TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS

[GreensvilleJay]

So I watched the video in post #55
observations

1) the ditchwitch ,while secured, seems too far back to put the normal 10-15% tongue weight on the ball.

2) looks like chain was secured to tuck with a carabiner(sp), NOT proper 'hooks' with safety clasps

3) chain doesn't look that 'bad'

4) no guardrail between road and ditch.

 

[lynnmor]

So I watched the video in post #55
observations

1) the ditchwitch ,while secured, seems too far back to put the normal 10-15% tongue weight on the ball.

2) looks like chain was secured to tuck with a carabiner(sp), NOT proper 'hooks' with safety clasps

3) chain doesn't look that 'bad'

4) no guardrail between road and ditch.

Always, always keep a considerable distance from any trailer, there are all kinds of clueless people.

 

[Henro]

I ran out of energy reading this thread at the bottom of page three.

As I said in a previous post, a good friend lost his son and two of the son's triplets, due to an improperly hooked up wood chipper being towed, coming lose, and hitting the mini van head on. The third triplet suffered serious injuries that will remain with him for the rest of his life.

Frankly, I think disputing proper hookup requirements is total BS and if anyone disagrees, then I suggest they go to the proper location and let the authorities check them out and deal with the consequences if they do not meet the local requirements.

The only way to do it is the safest way. You may not like it, but do it to protect others. If you lose loved ones due to someone thinking he knows better as far as hooking up his trailer, you MIGHT understand the importance of doing things the safest way possible.

 

[fried1765]

I ran out of energy reading this thread at the bottom of page three.

As I said in a previous post, a good friend lost his son and three of the son's triplets, due to an improperly hooked up wood chipper being towed, coming lose, and hitting the mini van head on. The third triple suffered serious injuries that will remain with him for the rest of his life.

Frankly, I think disputing proper hookup requirements is total BS and if anyone disagrees, then I suggest they go to the proper location and let the authorities check them out and deal with the consequences if they do not meet the local requirements.

The only way to do it is the safest way. You may not like it, but do it to protect others. If you lose loved ones due to someone thinking he knows better as far as hooking up his trailer, you MIGHT understand the importance of doing things the safest way possible.

Few understand the consequences of a break away trailer better than I do.
I did not lose a trailer!
My wife, son, and I, were nearly killed as a direct consequence of a break away trailer!
Our rental car was subsequently totaled!

 

[BigG]

To anyone interested:

Check this one about 4:50

 

[fried1765]

To anyone interested:

Check this one about 4:50

To paraphrase at least one OTT poster,..... ALL these people obviously subscribe to the crossed chains "urban legend", "myth", "fantasy".
Are they are each drinking the crossed chains Kool Aide?

 

[mcmxi]

To anyone interested:

Very first video "we suggest criss-crossing the safety chains" ... and even funnier, the tongue would be on the floor and not "cradled" if he removed the tongue from the hitch. Hilarious!

 

[mcmxi]

Same trailer, same tow vehicle, same chains, same speed, same pavement, same relative humidity, same atmospheric pressure, same day of the week ... the force exerted on the chains will always be more with the tongue dragging the pavement vs suspended in a cradle.

That's NOT what you stated!!

"I agree with you that pole vaulting trailers are not abundant, but the tongue catching with enough force to brake chains is a mathematical likelihood. "

That's the math I'm referring to. Not that more force is required to pull a trailer with the tongue on the ground but that the chains will break!

 

[mcmxi]

For all those adamant that chains should be crossed, go take some measurements and verify that with the chains crossed and set to a length that allows the truck/trailer to turn at max wheel lock without binding that the tongue will be "cradled" by the chains if the coupler comes off the ball. This imaginary "cradling" depends on numerous factors such as where the chains are connected to the trailer, where the chains are connected to the truck, the length of the tongue and more.

This is still fun and it's good that we're all thinking about it.

 

[mcmxi]

BTW, I love my Kimber.

What model do you have? I was the rifle engineer at Kimber for 6-1/2 years. While I was there I was hired by Bergara as a contractor to design the BXR which I did. I got 10 units with a special serial number ... MCMXI-1 through MCMXI-10. I sold 8 at cost to Kimber coworkers and gave one to a friend. I kept -1 for myself.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

something else to think about... is that NO semi-tractor-trailer HAS safety chains, crossed or not.....
should give you a nice warm feeling when behind a fully loaded 'big rig'.

 

[fried1765]

something else to think about... is that NO semi-tractor-trailer HAS safety chains, crossed or not.....
should give you a nice warm feeling when behind a fully loaded 'big rig'.

So then: Per omniscient posters on OTT, be it hereby established, that trailer crossed safety chains are not necessary nor useful.
The folks in the videos shown, are simply a short crop of fools!

