what are most people doing about the safety chain hookup for trailers
holes in the receiver hitch on super dutys they are elongated found out hard way this week

 

I replaced my hooks on my RV with larger ones and the issue was resolved. I only pull 1 trailer so this worked for me.

 

On my trailer, if I reverse the hooks so they come in from the under side, they fit.

 

 

Hammerlock Unions - https://smile.amazon.com/BA-Products...mmerlock+1%2F2

 

This could be the number one failure of the new gen SD. I have to carry shackles because I tow a variety of trailers. Really there's no excuse for such an oversight.

 

That's what everyone does.

 

 

The problem is that Ford went to the Class V hitch. You know the 3" receiver. They had to beef up where the chains hook for the higher trailer weights that the larger hitch brought. And yes, most of my older trailers chains don't fit now. So I will be changing the hooks over.

 

The four trailers I've pulled have all had hooks that fit within my 3" receiver. Maybe I just got lucky.

 

The 3" receiver got the useable large hook loops. The 2.5" receiver that I have has tiny slots for the trailer hooks. Stupid design, I'm out.

 

File.
Saw.
Grinder.

Almost any tool to make the holes slightly larger, should fix the issue in a few minutes.

 

I bought some shackles as well

 

Exactly this. I have never seen a hitch rated at 21,000 pounds, from the factory before. No surprise what so ever that everything on it is beefier, including the safety chain attachments.

I've seen trucks on the road, and the looks like the attachment for the chains, is just a bent piece of 3/8ths bar stock, which crappy looking welds on either end. If you somehow manage to shear a pin, I don't see them holding up very well, I have no such doubts on the hitch on my truck. There is a weak link in every system, but with this hitch, it will not be on the truck.

 

Yup, these slots on the 2.5 inch receivers can be a pain. I have 4 bumper pull trailers. 2 of each style safety chain hook shown below. I think the larger hook is actually a little easier to attach than the smaller one.
My solution for now is a couple of black powder coated shackles from Amazon.