Cross chains or not when trailering
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
m...
mswlogo wrote:

Don't let the state cop see you do that or you'll be fined.

Bull****.

The reasoning is, if you cross them and the ball fails you can
continue driving merrily down the road completely unaware that it is
off the hitch because the chains are holding it up.

Moron. I'll bet he also said not to put a safety link through the hitch
lever because there is plenty of hitch pressure to keep it locked
(actually had a U-haul moron tell me that).

It's better for the failure to make a lot of noise to alert the driver
to STOP immediately.

Nope. Hitches have this strange deal where then they come unhitched they
kind of want to go down and dig in - which, at speed, will pitch pole the
boat, trailer and what not with the resulting carnage.

This logic made perfect sense and I have not crossed them since.

I don't know who is dumber - you or the guy who told you.

Now taking a new required boating test it says cross the chains. Also
doing google searches everyone says cross them because that seems
logical to prevent damage to the trailer hitch. But who gives a crap
about the hitch. What is the safest thing to do to minmize further
havoc and to me it makes sense to not cross them.

Cross them - make sure they aren't too long and don't forget to hook up
your brake safety cable if you have one.


But Tom, crossing the chains requires an extra 2 seconds. Putting a link or
padlock through the lever takes what - 3 seconds? What if you're really in a
rush?

Cross chains or not when trailering
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
m...
mswlogo wrote:

Don't let the state cop see you do that or you'll be fined.
Bull****.

The reasoning is, if you cross them and the ball fails you can
continue driving merrily down the road completely unaware that it is
off the hitch because the chains are holding it up.
Moron. I'll bet he also said not to put a safety link through the hitch
lever because there is plenty of hitch pressure to keep it locked
(actually had a U-haul moron tell me that).

It's better for the failure to make a lot of noise to alert the driver
to STOP immediately.
Nope. Hitches have this strange deal where then they come unhitched they
kind of want to go down and dig in - which, at speed, will pitch pole the
boat, trailer and what not with the resulting carnage.

This logic made perfect sense and I have not crossed them since.
I don't know who is dumber - you or the guy who told you.

Now taking a new required boating test it says cross the chains. Also
doing google searches everyone says cross them because that seems
logical to prevent damage to the trailer hitch. But who gives a crap
about the hitch. What is the safest thing to do to minmize further
havoc and to me it makes sense to not cross them.
Cross them - make sure they aren't too long and don't forget to hook up
your brake safety cable if you have one.

But Tom, crossing the chains requires an extra 2 seconds. Putting a link or
padlock through the lever takes what - 3 seconds? What if you're really in a
rush?

Stupid is as stupid does.

Cross chains or not when trailering
 

On Feb 18, 6:21 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
om...
mswlogo wrote:

Don't let the state cop see you do that or you'll be fined.
Bull****.

The reasoning is, if you cross them and the ball fails you can
continue driving merrily down the road completely unaware that it is
off the hitch because the chains are holding it up.
Moron. I'll bet he also said not to put a safety link through the hitch
lever because there is plenty of hitch pressure to keep it locked
(actually had a U-haul moron tell me that).

It's better for the failure to make a lot of noise to alert the driver
to STOP immediately.
Nope. Hitches have this strange deal where then they come unhitched they
kind of want to go down and dig in - which, at speed, will pitch pole the
boat, trailer and what not with the resulting carnage.

This logic made perfect sense and I have not crossed them since.
I don't know who is dumber - you or the guy who told you.

Now taking a new required boating test it says cross the chains. Also
doing google searches everyone says cross them because that seems
logical to prevent damage to the trailer hitch. But who gives a crap
about the hitch. What is the safest thing to do to minmize further
havoc and to me it makes sense to not cross them.
Cross them - make sure they aren't too long and don't forget to hook up
your brake safety cable if you have one.

But Tom, crossing the chains requires an extra 2 seconds. Putting a link or
padlock through the lever takes what - 3 seconds? What if you're really in a
rush?

