slack in safety chains

I would attach the hook for the chains in a different way. The way you have them hooked over the top of the receiver they can easily bounce out of you were to hit a chuckhole or sharp bump..

Instead, insert them from the bottom up. Come up from beneath the receiver and hook them so the open part is facing the outside instead of inside. This way, they cannot accidentally come out of the holes.

Edit: I just noticed that your hooks have the spring loaded keeper. That would prevent them coming out. Looks like you are good to go! :)
What I said goes for those hooks without the keeper.
Barney

coolbreeze01 wrote:
Your V will make an X in a hitch failure event. Have fun.

Beat me to it. It actually IS an "X", even to begin with. Just one with unevenly divided "upper-and-lower-halves"!

Your V will make an X in a hitch failure event. Have fun.

OK, I did not get hitched up last night. At the last moment I got called back to work. Had to log in for an emergency code fix and by the time we were done, it was dark, so waited till this morning.

I'm hitched, ready for a 5 day week-end. Just gave my cat his knock-out pill, so waiting on it to "hit" before pulling out. So took the time to post the photos. Here they are:

Here's my normal set-up. One chain over the other as best as it can be. It still makes a V, not an X configuration:







Here I gave it one more chain over chain. It still creates a V, only shortens the chain. However, in the event of separation, this would create a cradle:





I do agree with the above poster's comments that the V configuration gives more control of the trailer in the event of a separation than the X configuration for all the points and reasons he indicated.

Still, no matter how hard you try, you're not going to get an X out of a V configuration chain set-up.

We're now off to Versailles State Park (Southern Indiana). Got my I phone wifi hotspot, so I'll be checking back!

Two separate chains attached to the same point at the trailer. Cross and attach to the separate points on the TV. You now have crossed safety chains. Required by law in most states, common sense in the rest.

Allow enough slack so the chains don't bind on anything at maximum jackknife. (Like when backing into a spot......)

Since my TV sits low, I leave just enough slack for them to clear the bottom of the drawbar, with them crossed. That way they won't drag. You need a lot less slack than it might seem - they're at their furthest from the TV when the TV is lined up straight.

Brake cable: I'm in the further-is-better camp. :)

Bmach wrote:
So if some states require crossed chains by law, how can trailers be sold that do not meet the requirement? My last 3 trailers had the chains attach at the same point, so there was no way to cross them.

Because the opinion of the problem of the single point attachment point is not shared by many, myself included and the belief that with that configuration is not effective is IMO simply wrong. Crossing them even with that configuration still accomplishes the same thing as having them attached on separate points. In fact IMO a single point is superior for tracking control in a breakaway situation. Having them on different points on the TT tongue IMP allows for the tongue to wander off the centerline from the direction of the TV travel and basically "careen" back and forth which personally I would not want to happen in an emergency situation. It appears all the highly paid engineers of TTs don't see the perceived downside expressed here by a few either.

Regardless of what you might believe, the law in a lot of states still require them to be crossed so the argument about whether it's good or bad is OBE and not really germane here anyway.

Larry

So if some states require crossed chains by law, how can trailers be sold that do not meet the requirement? My last 3 trailers had the chains attach at the same point, so there was no way to cross them.

Still does make any difference when the chains are attached at the same point on the A frame. They will not make the X shape unless they are attached at two different points on the tongue. Your sample shows them attached at 2 different points. Yes this will create an X shape in the chains. But from the same point you will always end up with a V shape. If the chains do not have excessive slack the trailer still should not drag in the event of separation. But the single point of attachment on the trailer tongue will not create a cradle. All you have are twisted chains.

We're camping this week-end and I'll be hitching up tonight. I'll attach a photo here after I'm hitched.

DutchmenSport wrote:
Never quite understood the crossed chain idea, since all my trailers have always had both chains attached to the frame from the exact same point. Crossing?

You cross them at the tug, Dutch!