Safety chain placement
It seems like you are supposed to mount your safety chains (criss-cross - just learned that) on the hitch receiver mounted to the vehicle. Does it not make more sense to mount to the FRAME of the vehi...
Forum Discussion
wnjj wrote:
Crossing the chains is also about keeping their length consistent (and minimal) no matter how sharp you turn. Just like making sure the wiring is resting above or near the coupler.
If the trailer comes uncoupled and the trailer brakes lock up, crossed chains will track straighter. The tongue can't move sideways if crossed chains are under tension, unlike parallel ones.
You made a very subtle comment that everyone but you have failed to understand from the posts so far as I have read them. Crossed chains makes the tongue track straight and not careen side to side like uncrossed chains allow. Also, for the gent that thinks they will always brake ... they are not designed to keep a trailer on its side atrtached to a vehicle. A trailer like that is not going to travel very far and the whole safety system has been compromised since the brakes and emergency braking is non existant and I'm amazed that this gent didn't understand the apples to oranges comparison he was IMO not understanding. Finally, while crossing the chains might not keep the tongue completely front hitting the pavement they will provide a "SKID" area where the cross very close to the end of the tongue and help prevent the end of the tongue from "DIGGING" into the pavement.
My take is keep the chains as short as possible, cross them and attach them and the break away cable to the vehicle and not the receiver. Also, have the brake away laynard short enough that it activates the brakes before the chains fully extend. Lastely, stay off your TV brakes, not even think about messing with any manual fiddling with your brake control, keep both hands and the wheel, and "HOLD ON" for dear life.
Larry
