Safety chains - choices, choices, choices

[ShrimpBurrito]

Howdy folks -

The safety chains on my TM are now almost all covered with rust, so upon reading a very unpleasant article in the LA Times about trailer accidents, I am inspired to replace them. As I took a closer look at them, I really was surprised at how small they are. Identically sized chain at the hardware store (although not sold as safety chain for trailers) said the max load was 750 lbs. I realize the chains don't have to be strong enough to lift the trailer off the ground, and thus don't need to have a 3,500 lb capacity, but 750 lbs just doesn't seem like alot to sustain a violent separation of the trailer. But I'm not a mechanical engineer, so I don't know. The 3/8" bolt seemed a little thin also...granted it's grade 5, but still. Could be bigger and grade 8. I admit I'm a fan of slight overkill.

Anyway, the store also had a pair of cables that had a 5,000 lb rating. But according to the package, the 2 chains are designed to be connected independently from each other, unlike the OEM chain which just has the middle link bolted to the tongue. The cable is maybe 3/8" in diameter, maybe a little bigger with a steel ring inside the loop designed to be attached to the trailer. I could get a long grade 8 bolt and bolt the loops to where the chain was attached, but then they wouldn't be connected independently.

I believe new TM's are outfitted with cables instead of chains. How/where are they connected on the tongue?

Also, because I use a WDH, the tongue is further from the vehicle that it would be without the WDH, making the point at which the chains cross now forward of the tongue. This makes the cross useless in preventing the tongue from hitting the ground in case the trailer separated. Moving the trailer closer is obviously not an option, so I presume my only other option is to mount the cables or a new chain further back from where the chain is currently mounted. What do you guys think?

BTW, that article is recommended reading:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...,4802876.story

Many thanks,
Dave

[Bill]

Dave -

First, let me say as a matter of personal opinion that I really dislike the cables. Because of their Slinky-spring design, they are always getting tangled up in each other, and anything else they can reach out and grab. This makes them harder to hook up properly, though I don't suppose it is a really big deal. But this same Slinky design also causes them to rise up and get snagged in the crevice where the spring bar stubs plug into the hitch head, where they wear rapidly. I haven't gotten around to changing over to chains, but I intend to do so. I won't mind if the chains occasionally hit the ground (which is what the Slinky is designed to prevent), though of course I wouldn't want them to drag continuously.

You didn't mention whether you have a swing tongue, so I assume not. But apparently the law requires that chains/cables be attached to "a point on the fixed frame", so the attachment has to be behind the swing tongue's hinge point, which is a long way back. With chains/cables this long, I don't think there is any chance that the cradle will keep the tongue off the ground.

By the way, I'm not at all sure that I would want to keep the tongue off the ground in this situation. If the tongue is swinging wild and free, it can move forward - into the tow vehicle's gas tank.

If you want to preserve the cradle, then I think that the way to go would be to put two bolts through the two frame rails, heads on the inner side of the rails, located at whatever point is handy. Then use two independent chains/cables. And I agree, I would try to get something a bit stronger than 750 pounds.

Let us know how you solve this problem.

Bill

Originally Posted by Bill

Dave -

First, let me say as a matter of personal opinion that I really dislike the cables. Because of their Slinky-spring design, they are always getting tangled up in each other, and anything else they can reach out and grab. This makes them harder to hook up properly, though I don't suppose it is a really big deal. But this same Slinky design also causes them to rise up and get snagged in the crevice where the spring bar stubs plug into the hitch head, where they wear rapidly. I haven't gotten around to changing over to chains, but I intend to do so. I won't mind if the chains occasionally hit the ground (which is what the Slinky is designed to prevent), though of course I wouldn't want them to drag continuously.

I like the cables better than chains. It is a long way back to where the cables attach to the fixed frame behind the pivot point for the swing tongue.

I do not have a WD hitch, so I have no problems with anything getting snagged.

I hope I never need the cables, but they are always there.

[ShrimpBurrito]

I don't have the swing tongue, so that's not an issue. I just called a dealer, and they said the new trailers' cables are attached to the 2 rear bolts that attach the tongue jack to the tongue.

