trailer safety chain question
 

Hi all,

what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks

s o

trailer safety chain question
 

"s o" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks

s o


It's "permanently" attached on the trailer side. On the car, I use nothing.
Make the top of the S-hook point backward. For reasons known only to
magicians, the hooks will fall off if they point forward.

trailer safety chain question
 

In article ,
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
:"s o" wrote in message
roups.com...
: Hi all,
:
: what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
: supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks
:
: s o
:
:
:It's "permanently" attached on the trailer side. On the car, I use nothing.
:Make the top of the S-hook point backward. For reasons known only to
:magicians, the hooks will fall off if they point forward.

And if you tow in California, the law says the hooks you attach to your
vehicle must be closed...ie. no open S-hooks.

My trailer has a 1/2" diameter bolt running crossways thru the tongue
shaft, about 12" from the end of the tongue, which the safety chains
are secured to. One chain's end link is under the head of the bolt and
fender washer, the other chain's end link is secured on the other end
of the bolt by a nylon locking nut and fender washer.

trailer safety chain question
 

"Bob" wrote in message
...
In article ,
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
:"s o" wrote in message
roups.com...
: Hi all,
:
: what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
: supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks
:
: s o
:
:
:It's "permanently" attached on the trailer side. On the car, I use
nothing.
:Make the top of the S-hook point backward. For reasons known only to
:magicians, the hooks will fall off if they point forward.

And if you tow in California, the law says the hooks you attach to your
vehicle must be closed...ie. no open S-hooks.

My trailer has a 1/2" diameter bolt running crossways thru the tongue
shaft, about 12" from the end of the tongue, which the safety chains
are secured to. One chain's end link is under the head of the bolt and
fender washer, the other chain's end link is secured on the other end
of the bolt by a nylon locking nut and fender washer.

Probably a good idea. But, let's remember that California's an odd place.
"This product contains stuff known to the state of California to cause
cancer in old sneakers". And that's a label on a package of fresh
strawberries. :-)

trailer safety chain question
 

on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
and nuts)? thx

I live in CA.

Bob wrote:
In article ,
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
:"s o" wrote in message
roups.com...
: Hi all,
:
: what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
: supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks
:
: s o
:
:
:It's "permanently" attached on the trailer side. On the car, I use nothing.
:Make the top of the S-hook point backward. For reasons known only to
:magicians, the hooks will fall off if they point forward.

And if you tow in California, the law says the hooks you attach to your
vehicle must be closed...ie. no open S-hooks.

My trailer has a 1/2" diameter bolt running crossways thru the tongue
shaft, about 12" from the end of the tongue, which the safety chains
are secured to. One chain's end link is under the head of the bolt and
fender washer, the other chain's end link is secured on the other end
of the bolt by a nylon locking nut and fender washer.

trailer safety chain question
 

s o wrote:
Hi all,

what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks

s o


Just picked up a new custom made trailer today and what a treat.
The extra heavy chain is attached to two good sized hooks...the kind
with the spring loaded closer. I just have to 'snap' then onto the steel
loups which are part of my hitch receiver.

Tho old trailer (1986 model) has a system where you feed the chain ends
through the loups and then feed the s hook through one link and slip
another link over the end of the hook. Always much harder to release
than hook-up.

trailer safety chain question
 

I think the question to ask is this: What part of the trailer & hitch system
is most likely to fail and send the trailer careening off the road?



"s o" wrote in message
ups.com...
on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
and nuts)? thx

I live in CA.

Bob wrote:
In article ,
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
:"s o" wrote in message
roups.com...
: Hi all,
:
: what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
: supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks
:
: s o
:
:
:It's "permanently" attached on the trailer side. On the car, I use
nothing.
:Make the top of the S-hook point backward. For reasons known only to
:magicians, the hooks will fall off if they point forward.

And if you tow in California, the law says the hooks you attach to your
vehicle must be closed...ie. no open S-hooks.