Stupid is as stupid does.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I cross them, it makes sense to me that crossing them is better idea
concerning saftey. besides when I was towing my single axle trailer
with my Mercury Grand Marquis, the chains would drag the pavement. and
yes, they can wear out really quick!

Cross chains or not when trailering
 

"Steve" wrote in message
...

On 17-Feb-2007, Garth Almgren wrote:

Nothing like having your boat and trailer pole-vault itself into
oncoming traffic...

It IS funny, though...might win $10K if you get it on video.

Once upon a time...... I was driving through downtown Detroit at rush hour.
Stop and go traffic both directions. There was some sort of distraction on
the road and traffic stopped suddenly in the opposite direction. A guy
towing a boat without it being tied to the trailer slams on his brakes and
the boat climbs over the front of the trailer and goes flying over the
center barrier.. Here comes a boat heading straight for my car, I was still
moving and the boat passed over the rear quarter of my car and landed right
behind me. Must of scared the crap out of the guy behind me.

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

This thread brings up a good question...

How do you determine the proper length of the chains?

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

Bob wrote:
This thread brings up a good question...

How do you determine the proper length of the chains?

I once read somewhere that the appropriate length is 70 degrees from the
points of attachment meaning that the angle between the tow vehicle
and the trailer is 70 degrees without the chains dragging on the ground.

I don't know if that is correct or not, but it seems right.

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:
This thread brings up a good question...

How do you determine the proper length of the chains?

I once read somewhere that the appropriate length is 70 degrees from the
points of attachment meaning that the angle between the tow vehicle and
the trailer is 70 degrees without the chains dragging on the ground.

I don't know if that is correct or not, but it seems right.


What about hooking up the chains, taking the hitch off the ball, letting it
rest on the chains, and see if it appears to have enough clearance to deal
with any road irregularities it's likely to encounter if it cuts loose?
Then, test for cornering, and ba da bing.

I guess the other question is this (for me, at least): If you:

- Use a safety link through the lever
- Replace the ball if it looks like the stem's being weakend by rust (or
something)
- Go over all the hardware with a torque wrench regularly

....what's likely to fail?

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:
This thread brings up a good question...

How do you determine the proper length of the chains?
I once read somewhere that the appropriate length is 70 degrees from the
points of attachment meaning that the angle between the tow vehicle and
the trailer is 70 degrees without the chains dragging on the ground.

I don't know if that is correct or not, but it seems right.


What about hooking up the chains, taking the hitch off the ball, letting it
rest on the chains, and see if it appears to have enough clearance to deal
with any road irregularities it's likely to encounter if it cuts loose?
Then, test for cornering, and ba da bing.

I guess the other question is this (for me, at least): If you:

- Use a safety link through the lever
- Replace the ball if it looks like the stem's being weakend by rust (or
something)
- Go over all the hardware with a torque wrench regularly

...what's likely to fail?

None of the above.

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:
This thread brings up a good question...

How do you determine the proper length of the chains?
I once read somewhere that the appropriate length is 70 degrees from the
points of attachment meaning that the angle between the tow vehicle and
the trailer is 70 degrees without the chains dragging on the ground.

I don't know if that is correct or not, but it seems right.


What about hooking up the chains, taking the hitch off the ball, letting
it rest on the chains, and see if it appears to have enough clearance to
deal with any road irregularities it's likely to encounter if it cuts
loose? Then, test for cornering, and ba da bing.

I guess the other question is this (for me, at least): If you:

- Use a safety link through the lever
- Replace the ball if it looks like the stem's being weakend by rust (or
something)
- Go over all the hardware with a torque wrench regularly

...what's likely to fail?

None of the above.


Have you seen or heard of failures in other parts of the system? If so,
where?

Length of chains? (Was 'Cross chains or not when trailering')
 

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

Have you seen or heard of failures in other parts of the system? If so,
where?

Tires - improperly inflated or dry rotted, wheel bearings and brake
systems - surge and electric.

I've seen older trailers with bad bunks and rollers drive a hole in a
hull so I suppose that counts.