Chains
Did I miss the memo or something about safety chains? For 30 years, I have always crossed my safety chains to provide a basket for the tongue in the horrific event the coupler comes loose of the ball....
Forum Discussion
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
I cross my chains on my TT because it's free but it won't cradle the tongue like 95% of the people on here think it will.
How do I know this? Because I've tired it. The first thing that will hit the ground if the trailer comes off of the hitch is the jack foot. It will slam into the ground and bend it to a 45 degree angle or more. Then it will grind, grind and grind some more.
If you don't believe me just do this. Lower your jack all the way down as far as it will go. Then back your truck up until your rear bumper almost touches the jack. Now hook your safety chains up. Can you hook them up? Thought so. If you can, you're not going to cradle anything.
If you chain is longer than the distance from the bottom of the ball to the ground the chain won't cradle anything. It can't. If you shorten them up, then you won't be able to make a sharp turn without them binding. (I've tried that also.)
What crossing chains will do is keep you trailer slightly more straight in the event it comes lose from the hitch.
true for the static condition. What happens if the trailer comes unhooked may be another story. If the trailer lags the tow vehicle, the chains will rise above the ground. JUst like if you tried to tow the trailer withe the chains alone. Now, if the tongue weight is less than the force pulling on the chains, it may not drop to the ground. If tongue weight is more than the tension on the chains, it will drop down and may or may not hit the ground.
If the tow vehicle is slowing faster than the trailer, well, then it will drag, but as soon as it touches, I suspect the chains will tighten and may or may not lift the tongue off the ground.
In both cases cross chains will do more to cradle the tongue than in line chains.
