Tow chains

I remember an incident about 20 years ago when a 16' utility trailer came loose, jumped the interstate median and became airborne. The tongue of the trailer hit a large sedan right at the point where the hood opens. It then peeled off the hood, went through the windshield, removed the top of the car and killed the occupants on the way through. I know this to be true - I was the first officer on the scene.

wmoses wrote:

RVJimofOregon wrote:
... or would it have been better for it to part way from the tow rig.

Better for whom? The reason that the chains are there is primarily for the protection of the other people on the road. I hope you are not considering foregoing the use of safety chains or the breakaway cable and control for the trailer brakes. :h

No way just got to thinking.

RVJimofOregon wrote:
... or would it have been better for it to part way from the tow rig.

Better for whom? The reason that the chains are there is primarily for the protection of the other people on the road. I hope you are not considering foregoing the use of safety chains or the breakaway cable and control for the trailer brakes. :h

It's never better to have no safety chains. You don't want the trailer to go off the roadway or into an opposing lane. The safety chains prevent that from happening.

I have been in a truck when the trailer came off the ball. The utility trailer broke the chains loose as the truck was slowing and careened off the right side of the road and through a highway sign, coming to a stop ahead of the truck. If the safety chains and connectors had been in good shape, the trailer would have stopped in back of the truck with much less damage. If that flat bed trailer had swung left and entered the opposing lane, any head-on traffic would have been in dire straights.

Chains help if it bounces off ball. Chains fail when the reciever rips off rig, brakes engage if and only if you hook the brake cable to the frame!

About ten years ago, my uncle was towing a jeep behind a motor home. The toad came loose, but he had safety chains attached. There was very minimal damage to both the rigs.

The problem with letting it go loose is the danger you put all the other motorists in. As the TT is careening down the road or maybe into oncoming traffic before the brakes stop it, it can do catastrophic damage.

YIKES!!! scary subject there Jim.. I have never had a TT or Fiver come off but I did have a 22ft boat come off the hitch. Safety chains saved my a*#. Not a scratch on the TV or Boat. It happend on the freeway at 60mph I took my foot off the gas did not use the brakes and the whole thing swayed to a rather abrupt stop. Boat was swinging around like a balloon in the wind. It would swing to one side tires on one side would leave the ground then swing to the other side where the same thing would happen. Right while all this was happening I still had cars passing me on the left just like nothing was happening... Ah you got to love California drivers. But to answer your question yes safety chains saved me about 60K