Safety chains - a probably dumb question!

BillCB

My 2024 T@B 400 has an attachment on each chain, a few inches back from the hooks. They are held to the chain with small steel rings. What are they for?

TourDeForth

My first guess is they are so you can suspend the chains so they don’t drag on the ground without shortening the chains. In some states you’ll get a ticket if your safety chains are dragging and making sparks, just a guess.

pthomas745

A picture can help.

What sort of attachment?  

Grumpy_G

I've seen some better safety chains having a metal data tag on them, is that what you are referring to as attachment ? 

Bill&Suze

Grumpy_G said:

I've seen some better safety chains having a metal data tag on them, is that what you are referring to as attachment ? 

Our 2024 400 has such a tag that reads Advantage Sales & Supply along with strength data for the chains, but it is attached with a split ring close to where the chains are fastened to the camper frame, opposite end from the hooks.

Mickerly

Most of the NuCamp trailers have chains bolted to the trailer frame. Connect your trailer straight behind the tow vehicle. Then unbolt the chains from the trailer. Reattach with the chains hanging about 3 inches. Don't cut off the extra. You may want some if you sell the trailer or buy a new tow vehicle.

BillCB

Bill&Suze said:

Grumpy_G said:

I've seen some better safety chains having a metal data tag on them, is that what you are referring to as attachment ? 

Our 2024 400 has such a tag that reads Advantage Sales & Supply along with strength data for the chains, but it is attached with a split ring close to where the chains are fastened to the camper frame, opposite end from the hooks.

This exactly what I have - I guess they're for information, not something practical

BillCB

Mickerly said:

Most of the NuCamp trailers have chains bolted to the trailer frame. Connect your trailer straight behind the tow vehicle. Then unbolt the chains from the trailer. Reattach with the chains hanging about 3 inches. Don't cut off the extra. You may want some if you sell the trailer or buy a new tow vehicle.

Thanks - I'll do that. Mine sag about 6-8 inches.

Bill&Suze

@BillCB, if you want to maintain full chain length for those times when the outside chain is about at its maximum extension (TV and camper about to jackknife) consider using a product called Chain-Up https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/products/chain-up/. Last summer another forum member suggested this. I've found that it keeps the chains hung conveniently above the road. The only downside is that if you keep your hitch ball lubricated the rubber hanger can become pretty dirty after a few times of slipping it on and off the ball. Gloves come in handy.

AnOldUR

I've never tested it, but the theoretical reason behind criss-crossing the chains is to catch the coupler if it disconnects from the ball mount. This should reduce the chance of the coupler digging into the ground and potentially flipping the trailer. 

When ever I see these methods that hold long chains up rather than having them attached at a length that prevents dragging, it make me think that it defeats the purpose of the criss-cross cradle. It would be interesting to see a real life test of this.

Chopin

Bill&Suze said:

@BillCB, if you want to maintain full chain length for those times when the outside chain is about at its maximum extension (TV and camper about to jackknife) consider using a product called Chain-Up https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/products/chain-up/. Last summer another forum member suggested this. I've found that it keeps the chains hung conveniently above the road. The only downside is that if you keep your hitch ball lubricated the rubber hanger can become pretty dirty after a few times of slipping it on and off the ball. Gloves come in handy.

I'm not sure what the purpose of this is. My understanding is that chains should be long enough to allow the full range of motion when you turn, but short enough to catch the coupler if the trailer disconnects and prevent it contacting the ground. An easy way to shorten the effective length of your chains for this purpose without making any permanent alterations is just to buy a couple of locking carabiner chain links. You can use these to hook two links in your chain to take up enough slack to get the length you want.
https://www.amazon.com/Yolmooat-Carabiner-M6-Connectors-Equipment/dp/B0F6JVT2GN/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2TD082FQ59CG3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YsfgHsNg4P-lF2SQ63bqMf6IFnlHiOK6f-J5gjK8iHi1pDrzDRsgJtHSGzPy0_Ov0AJszP7EbEWJYAU1A0UO5-MtacolItWmcX58uEZ3eSx5UeSYvGw7yzfzTkOWR03i8j_As08AK-VywW2grctBbq6uiyrZzvvBLQ4Gdx-cL57ry2XOezX1ABSRBj2gEed0iNigS-CZDsd2poazm-yq7zWr8WlNKdkkH9a1fdq08XA.n9-Lec9cTlFG5FP6ZN1zdY5JXJoDLY4fSxR2StAkdSY&dib_tag=se&keywords=chain+link&qid=1757511865&sprefix=chain+link%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-5

rfuss928

It is a misconception that the safety chains will prevent the trailers coupler from contacting the ground. 
When the coupler disconnects and drops toward the ground the trailer moves toward the TV and the chains easily allow the coupler to contact the ground.  A slowing TV will force the tongue even closer to and under the TV and the safety chains will become completely slack.  If the trailer brakes engage, the entire trailer moment of inertia is driving the tongue toward the ground.
With the recommended 16 inch ball height and 26 inch chains connected 4 inches below the ball, crossing the chains will make no difference in preventing this.
The safety chains are to prevent the trailer from careening off unrestrained and unguided. 

pthomas745

The safety chains, when crossed, form a cradle that supports the trailer tongue. If the coupler disconnects, and the distance between the vehicle and trailer increases, the chain tension will support the trailer tongue long enough for you to get the trailer/vehicle under control.  This is a section of the chain discussion from the Purdue Extension "Keep the Trailer Attached To the Vehicle" document that describes the chains and connecting the trailer in detail.  