My trailer has a 1/2" diameter bolt running crossways thru the tongue
shaft, about 12" from the end of the tongue, which the safety chains
are secured to. One chain's end link is under the head of the bolt and
fender washer, the other chain's end link is secured on the other end
of the bolt by a nylon locking nut and fender washer.

trailer safety chain question
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
I think the question to ask is this: What part of the trailer & hitch system
is most likely to fail and send the trailer careening off the road?

Coupler??
I unhooked mine at a highways weigh station today to find out my
spanking new boat trailer weighs in at 617 pounds. What a bitch of a
time getting the new coupler seated on the 2" ball. I ended up
scratching my new Ranger rear bumper fiddling around.

trailer safety chain question
 

s o wrote:
on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
and nuts)? thx

I live in CA.


I wonder if they allow those 'King Links' down there. It's like a
really big link with a barrel type fastner than can be unscrewed &
opened (about 5/16 in) and after you slide in the end link and another
(after feeding through the loup), you slide the barrel closed and screw
it tight.

trailer safety chain question
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
I think the question to ask is this: What part of the trailer & hitch
system is most likely to fail and send the trailer careening off the
road?

Coupler??
I unhooked mine at a highways weigh station today to find out my spanking
new boat trailer weighs in at 617 pounds. What a bitch of a time getting
the new coupler seated on the 2" ball. I ended up scratching my new Ranger
rear bumper fiddling around.

Hint: Get a piece of the fattest rope you can find, and keep a pair of
garden gloves in the car. Sling the rope under the trailer tongue and use it
as a handle to lift the thing. It's amazing how much stronger your legs are
when your hands have a thick enough handle, and fat rope is just the thing.
I'm talking about 1" or 2" rope. Fat. Fatness. Fatissimo.

trailer safety chain question
 

In article . com,
s o wrote:
:on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
:the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
:and nuts)? thx
:
:I live in CA.

I have used a bolt and nut before to secure the chain to my vehicle,
but only in situations where I had to for one reason or another. Not
sure if that's legal or not in CA. If you tow very much, I would find a
better and easier solution than nuts/bolts. Just make sure that
whatever you use has plenty of working load capacity...you don't want
it failing should your trailer coupler ever comes loose from the ball
mount. A strong chain does no good if the hooks that attach them to
the vehicle are weak.

trailer safety chain question
 

In article ,
Don White wrote:
:s o wrote:
: on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
: the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
: and nuts)? thx
:
: I live in CA.
:
:
:I wonder if they allow those 'King Links' down there. It's like a
:really big link with a barrel type fastner than can be unscrewed &
:opened (about 5/16 in) and after you slide in the end link and another
:(after feeding through the loup), you slide the barrel closed and screw
:it tight.

I think as long as the hook or link closes, it's legal, so I would
think that 'King Links', aka quick links, would be fine.

trailer safety chain question
 

On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:59:10 GMT, Don White wrote:

s o wrote:
on the trailer side, it's permanently attatched. on the hitch side,
the chain has no hook or what so ever. so can I just a lock or (bolt
and nuts)? thx

I live in CA.


I wonder if they allow those 'King Links' down there. It's like a
really big link with a barrel type fastner than can be unscrewed &
opened (about 5/16 in) and after you slide in the end link and another
(after feeding through the loup), you slide the barrel closed and screw
it tight.

Those are what I have on mine, but they're attached to wire cable.
--
John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

trailer safety chain question
 

On 14 Jun 2006 14:09:36 -0700, "s o" wrote:

Hi all,

what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks

s o

Whatever is used make sure the chain is CROSSED when attaching to the
vehicle so if the hitch is seperated the trailer falls into the X and
avoids falling to the road surface.

trailer safety chain question
 

I bought a pair of rubber keepers at BoatUS or West Marine for about $5 -
they last several years. Their only purpose is to keep the chains from
bouncing free. They don't prevent theft. I have a lock on my trailer coupler
and hitch receiver for theft deterrent.


wrote in message
...
On 14 Jun 2006 14:09:36 -0700, "s o" wrote:

Hi all,

what do you use to secure/lock the safety chain (the chain you're
supposed to cross from the hitch to the trailer)? thanks


Whatever is used make sure the chain is CROSSED when attaching to the
vehicle so if the hitch is seperated the trailer falls into the X and
avoids falling to the road surface.