safety chains drag

[RedRocker]

Get rid of the hooks and buy those links that screw together, that way you can adjust to any length you need.

 

[RollTideRam]

You are seemingly only adressing the extremes.. I have a couple trailers.. both have to work on multiple tow vehicles. Both the chains are of fthe ground and would keep the tounge off the ground int he event of a disaster.. however.. I don't like my chains hanging over halfway to the ground from the rig.. that's why I also bunji mine.. keeps them neat, and there are no downsides, as the chain will stretch right back out under load, ans still carry the tounge if/when needed.

Same on my batwing mower..

Soundguy

You say I'm addressing extremes. Do safety chains serve another purpose. I thought they were for keeping the trailer tied to the tow rig if the trailer came off the ball. What are the less "extreme" uses of safety chains? JC

 

[Bedlam]

I believe, regardless the length of the chains. The Bungee cord is serving one purpose. And that is to hold the chains from sparking on the asphalt. In my case its when I tow with my dads van. The tongue sits low to the ground. In fact, the hitch jack cant be used either, its simply too low to the ground. For a safety chain to hold the tonger up , It would have to be almost tight as can be.
Probably not the best ideal situation I know, but theres not much choice. I try to make things as practical as I can, but in this case its simply the way it is.I just use a bungee cord around the two chains and over the ball mount car. It keeps them off the ground, and yes if it comes off, it will have a far amount of chain, the tongues will drop.
I remind , that this is a 1000 lb utility trailer.
Thanks for all the input.Many points have been brought up that interested me. I guess I have seen so many trailers without any chains, or chains with less than sufficient strength hooks that I consider my methods to be good.

 

[RollTideRam]

If you have a drop ball mount, turn it over and you will have a raised ball mount. My father borrows my 6 inch drop, turns it over to raise the tongue on his mini van. JC

 

[Soundguy]

You say I'm addressing extremes. Do safety chains serve another purpose. I thought they were for keeping the trailer tied to the tow rig if the trailer came off the ball. What are the less "extreme" uses of safety chains? JC

Extremes.. as in length... not extrems as in uses... Your posts seemed to only address safety chains that were too long as one's that drug the ground. Mine don't drag the ground.. and I still don't like them to hang more than half way down... thus the use of the bunji.

Soundguy

 

[RollTideRam]

The first post in this thread is about chains dragging the ground. JC

 

[Soundguy]

And subsequent threads are about using bunji to keep chains off the ground. Realitive length of the chain has very little to do with the use of the bunji. That is.. if the chain is 'dragging, or only half way down.. the bunji will keep it up and neat. In other words... one does not have to have a 'dragging' situation in order to get some benifits of a bunji.. etc.

Soundguy