The Safety chain discussion starts on page 42 of the Purdue brochure here.

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ppp/ppp-92.pdf

qhumberd

The length of the chains is clearly crucial, but properly placed chains can keep the tongue off the pavement. 

I had a large U-Haul trailer hooked up by the dealer to my truck, and the hitch disconnected less than a mile after I got on the road. I was on a long downgrade and the tongue went under the truck and tried to sway out of control but the crossed chains worked and when I got the TV stopped the hitch was resting on the crossed chains, off the pavement.

Marceline

Chopin said:

Bill&Suze said:

@BillCB, if you want to maintain full chain length for those times when the outside chain is about at its maximum extension (TV and camper about to jackknife) consider using a product called Chain-Up https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/products/chain-up/. Last summer another forum member suggested this. I've found that it keeps the chains hung conveniently above the road. The only downside is that if you keep your hitch ball lubricated the rubber hanger can become pretty dirty after a few times of slipping it on and off the ball. Gloves come in handy.

I'm not sure what the purpose of this is. My understanding is that chains should be long enough to allow the full range of motion when you turn, but short enough to catch the coupler if the trailer disconnects and prevent it contacting the ground. An easy way to shorten the effective length of your chains for this purpose without making any permanent alterations is just to buy a couple of locking carabiner chain links. You can use these to hook two links in your chain to take up enough slack to get the length you want.
https://www.amazon.com/Yolmooat-Carabiner-M6-Connectors-Equipment/dp/B0F6JVT2GN/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2TD082FQ59CG3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YsfgHsNg4P-lF2SQ63bqMf6IFnlHiOK6f-J5gjK8iHi1pDrzDRsgJtHSGzPy0_Ov0AJszP7EbEWJYAU1A0UO5-MtacolItWmcX58uEZ3eSx5UeSYvGw7yzfzTkOWR03i8j_As08AK-VywW2grctBbq6uiyrZzvvBLQ4Gdx-cL57ry2XOezX1ABSRBj2gEed0iNigS-CZDsd2poazm-yq7zWr8WlNKdkkH9a1fdq08XA.n9-Lec9cTlFG5FP6ZN1zdY5JXJoDLY4fSxR2StAkdSY&dib_tag=se&keywords=chain+link&qid=1757511865&sprefix=chain+link%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-5

The purpose is to keep chains from dragging on the road, which is a severe fire hazard and can earn you a ticket in some parts of the country.

The connectors you posted would be fine if just used for the purpose of keeping the chain from dragging on the ground, but depending on how the trailer moves after it comes disconnected from the TV, there's a good chance that those links will break. They're not rated for a big enough load. When I dropped a 1400# boat trailer going 60mph even the eye hooks that came with the chains were severely deformed by the time I brought everything to a halt. 

Marceline

rfuss928 said:

It is a misconception that the safety chains will prevent the trailers coupler from contacting the ground. 
When the coupler disconnects and drops toward the ground the trailer moves toward the TV and the chains easily allow the coupler to contact the ground.  A slowing TV will force the tongue even closer to and under the TV and the safety chains will become completely slack.  If the trailer brakes engage, the entire trailer moment of inertia is driving the tongue toward the ground.
With the recommended 16 inch ball height and 26 inch chains connected 4 inches below the ball, crossing the chains will make no difference in preventing this.
The safety chains are to prevent the trailer from careening off unrestrained and unguided. 

Speaking from experience... it depends. If you're on an upgrade, the chains will go taut. And you should absolutely not hit the brakes on your TV (which would cause the trailer to ram into the back end of your TV). I came out of an incident at 60mph pretty unscathed because 1) it was an upgrade and 2) I took my foot off the gas and coasted to a stop.

AnOldUR

Marceline said
" ... 1) it was an upgrade and 2) I took my foot off the gas and coasted to a stop."

The other thing you can do is use the manual lever on you brake controller to lightly apply just the trailer brakes. This is the reason to have your breakaway brake cord long enough so that it doesn't pull the pin unless your chains have failed and the trailer has been completely separated from the tow vehicle. 

If your trailer emergency brakes engage while the chains are still connected it will lock up the trailer brakes. This will make it more difficult to move to the shoulder and manage a controlled stop. The emergency brakes main purpose is the prevent a runaway trailer.