Do you cross your safety chains?

[Doug33]

This has probably been discussed elsewhere but I couldn't find it through a search.

When I bought my TT, the dealer's tech doing the walk through and hitch hook up told me you no longer have to cross the safety chains. I used to do that with my previous TT.

Recently when I had my 7 pin wiring connection replaced at a local trailer facility, the tech told me it's a law that you have to have the chains crossed. He said if the TT becomes detached, the crossed chains act as a cradle to prevent the TT from nosediving into the pavement. He also said there is a law that you have to remove your hitch if you are not towing - otherwise you can be sued if someone runs into your hitch and hurts themselves. I leave my hitch on the truck all season until the TT is winterized, and then I remove it for the winter.

[chryslermastert]

In Pa you don't have to remove the mount when not towing ...but for state inspection you cannot have anything sticking out passed the bumper. I very rarely fail one for that unless its really big,or if the owner is a know it all. Have been inspecting cars and trucks, trailers buses motorcycles for over 40 years.

[Doug33]

GMandJM wrote:

psuce wrote:
From PA Motor Vehicle Code Title 75 4905:
I have egg on my face regarding removing the ball mount. I looked into it and couldn't find anything specific. I even called the State Police, and they confirmed that it is not required to be removed. However they said the hitch cannot block the license plate or marker/turn signal lights.
This is per Pa Code Title 67 and 75.

Thank you very much for checking that out. We have occasionally left ours on with a bag over the greasy ball.

RV stores sell rubber covers for the ball, which is what we use.

I'm amazed this thread generated 8 pages of posts. Thank you all for your excellent insight and experience.

[Passin_Thru]

I own a horse trailer belonged to a gentleman in OK. He didn't have chains and it came unhooked on Hwy 18 south of Chandler Ok. Horse came out through the nose cone and landed in a bar ditch. Another guy came along and said "you'll never get that horse on another trailer!" They led him by the mane and put him on another trailer took him to a vet and the horse didn't have mark on it. Cross your chains, it's common sense. Chains need to be rated heavy enough to support the trailer also and I always go heavy.

[m_2_ak]

I never knew this was a law. I'll cross from now on.

SPECIFICATION NO.
TxDOT 550-88-71
REVISED: MARCH 2008
9 - 12
9.2.4.
Each chain shall be of sufficient length for crossing beneath the tongue to form a cradle that shall prevent the tongue from coming into contact with the road surface if the trailer hitch becomes disconnected.

[Enrigonz]

Always cross the chains while towing my boat it jayco....

[debandi]

I cross mine every time.

[hohenwald48]

I used to have motorhomes and we towed a Jeep Wrangler. I mounted the tow bar, basically a fold up "A" frame, using the same bolts that held the tow hooks to the frame/bumper. Instead of removing the tow bar I would just fold it vertical against the front of the hood. It had a latch to hold in that position but it did stick up about 3' above the hood and I put a bungee on it to stop the rattle.

I must have had a 100 people tell me it was illegal and I'd get a ticket. Towed it 10 months a year for over 8 years in every state of the lower 48 (except Maine) for more than 100K miles. No official ever said a word about it.

I had lot's of discussions with state troopers, city police, park rangers and even one US Marshal while leaning against that tow bar. Mostly they just wanted to know where we'd been and where were going next. Never gave a hoot about my tow bar.

I suspect leaving the drawbar in the receiver will get about the same level of official attention regardless of what some local ordinance might say.

[Dan_Vitale]

Crossing chains? Sure, why not. As for pulling the hitch, a cop told me it was a law because of increased damage in case someone rear-ends you, the result of insurance industry lobby he said. The insurance lobby is behind many of our motor vehicle laws.

[psuce]

Mr. Camper wrote:
Hope your mother is better.

She is better now, just has a scar. Thanks to those who wished her well.

[nickthehunter]

Mine is like LarryJM showed in his first picture. Like shown in his SECOND and FOURTH pictures, mine is already cradled, I don't need to cross my chains.

[Mr__Camper]

Texting, Phoning and inattention can be hazardous to your health.

Hope your mother is better.

[Muddydogs]

psuce wrote:
It's PA law the chains have to be crossed to create a cradle. Also in PA it's law you have to remove your ball mount (insert) when not towing something, though rarely enforced. My mom ran into one several years ago that someone left in the back of their truck in a parking lot. As she was loaded in the ambulance I almost threw it through their windshield. There is no need to leave it in if you're not towing.

Really its the hitches fault your mom ran into it? Sounds like she needs to pay attention to where she is walking.

My rigs have the hitches in them more then they don't, most likely its not my RV hitch but the general hitch to pull the boat or utility trailer.

I highly dough its law to remove them in any half way free state but I didn't even realize that it was a problem. Guess I have been dodging trailer hitches since I was old enough to walk.

[JIMNLIN]

kennyd63 wrote:
I have the same problem like Ozlander. I can NOT cross my chains on my T.T. Now does that means that I am going to get a ticket because they are not crossed?

LOL...no you won't get a ticket. At least according to my state DOT folks. I was hauling crushed cars and am DOT compliant. However the price for s**** metal fell so no money in it now.
I have a 20' 12k car hauler with the chain attach bar welded long ways with the trailer tongue underneath....not across the tongue like some of the pictures I see.

Both make a cradle.

Years back trailers came with one long chain that went through some type of loop under the trailers tongue. If the trailer became disconnected this would allow the trailer to whip back and forth almost the length of the chain.
New state regs came out. My states DOT folks said we could weld the chain to the bottom of the trailer tongue to make the cradle or cross the chains.
Trailer manufacturers (not just RV trailers) started using two chains attached to a single point under the tongue which makes the cradle. So if your trailer is as described you won't get a ticket.

[kennyd63]

I have the same problem like Ozlander. I can NOT cross my chains on my T.T. Now does that means that I am going to get a ticket because they are not crossed?

[LarryJM]

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