Safety Chains
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Safety Chains
Has anyone ever had their safety chains "used" as in while towing, something happened and they were put to the test?
If so, what was the circumstances, the ride, and after-effects? Almost had the experience today myself.
If so, what was the circumstances, the ride, and after-effects? Almost had the experience today myself.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Bonita Springs FL
This didn't happen to me, but to a friend of mine. He was helping his sister move, and borrowed a 16' trailer to haul behind a chevy (the Ford/Chevy rivalry between the two of us is intense 
) and the trailer required a slightly bigger ball than the one he had on the truck. That was his second mistake. The trailer was loaded on the way there, so the weight kept the hitch on the ball.
On the return trip, the trailer was empty. No weight to keep the hitch on. This is where it got interesting.
At 60 mph, the hitch came off the ball. There was a loud clunk and the truck was almost pulled off the road. My buddy recovered and safely slowed to a stop. If it weren't for the safety chains, it would have been real ugly.
) and the trailer required a slightly bigger ball than the one he had on the truck. That was his second mistake. The trailer was loaded on the way there, so the weight kept the hitch on the ball.On the return trip, the trailer was empty. No weight to keep the hitch on. This is where it got interesting.
At 60 mph, the hitch came off the ball. There was a loud clunk and the truck was almost pulled off the road. My buddy recovered and safely slowed to a stop. If it weren't for the safety chains, it would have been real ugly.
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Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Mesa
I had a 18" boat come off the ball. One of the 2 chains held. I was using the twist links. The one that failed pulled completly appart, the other pulled appart but stayed on the receiver. Never again. I now use forged hooks with snaps. I would recomend to everyone that uses those twist links to trash them and upgrade to something much stronger.
A 5/16 link is rated at 1760 pounds and the 3/8 link is rated at 2200 pounds.
A 5/16 link is rated at 1760 pounds and the 3/8 link is rated at 2200 pounds.
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From: Dixie
I've had it happen twice, once at 60mph with a boat and again sitting still with a utility trailer.
With the boat I hit a bad bump at a bridge and the coupler failed dropping the tongue on the undercrossed chains. It jerked when it dropped and I stopped to see what was happening. The latch was missing but there wasn't any other damage.
Thirty years later I took my 6x12' utility trailer about 25 miles to get a friends golf cart. When he drove up on the ramp the trailer came off the truck but the chains kept it from hitting the tailgate and doing any damage. I must have been distracted because the coupler was locked in the open position, I never even tried to close it and had towed down there with the hitch just sitting on top of the ball. The chains would have kept it from leaving the truck even in my moment of stupidity.
With the boat I hit a bad bump at a bridge and the coupler failed dropping the tongue on the undercrossed chains. It jerked when it dropped and I stopped to see what was happening. The latch was missing but there wasn't any other damage.
Thirty years later I took my 6x12' utility trailer about 25 miles to get a friends golf cart. When he drove up on the ramp the trailer came off the truck but the chains kept it from hitting the tailgate and doing any damage. I must have been distracted because the coupler was locked in the open position, I never even tried to close it and had towed down there with the hitch just sitting on top of the ball. The chains would have kept it from leaving the truck even in my moment of stupidity.
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From: NW burbs of chicago
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From: Atlanta GA
> Has anyone ever had their safety chains "used" as in while towing
Only once when the hitch was not seated properly on the ball. Memory fails me at the moment, but, I do not think I made it to the end of the driveway. Now when I hitch up the trailer, before latching it, I get on my knees and make sure the ball is getting clamped properly from the back side.
Only once when the hitch was not seated properly on the ball. Memory fails me at the moment, but, I do not think I made it to the end of the driveway. Now when I hitch up the trailer, before latching it, I get on my knees and make sure the ball is getting clamped properly from the back side.
Last edited by rebocardo; Jun 3, 2006 at 09:22 AM.
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