Do you cross your safety chains?

LarryJM wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

mrgreetis wrote:
Mine are like Jonmad above, connected to the same spot on the a-frame so they can't be crossed. I would if I could.

Then IMO you do not understand how safety chains actually work or what they are designed to do. IMO a common attachent point is the best configuration and by crossing them *see pics below for the verbally challenged" prevents the tongue from digging into the pavement/road or from careening side to side in an emergency breakaway situation.

If this doesn't convince one of the importance of crossing the safety chains then I don't think any amount of logic or explanation will help.
Larry

Your pictures don't do much to address the real world. You show a trailer tongue without any drawbar, weight distribution bars or friction sway devices attached.

Exactly what is shown is typically what you can expect if the tongue comes off the ball which is the scenario for which the safety chains are meant for. The drawbar, hitch head and WDH bars have little to no effect in the specific scenario for which the safety chains are designed for.


Your pictures may very well illustrate the situation if you're pulling a boat or utility trailer but aren't very accurate for the average TT hook-up.

I DISAGREE and IMO they show EXACTLY what you can expect should the tongue become disconnected from the ball.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with crossing your chains. I just don't think it accomplishes anything on a TT with the chains attached at a common point. They form a "V" and if you cross them they still for a "V" and not and "X". In the two bottom pics there is no difference except you have effectively shortened the chains by twisting them.

Those pics are NOT WITH ANY TWIST in the chains. What you are seeing is how two chains lay on one another. This is totally different than actually twisting them as one previous poster suggested to shorten them. I'm sorry you are not able to understand my explanation of how crossing them forms that "cradle/skid" to prevent the end of the tongue from catching or digging into the pavement.

If you prefer to have the tongue exposed as shown in the "uncrossed" configuration as shown then be prepared to more than likely loose either or both your trailer and tow vehicle in the ensuing mayhem when that tongue "DIGS INTO THE SURFACE OF THE PAVEMENT"

Larry