Chain hanger-gadget

Ralph Cramden wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

drsteve wrote:
Twisting the chains to shorten them is not a good idea.

https://mechanicalelements.com/twisting-safety-chains/

LOL, the guy who wrote that dissertation has to be a member of an RV forum. Talk about complicating the uncomplicated. It's a safety chain for a trailer, not rigging for the erection of a precast box girder for a highway overpass.

Twisting a turn or two to take up slack will never hurt a **** thing. He should write up an article about how the RV manufacturers attach the chains to the A frame which is the weak point about 99% of the time. It's usually a small length of 3/8" rod through both chains and welded by some half assed welder at Lippert.

While some might give your post and opinion some weight, I think it is one that I would recommend others to completely disregard and view as pure speculation and hyerbole. The article you dismiss is IMO very informative and excellent and clearly suggests that twisting safety chains enough to significantly effect their length which is what we are discussing here is CLEARLY NOT A PRUDENT IDEA and proves clearly that twisting WILL REDUCE their strength.

Also, IMO your blanket statement about the attachment point being the week link is IMO again GROSSLY EXAGGERATED and FALSE. Below is an actual picture of a single attachment point on my trailer which I believe to be a Lippert frame since it has Lippert axles, but I can't be 100% sure. It clearly shows the diameter of the rod used for the attachment point is MUCH larger than the chain and appears to be close to twice the diameter of the chain. While I can't give quantitative numbers (I don't factually know the specific type of material of either the chains or attachment point shown in the picture) it is clear to me and should be to others that the attachment point is not insignificant strength wise and since it only needs to equal the GVWR of the trailer like each chain it's entirely plausible that could well be true for the 7500lb GVWR trailer shown in this picture.



My recommendation is DO NOT TWIST your safety chains to shorten them!!!

ON EDIT One final point is that if you twist the chains enough to effect their length I would think this could result in each chain being a different length when under tension in a break away scenario. If you believe as I do having the chains crossed and equal lengths will help keeping a disconnected trailer centered behind the TV in a breakaway scenario twisting them could adversely effect that significantly.

Larry

"I think", "IMO", "IMO again", "suggests that twisting", "which I believe", "I can't be 100% sure", and "I don't factually know".

Followed by "clearly shows", "clearly suggests", "proves clearly" and "could adversely" LOL.

I give you.......The Chain Police...........Sorry I got your panties all twisted Larry.

At least I'm honest and not stating pure speculation as fact like you did. If you can't understand your "twisting a turn or two won't hurt a thing" w/o supporting facts is a disservice to members reading your post then I guess your followup post definitely gives readers a clear understanding of what should be given the correct weight in making their own informed conclusions since you were unable to address the actual information I presented, but only to attempt to disparage the poster who correctly presented the information with the appropriate caveats. Unlike you I even tried to give actual pictures (i.e. what you called "the weak link" in the chain attachment point) clearly IMO demonstrating the baseless and bum information in your post that you presented somehow as factual.

BTW I will wear whatever badge you want to give me and thank you for caring about my panties, but they are just fine and probably less twisted than yours ;)


Larry