F250 hitch rings

You could change the hook on the safety chain, many hooks fit on a ford hitch, you don't need to blame them.

Have never had a problem with hooks on my F350 with a TT, or two utility trailers. But it is typically easier to put the hooks thru the holes from the bottom than thru from the top.

As for as the shackles, I can't say.

Why not change the hooks on your safety chains?

Nominal Size (in.) Diameter of Bow Carbon Maximum Working Load (Tons) Alloy Maximum Working Load (Tons) Inside Width at Pin (in.) Diameter of Pin
3/16 1/3 n/a .38 .25
1/4 1/2 n/a .47 .31
5/16 3/4 n/a .53 .38
3/8 1 2 .66 .44
7/16 1-1/2 2.6 .75 .50
1/2 2 3.3 .81 .63
5/8 3-1/4 5 1.06 .75
3/4 4-3/4 7 1.25 .88
7/8 6-1/2 9.5 1.44 1.00
1 8-1/2 12.5 1.69 1.13
1-1/8 9-1/2 15 1.81 1.25
1-1/4 12 18 2.03 1.38
1-3/8 13-1/2 21 2.25 1.50
1-1/2 17 30 2.38 1.63
Insure screw pin is tight before each lift.
Use bolt type shackle for permanent installation.
Do not side load round pin shackle.
Use screw pin or bolt type to collect slings.


Probably not. Notice it says no side loads, which are a problem in a breakaway.

^Youre kidding right?
The whole truck and trailer will disintegrate before a 3/4" shackle comes apart! Breaking strength somewhere close to 20tons X 2 shackles.
Look at the other parts of the trailer chain/ attachment system. Guessing it's not 3/4" cable and 1/2" plate connections.
Those shackles couldn't be more overkill. They'll work fine.

BTW all rigging (shackles) if rated, have a 5x factor of safety. Braking strength is 5x the WLL.

It sounds like an issue with your trailer safety hooks rather than the truck receiver. My Ford towed many different trailers and did not have that problem. I did egg out the hitch pin hole in five years on the stock receiver but was able to get a welder to sandwich plates on the outside and drill a clean hole.

Grit dog wrote:
^Youre kidding right?
The whole truck and trailer will disintegrate before a 3/4" shackle comes apart! Breaking strength somewhere close to 20tons X 2 shackles.
Look at the other parts of the trailer chain/ attachment system. Guessing it's not 3/4" cable and 1/2" plate connections.
Those shackles couldn't be more overkill. They'll work fine.

Isn't that the truth LOL. You have to love these forums, complicating the uncomplicated since 1852. People may want to take a good look at how those chains are connected on the trailer end. Most I have seen simply have a short piece of 5/16 rod slipped through the end link on both chains, and then it's welded at each end to the underside of each main A frame member. That's usually done by some nose pickin meathead who was hired at Lippert the day prior, and whose previous experience with metal was opening Coors Light cans.

These will also get the job done in the OP's situation if a shackle is not handy in a higher indicated weight capacity than shown. Or a combination of both which I had to do on my 2015 GMC.






Now let the debate begin on how the world will come to an end, a catastrophe will happen, someone will sue, it's in violation of the Interstate Commerce act, so on and so forth etc.

Grit dog wrote:
^Youre kidding right?
The whole truck and trailer will disintegrate before a 3/4" shackle comes apart! Breaking strength somewhere close to 20tons X 2 shackles.
Look at the other parts of the trailer chain/ attachment system. Guessing it's not 3/4" cable and 1/2" plate connections.
Those shackles couldn't be more overkill. They'll work fine.

Agree the truck and trailer would be destroyed. I was looking at double the trailer weight which is about 11k and the shackles are rated at 20k

Ralph Cramden wrote:
Now let the debate begin on how the world will come to an end, a catastrophe will happen, someone will sue, it's in violation of the Interstate Commerce act, so on and so forth etc.

But what does the manufacturer's little yellow sticker say? ;)