RE: Safety chains

[mikewilley]

 
I have a question about my safety chains.  When I cross them under the tongue of my trailer with enough slack to allow for turning, they will intermitantly drag (I don t hear this, but I can see scuff marks when I unhitch).  The rings on my hitch are about 2 inches below my bumper, which gives very little clearance to the ground.
 
 I have started crossing them OVER the tongue of my trailer, this way I can leave slack for turning, without dragging when I go over low spots.  Does anyone know of a reason why this would be a bad idea or against the law (I guess against the law usually qualifies as a bad idea [])
 
 Thanks in advance for all the sage advise!

[SactoCampers]

 mikewilley
Mike,
 
 Sling the chains under the tongue and twist them until they reach the desired height so they don t drag, yet you have enough slack for turning. Took me a LONG time to figure that one out.

[whippetwrun]

 mikewilley
The way our dealer explained it to me was that the chains are crossed under in case the the hitch breaks free, there is a chance the tongue will catch and rest on the crossed chains instead of immediately dropping and imbedding in to the ground.  
 
 Don t know how much truth there is to it, so hopefully someone else will comment![]

[cavman]

 mikewilley
Mike,
 
 The real purpose of crossing the safety chains beneath the hitch is to provide a cradle for the tongue to fall into should the hitch and ball become separated.

[whitestar505]

 mikewilley
mikewilley,
 
    I see an accident about to happen. [: (] Never put them over the top of the tougue. Let them hang about six to seven inches under the tougue crossed over. If they still drag you have another problem. Your auto is sagen  to low to the ground. My other trailer chains did that but only when I went up or down the driveway curb.  Make sure the trailer is as level as you can get it when towing. I beleive 18 inchs to the top of the ball is level for Coleman. Check your manual...[]
 
   Just looking and noticed you have a van. Yes they will almost always drag. I just got rid of my Chevy van and it was a problem. Only then it went up and down uneven areas.

[wynot]

 mikewilley
You can twist the chains enough to take up most of the slack, without interfering with either its ability to catch a breakaway tongue or affect turning.
 
 I twist my chains around each other, which leaves a few inches of clearance so that it doesn t catch on anything, doesn t drag the ground, yet provides enough slack for turns.
 
 As noted, a van is notorious for low hitches and chains can run fairly close, but you would only want them to drag in the rarest of circumstances.

[tlhdoc]

 cavman

 

ORIGINAL:  cavman
 
 Mike,
 
 The real purpose of crossing the safety chains beneath the hitch is to provide a cradle for the tongue to fall into should the hitch and ball become separated.
 

 
 You said it Caveman.

[mike4947]

 mikewilley
As one who s been involved in two breakaways (one driving and one a passenger) I can say that the chains; if the corret length and crossed under the tongue of the trailer canturn what could have been a disaster in each case into mearly a scary stop with the only damage in either case being a dent in a back bumper.
 
 Of course in both cases we also had functioning breakaway switches for the trailer brakes. Then the trailer brakes kept the trailers straight behind the TV until we could safely pull off the road and stop. The principle behind the breakaways is you can pull a string and it ll stay straight, try and push one and it goes all over. Same applies to the trailer when only connected by the safety chains, the breakes keep them tight and pulling the trailer evenly.
 
 As to setting the correct length that s trial and error because there s so much variation in the combinations of trailer and TV s. It s much easier if the TV/trailer combination sits level when towing. Coleman & for that matter most PU s are made to towed at 17 +/- 1 inch of height when hitched and at traveling weight. This is also level for the trailer.
 

[mikewilley]

 mike4947
Thanks to you all for the posts, especially Mike L. since he has had the " priveledge"  of actually seeing them in action.
 
 BTW Mike, I am curious, what caused your break away events?  I would definately like to avoid finding out if I am doing my safety chains correctly by experiment.
 
 cheers,
 mike willey

[MtnCamper]

 mikewilley
One of the better things I did on my trailer, was to get the chains exactly the right length. I used to have to twist them, and then wonder if they were too long, or too short. I took the camper out and hard turned left and right, and checked the length. Took links out until it was perfect. Now I just swing them up (crossed) and hook  em up.
 
 All this was because one time I didn t get them twisted right. I drug one chain (intermittently) across Nebraska. So I had to replace it anyway. That concrete highway ground right thru a couple links. So look at your chains. If they are ground down in a spot or two, get new ones. The right length.  
 
 This was also the same trip where I forgot to latch the refrigerator door. So I hauled all of our food across there too. Shut up in a hot camper. Think the burger was still good?[: (]

[AustinBoston]

 MtnCamper

ORIGINAL:  MtnCamper
 I drug one chain (intermittently) across Nebraska. <snip> That concrete highway ground right thru a couple links.
 
 This was also the same trip where I forgot to latch the refrigerator door. So I hauled all of our food across there too. Shut up in a hot camper. Think the burger was still good?[: (]
 

 We ve hauled across I-80 in Nebraska[:@].  The Thump-Thump would have shook a lesser pop-up to peices!
 
 Austin