I need to extend my safety chains. My camper gvwr is almost 8,000 lbs. There are two safety chains, just like all trailers. So would replacing or extending each chain with 5,000 lb weight rated chain work? Would that mean that the total would be 10,000 lbs. since there are two chains? I know whatever I use to extend my chain will need to be rated at 5,000 lbs. Thanks

My opinion? Bigger, stronger, more hefty is always better. If you are switching them out anyway, go for all the glory you can afford. In the event you ever do need their service, you will have no regreats with your decision you make now.

If lengthening a safety chain, I would replace the entire chain. If shortening a safety chain, I would use a double clevis link. If the link fails, the original length safety chain will still hold. I would never use this to lengthen a safety chain because if this fails, you have no safety chain. (I have a utility trailer that I pull with 2 different vehicles. The safety chains are perfect for the truck, but too long for the minivan. I use these links when using the minivan.)

JFI....All trailers don't have two chains but one chain attached with a fastener in the middle of the chain. Some trailer required the single chain to be looped around the skid plate on the bottom of the tongue. Most trailers today probably have two chains. I use 3/8" gr 70 transport chain on my 10k car hauler (two chains attached to 1/2" loop welded to the bottom of the trailer tongue. And 3/8" grade 70 slip hooks with safety latches. One area I see some rv folks get in trouble is using a good chain with the proper load capacity but then use some type of "hook or latch" that doesn't have enough capacity. When the trailer leaves the ball its shock loads that can break a chain or a hook when it falls or a sudden left/right movement.

E-trailer has new chains at reasonable prices. Just had to replace them on my cargo trailer.

Remember actual load rated stamped chain/rigging is service rated for 1/5th of its yield strength. You're only going to "use " the chains once, if ever. Any 3/8" hardware store chain will keep the trailer attached to the tow vehicle. And honestly, there are 2 schools of thought here. 1 is hitch pops off or breaks or whatever, going straight down a nice road. Safety chains are nice in that they'll maybe keep everything together and get it stopped while minimizing damage. The other is, you're coming down a winding mtn road with no guard rails or doing 75 around a curve in the freeway and the same thing happens. Do you really want to be connected to your trailer anymore at this point?I'll take the insurance claim on the trailer over barrel rolling off the freeway with my trailer or plunging to certain death off the Mountian still attached to my beloved camper!And fwiw, I'm not being sarcastic. There is little chance the trailer is coming off the hitch. There's already a really small probability you're going to crash your truck and trailer and only a small % of that small probability is from the hitch coming unhooked unless you're an idiot or have a brain fart and don't latch it down. Poor loading/sway is the greatest contributor and again in that case if the trailer is going left when it leaves the hitch and I'm going right, I'd rather part ways with the trailer. Unless just towing locally in protected areas, I typically make sure there's a weak link in the safety chain/cable setup. Like I said, unless going straight when it happens, I want the trailer to be gone, no more, not attached, pretend it was never there in a shtf moment. Most of my recreational towing is in the second scenario and some of my work towing is as well. I'll take "broken safety chains for $400 Alex,"

Safety Chains | Good Sam Community

Bobbo
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2018
Grit dog wrote:
Well, I didn’t figure that my theory would be very popular, but go back and re read what I wrote. I DO use safety chains/cables on all trailers.
I use whatever the trailer came with. And it’s not like I hookthem with baling wire to the hitch. I could keep the trailer behind me if it pops off the hitch or whatever, driving down the road.
But what I am trying to prevent is “going down with the ship” in an extreme scenario. Like say you’re cruising down the mountain, curvy road, and anoncoming vehicle crosses the centerline and clips the trailer. Or have to make an evasive maneuver to avoid that vehicle that crossed over and either way, end up detaching and the trailer drops off the roadside trying to take me with it. I like some chance of not getting yanked over the edge by a trailer that can or does weigh more than the tow rig.
Small chance that’ll happen? Sure.
But it’s the same small chance that you’ll actually have the trailer come disconnected in the first place.

OK, fair enough. Please tell me about this

Grit dog wrote:
I typically make sure there's a weak link in the safety chain/cable setup

weak link that knows when you are on a curvy road/clipped trailer/mountain road so it knows when to let go, and knows when you are passing a caravan of school buses so it knows when NOT to let go. I, also, would like a weak link that can tell the difference. I always thought a weak link was always a weak link.
ppine
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2018
Obviously some people do not get the concept of "safety" chains.
I see people using fake carabiners not rated for weight.
I like boat hardware, especially things like galvanized anchor shackles to connect chains to the truck hitch. Make sure all of your hardware is rated to handle the weight of your trailer.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 01, 2018
It's ok, no one has to agree w me on this one.
No, they're not "smart links" and yes I believe they'll keep the trailer behind me if I'm tooling down the road and forget to latch the hitch. And no I'm not absolutely certain they'll let go if/when I'd rather they let go than stay attached, but I drive enough narrow mountain roads with trailers big enough to take me with them off the side, that I'm hoping if that were the case I could get em to cut loose.
And yes, I've had it happen, someone came over center line and clipped my trailer, with theirs, I believe. They keep going and I couldn't turn around to get them. Luckily it was just a minor sideswipe that took out my fender and front trailer tire. Also had another RV come over center and take his mirror off on mine because he had no idea how wide his rental was. Actually told me I should have moved off the road because his RV was "really wide". Weird, because I had an 8' wide camper on at the time too and looked in the mirror and was riding the outside of the fog line because Wally was over center line.
Oh and saw it last week on Chinook pass, someone came over center and took the front of a pickup off on the front corner of a camper. Camper was fuubarred and not hooked up after the incident. Not sure who was at fault, but lucky it was a straight stretch of road where it happened.
So yeah I trust my ability to latch my trailer hitch over EVERYONE else's ability to stay in their lane.

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