Good point Bill about the tongue hitting the gas tank. I would think you would want it to hit the ground to help slow it down and prevent it from wagging around. Besides, I am guessing the tongue jack will hit the ground first, even if the cables caught the tongue, so the tongue may not ever touch the ground anyway.

Also, I just found these cables -- they are straight. No slinky design. A bit pricey, but being galvanized and vinyl coated, I would hope you'd never have to buy another set.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...24011&src=SRQB

Not sure why they are 64" long though. Check out the $178 installation fee. Apparently, I am in the wrong profession.

Wayne - why do you prefer the cables?

Dave

Like Wayne, I kinda like the cables OK now, although I had to get used to them. I still do the cross connection with them, in hopes that it would still take some weight off of the tongue dragging the ground in a malfuction, especially with the TV pulling the TM with the emergency braking system tending to stop the TM....does that make sense. If so, explain it to me.

I also run the emergency braking cable through the "slinky", to keep that off of the ground.

And, if there were ever a malfuction, I can always tell the officials...."well, that is what came on the trailer".

Chap

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Wayne - why do you prefer the cables?
Dave

The coiled cables are self tightening. With chains I would have to use bungee cords to stop them from dragging on the pavement.

There are only two criteria, it seems to me, that must be met:

1. add the proper legal and feel good safety margin

2. are easy and convenient to use.

I stretch them out and hook into place.

Perhaps without the swing tongue the chains are short enough to never reach the ground yet long enough to never snap in a tight turn. I don't think this is true when the attachment point is moved back behind the swing tongue.

I can attach the safety cables with one hand. It requires two hands to plug in the electrical.

I'm happy with the coil cables and latching hooks. They are quick and easy to use but I don't have a WDH either. With 15" tires and a 2" lift the tongue is at knee height with no chance of things contacting the ground.

Years ago we were moving my step mother's 16ft boat with a Nissan Maxima wagon. The tongue mechanism was worn out and going over a bump the trailer hopped off the ball and dropped to the asphalt. Lots of noise and a little bit of swinging but not bad. Things didn't get ugly until my dad paniced a bit and stepped on the brakes. The bow came through the back window. Safety chains/cables are a pretty good idea. It had no emergency trailer brakes.

Could be bigger and grade 8.
Grade 8 bolts are less likely to stand the strain of the chains suddenly snapping tight. A grade 8 bold is for clamping force, not shear. In this application a grade 5 is sufficient and a better choice because it will stretch and/or bend before it breaks - a grade 8 will snap because it's more brittle.

I really like the slinky cables. I don't have any issue with them getting caught up in my Equalizer WDH. Quite the opposite, seems the slinky design keeps them out of the way until I want to hook them up.

Just my 2 cents...

[rickst29]

Originally Posted by Freedom

Could be bigger and grade 8.
Grade 8 bolts are less likely to stand the strain of the chains suddenly snapping tight. A grade 8 bold is for clamping force, not shear. In this application a grade 5 is sufficient and a better choice because it will stretch and/or bend before it breaks - a grade 8 will snap because it's more brittle.

Freedom's 100% on the money about this. And also, most grade 8 alloys are created with more strength, at the cost of being MUCH more prone to rust damage-- on wet roads with tire spray all over them, most will become very weak VERY fast. (The special aviation rust-resistant ones cost a lot, and they definitely aren't available from Home Depot or Lowes. )

I actually like the cables, but I also carry "spare" cheapo safety chains at all times in case something bad happens to one of the cables. Since these chains never get wet and will probably never be used even once, I didn't spend the big bucks for fancy coatings or ultra-high strength. As you see from my sig, I do have a swing hitch (although it's Dinuba RV's aftermarket mod, slightly different from the factory version in my 2006 model year). On my hitch, the safety cables attach to bolts on either side of the upper plate for the lift-- that's within the swinging portion, not back on fixed part of the A-frame. Very easy to use, I cross them underneath my WDH Hitch head.