off the ball and jacks on the brakes.

 

[farm boy00]

The break away cable is there to stop the trailer if it becomes completely detached from the tow vehicle not sure I would want a trailer that comes off the ball and jacks on the brakes.

But his cable broke. It did not do anything. The safety chains are to keep the trailer attached some but the break away cable is supposed to active the trailer brakes.

And why wouldn't you want the trailer brakes to activate? It would stop the trailer.

 

[TractorNH]

And why wouldn't you want the trailer brakes to activate? It would stop the trailer.

If the trailer became unhitched you would want the brakes to activate. It would create the drag on the trailer necessary to bring the trailer to a semi-controlled stop. As soon as the trailer brakes activate then the tow vehicle is pulling on it which keeps it straight and not swinging all over the road. When the trailer is pushing the tow vehicle you have no control unless you get lucky. Think about that if your trailer pops off the hitch while you're headed downhill. I'd want those trailer brakes on full braking.

Also, don't forget to make sure your breakaway kit has a charged battery. Would be bad if you needed it and there was no juice to activate them.

 

[cqaigy2]

If the trailer became unhitched you would want the brakes to activate. It would create the drag on the trailer necessary to bring the trailer to a semi-controlled stop. As soon as the trailer brakes activate then the tow vehicle is pulling on it which keeps it straight and not swinging all over the road. When the trailer is pushing the tow vehicle you have no control unless you get lucky. Think about that if your trailer pops off the hitch while you're headed downhill. I'd want those trailer brakes on full braking.

Also, don't forget to make sure your breakaway kit has a charged battery. Would be bad if you needed it and there was no juice to activate them.

And make sure the battery is connected to the trailer so that it doesn't break loose from the mounts and continue down the road.

 

[Aquamoose]

Interesting read from Snaker, I’ll ensure that the break-away cable is shorter than the safety chain next time!

Meanwhile for those with chains with excessive loops, I always make sure they are crossed and if I need to shorten the chain, simply twist them to the desired lengths to avoid the chain dragons on the pavement. (and prevent forest fires!)

 

[ballencd]

When I built my 4' x 6' utility trailer and was having it inspected by the State Patrol for my title application I was told that safety chains were not required. I have never installed or used them. Lights were not required either as long as my load didn't block visibility of the vehicle lights. Occasionally I put on magnetic lights when I have a large load but most of the time I don't use them either. I've never been stopped or questions about either issue it while using the trailer for the last 35 years.

 

[bcp]

When I built my 4' x 6' utility trailer and was having it inspected by the State Patrol for my title application I was told that safety chains were not required. I have never installed or used them. Lights were not required either as long as my load didn't block visibility of the vehicle lights. Occasionally I put on magnetic lights when I have a large load but most of the time I don't use them either. I've never been stopped or questions about either issue it while using the trailer for the last 35 years.

From:
Chapter 20

 

[Redlands Okie]

Even if not required by law safety chains should still be used. For everyone’s benefit.

 

[timswi]

Even if not required by law safety chains should still be used. For everyone’s benefit.

Absolutely agree. People have been killed by trailers coming off the ball with chains either not hooked up or non-existent. I had a low speed case of that once, it's not a good feeling. Thankfully the safety chains kept the trailer aligned behind the truck so I could make a controlled stop. I'm OCD about this now. When I hook up my trailers (no matter what size), I jack the trailer until the truck starts to come up. Some people think I'm nuts, till I tell them about my prior experience then they get it.

 

[dfkrug]

I had a low speed case of that once, it's not a good feeling. Thankfully the safety chains kept the trailer aligned behind the truck so I could make a controlled stop.

That is one way to learn how important those chains are. A very memorable way.

A friend I have known for years had his trailer come off the ball, and chains averted a major disaster. Damage to the back of his SUV, sure, but the trailer did not get away. Turns out....he was towing a trailer with a 2" ball hitch.....with a 1 7/8" ball! For years!

I wonder how many folks on the road are doing that now. You can get away with it, but the first time your trailer tongue lifts...may be your last.

The ball clamp inside the hitch is also adjustable. Most folks don't know or bother.