Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.

One time a few years back I was renting a small tractor.

I went to cross the chains on the trailer when hooking it up and the
rental guy said.

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

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.

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

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

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.

It's sort of backwards logic, like it's required to have an electrical
outlet installed near a new pool installation. Because otherwise
people will use an extention cord that could end up in the pool, which
is worse than having a properly ground faulted outlet nearby for the
boombox or weed whacker.

So I wonder if over the years people have screwed this choice up of
crossing and not crossing trailer chains.

mswlogo wrote:
Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.

One time a few years back I was renting a small tractor.

I went to cross the chains on the trailer when hooking it up and the
rental guy said.

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

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.

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

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

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.

It's sort of backwards logic, like it's required to have an electrical
outlet installed near a new pool installation. Because otherwise
people will use an extention cord that could end up in the pool, which
is worse than having a properly ground faulted outlet nearby for the
boombox or weed whacker.

So I wonder if over the years people have screwed this choice up of
crossing and not crossing trailer chains.

Regardless if there is law, I will continue to cross the chains. It is
a matter of control. If the ball failed, the hitch would be held in
place by the chains. This would give better control in the stop than if
the trailer were aloud to wander at the end of the chains. The more the
trailer wander the greater the chance of the trailer jackknifing.

Secondly with the chains crossed there will never be a shorter chain on
one side than the other. A shorter chain would not allow the boat turn
freely in both directions.

--
Keith Nuttle
3110 Marquette Court
Indianapolis, IN 46268
317-802-0699

I'm with the replies so far, but with a slightly different take. If the
chains are crossed (and the right length), if the trailer comes off the
hitch, the crossed chains will keep the tounge off the ground. Imagine
traveling at 60mph, and the tounge comes off the hitch and DIGS into the
pavement. I can't imagine the end result, but I'm sure it wouldn't be
pretty.

If crossed, it creates a cradle of sorts, and the tounge stays off the
pavement. You should be able to stop safely.

--Mike

"mswlogo" wrote in message
oups.com...
Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.

One time a few years back I was renting a small tractor.

I went to cross the chains on the trailer when hooking it up and the
rental guy said.

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

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.

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

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

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.

It's sort of backwards logic, like it's required to have an electrical
outlet installed near a new pool installation. Because otherwise
people will use an extention cord that could end up in the pool, which
is worse than having a properly ground faulted outlet nearby for the
boombox or weed whacker.

So I wonder if over the years people have screwed this choice up of
crossing and not crossing trailer chains.

Huh?????
If the trailer comes off the ball -- you'll know -- weight will shift & trailer
will wobble nearly uncontrollably.

The big reason to cross is so you can make sharp turns w/o binding up the chain.

Just becuase some u-haul yard-monkey says "you'll be fined" doesn't mean he
knows what he's saying....

I've been thru 4 states with a trailer & always cross the chains -- been stopped
a few times, inspected & sent on my way -- never mentioned the chains as an
"issue" -- except one time -- when my buddy just put the chains up and they were
dragging & sparking.


On 17 Feb 2007 17:40:11 -0800, "mswlogo" wrote:

Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.

One time a few years back I was renting a small tractor.

I went to cross the chains on the trailer when hooking it up and the
rental guy said.

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

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.

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

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

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.

It's sort of backwards logic, like it's required to have an electrical
outlet installed near a new pool installation. Because otherwise
people will use an extention cord that could end up in the pool, which
is worse than having a properly ground faulted outlet nearby for the
boombox or weed whacker.

So I wonder if over the years people have screwed this choice up of
crossing and not crossing trailer chains.


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"mswlogo" wrote in message
oups.com...
Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.


Rental Guy = Moron

Around 2/17/2007 7:02 PM, Mike wrote:

I'm with the replies so far, but with a slightly different take. If the
chains are crossed (and the right length), if the trailer comes off the
hitch, the crossed chains will keep the tounge off the ground. Imagine
traveling at 60mph, and the tounge comes off the hitch and DIGS into the
pavement. I can't imagine the end result, but I'm sure it wouldn't be
pretty.

BINGO. That right there is the primary reason to cross the chains.

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


If crossed, it creates a cradle of sorts, and the tounge stays off the
pavement. You should be able to stop safely.

Crossed chains or not, you'll know about it if the ball fails.


--
~/Garth - 1966 Glastron V-142 Skiflite: "Blue-Boat"
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats." -- Kenneth Grahame
~~ Ventis secundis, tene cursum ~~

"mswlogo" wrote in message
oups.com...
Please don't give the knee jerk reply, yes of course it's the law.

Hear me out.

One time a few years back I was renting a small tractor.

I went to cross the chains on the trailer when hooking it up and the
rental guy said.

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

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.

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

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

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.

snip...

So...you want your trailer to either pitch pole behind you... or smash into
following traffic?
Go ask the next 'state cop' you see and don't tpw anything until you do.

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.

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.

"Garth Almgren" wrote in message
...
Around 2/17/2007 7:02 PM, Mike wrote:

I'm with the replies so far, but with a slightly different take. If the
chains are crossed (and the right length), if the trailer comes off the
hitch, the crossed chains will keep the tounge off the ground. Imagine
traveling at 60mph, and the tounge comes off the hitch and DIGS into the
pavement. I can't imagine the end result, but I'm sure it wouldn't be
pretty.

BINGO. That right there is the primary reason to cross the chains.

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


I saw that once. It *is* interesting to watch.