 

[mcmxi]

So then: Per omniscient posters on OTT, be it hereby established, that trailer crossed safety chains are not necessary nor useful.
The folks in the videos shown, are simply a short crop of fools!

Not just members here! FORTY SEVEN states in the US don't require the life saving, problem solving, cradle making, life saving, crossed chains. How can that be if they're such a panacea?

Look at the trailer in the Trash Talks Wonderful Tractors (TTWT) channel. Once again, you think the chains crossed as shown would keep the tongue off the ground if the trailer separates from the ball?

 

[Lil Foot]

I think too many here have watched too many Hollywood movies. This is another myth. You seriously think the trailer tongue is going to dig in and "pole vault" the trailer? Mythbusters disproved this urban legend with trucks dropping driveshafts due to universal joint failure at the transmission output.

You could argue that the tongue dragging on the ground would act to brake the trailer due to resistance.

If myth busters is the source of your data, you are poorly informed.
They have been proven wrong time after time, and are at best marginal entertainers, poor technicians, and worse scientists.
I will believe everything the US Coast Guard says before one word that myth busters spew.

Now I know you must win the argument with another answer to this, but I have neither the bandwidth nor the patience to play along, so I'm out.

 

[fried1765]

If myth busters is the source of your data, you are poorly informed.
They have been proven wrong time after time, and are at best marginal entertainers, poor technicians, and worse scientists.
I will believe everything the US Coast Guard says before one word that myth busters spew.

Now I know you must win the argument with another answer to this, but I have neither the bandwidth nor the patience to play along, so I'm out.

The argument against crossed trailer chains, as put forth by mcmxi, is 100% spurious!
END OF STORY !

 

[mcmxi]

The argument against crossed trailer chains, as put forth by mcmxi, is 100% spurious!
END OF STORY !

That's your opinion and nothing more. The only argument that I've made against the need to cross chains is that no one here has presented a single shred of evidence to show that they do what you claim they do. All anyone has done is provide links to videos of "experts" stating that you should do it but no actual data. Seriously, go hook up your trailer and prove that the chains will "cradle" the tongue but of course you won't becuase life is all opinion for you and actually getting off your butt requires effort.

I don't believe in Santa Claus, the existence of God or Gods, the validity of a book of fairy tales called The Bible, Allah or any other mythology that make you all feel warm and fuzzy and give the illusion that your life has purpose, that you're important, that you're safe or that someone is looking out for you.

It's all Dogma.

 

[Crash277]

something else to think about... is that NO semi-tractor-trailer HAS safety chains, crossed or not.....
should give you a nice warm feeling when behind a fully loaded 'big rig'.

A 5th wheel is a bit different than a ball and coupler. Under tension a 5th wheel can’t come undone. Ever hauled one? I’m sure you have seen at least 1 transport in the ditch. On its side trailer still connected.

 

[mcmxi]

If myth busters is the source of your data, you are poorly informed.
They have been proven wrong time after time, and are at best marginal entertainers, poor technicians, and worse scientists.
I will believe everything the US Coast Guard says before one word that myth busters spew.

Now I know you must win the argument with another answer to this, but I have neither the bandwidth nor the patience to play along, so I'm out.

Once again, you've presented nothing in the way of evidence. At least Mythbusters made an effort, and like any scientist, mistakes are made. Clearly you've never done any scientific research since being proven wrong is part of the scientific method .... duh!

What we know through scientific research is constantly evolving. Just yesterday a research paper has put into the doubt the validity of a daily regimen of aspirin to prevent a heart attack. This was thought to be solved science. There are hundreds if not thousands of examples of "solved science" being updated.

No one here knows for certain that crossing chains works the way it's believed to. You're simply regurgitating what you've heard from others and taking the safety police moral high ground because that's the easy path. No surprise here.

And again. 47 states do not require the chains to be crossed.

 

[fried1765]

That's your opinion and nothing more. The only argument that I've made against the need to cross chains is that no one here has presented a single shred of evidence to show that they do what you claim they do. All anyone has done is provide links to videos of "experts" stating that you should do it but no actual data. Seriously, go hook up your trailer and prove that the chains will "cradle" the tongue but of course you won't becuase life is all opinion for you and actually getting off your butt requires effort.

I don't believe in Santa Claus, the existence of God or Gods, the validity of a book of fairy tales called The Bible, Allah or any other mythology that make you all feel warm and fuzzy and give the illusion that your life has purpose, that you're important, that you're safe or that someone is looking out for you.

It's all Dogma.

"of course you won't because life is all about opinion for you and actually getting off your butt requires effort".

WOW!
You have absolutely no idea of who I am, or what I have accomplished in my life.
You are a prime subject for an anger management intervention!
I too, am done with you!

 

[mcmxi]

Here's a challenge. Find a single case where a trailer did something terrible when it decoupled that was directly attributed to the chains NOT being crossed. This should be easy right.