Safety chain and breakaway brake cable

judymac

Opinions please as we are finding no set rules.
Do you want the safety chain longer or shorter than the brake cable?
In other words, in worst case scenario, which would you want to activate first?

radren

safety chains 

mawebb

You definitely want more slack on the brake cable (break-away). The chains should act first in the event that the trailer comes off the tow ball. That is why you want to cross the safety chains as you want to create a cradle to keep the tongue from digging into the pavement. Only if the chains then fail, do you want the brakes to apply, to prevent a runaway situation. The brake cable is an off /on device. Once the pin is pulled by the cable, the brakes are full on and will not go off until either the pin is put back in, or the battery is depleted. As noted, the battery is necessary to make this all work. If the battery is discharged, or disconnected, the break-away feature will not work. The assumption is that once your trailer has departed from the TV, the electrical cable from the TV is no longer connected either. As a final note, don't use the brake-away switch as a parking brake, as it will not be good for your brakes or electrical system.

mawebb

Just read the Purdue report:
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/PPP/PPP-92.pdf
Apparently there are two schools of thought on brake cable length versus safety chain. I am of the belief that the brakes are the final step. One other thing that I should have noted, is for this to work, the brake cable must be attached to a point other that the chains to ensure that it is the last thing to let go, before the trailer is fully on it's own. To a large part, if you do regular maintenance and keep everything in good working order, you will hopefully never have to rely on any of the safety mechanisms. It's all about preventing a failure.

judymac

Thank you both!  I have read the Purdue report twice. 
There are 2 schools of thought and I have read the Mouse House escapade twice as well. We are now clear on this and another problem solved.  
We have towed our T&B once and both of us did a walk around 2 times.
We don't have a lot to offer as newbies, but you have helped us tremendously

RZRBUG

If I could throw another curve into the discussion, some of the T@Bs like mine (2013) do not have electric brakes.  If I understand correctly, the process is basically the same, but the brakes are mechanical and do not depend on the battery for operation.

Cyclonic

Yes, that is right Larry, the surge brakes are hydraulically activated and do not need the battery to activate, but otherwise work about the same.

Another note, at least with my 2012 T@B, the safety chains are connected to the trailer in the same location, with the same bolt, and thus crossing the chains on them does not work.

It is all about preventive maintenance.  Not just a walk around while towing, but also every now and again checking your hitch, getting under the TV and looking for corrosion, making sure the ball is secured to the draw bar, and making sure the pin holding that draw bar in is in good shape.

Friends of a friend had a hitch fall out from under them while towing their pop-up last summer.  They were lucky my friend was right behind them and saw the problem.  It had rusted away and broke away from the TV's frame.  Very bad things could have happened.

bigmatt

W

RZRBUG

Good points, Nathan.  My chains are the same.  I have considered changing the chains so that they could be crossed, but have not yet done so.

Cyclonic

I have thought about drilling new holes and splitting the chains, but it is pretty low on my priority list.  As long as, given something goes wrong, they are connected properly I don't think I will have a problem.

ChanW

Thank you for the link to the Purdue report. It's excellent, & should be required reading for anyone pulling a trailer. Maybe annually!

For myself, It gave me a good reality check. Reminds just how much others are at risk if my trailer's unsafe...

Glad we opted for the TV with the higher tow rating...

DurangoTaB

Outstanding report!  Thanks for sharing..

RZRBUG

I lost the metal tag from my safety chain and was wondering if it was required in case highway patrol had some reason to inspect the trailer.  I know many states require that all components of the towing assembly be labeled.  I didn't find a definite answer to that question, but I DID find something else I should pass on.

I found regulations in three states (at which point I quit looking) that require that towing safety chains be crossed when towing. Those states were Maryland, North Dakota and Oregon.  I'm assuming that other states have similar regulations.

So, guess I need to find a way to change the single attachment point on the chains on my T@B so they can be crossed.  I don't know if folks at the factory are still installing single attachment points, but they may need to made aware of these regulations.

ChanW

I too have been stumped by the 'single attachment point' of the safety chains on our 2014 model. The crossed chains are important in my opinion, and do make a lot of sense.

But you'd think Little Guy would have that kind of knowledge, considering the fact that they're in the business of building trailers. 

Has anyone heard Little Guy's response to this conundrum? (Mike Smith, can you ask your LG contact?)

Also, would it be better to drill holes in the tongue frame (and where?), or to have the chain welded on?

Will probably need the chains to be lengthened, as well...

skwhee

On our 2015 T@B came with a two point chain attachment and longer chains. Apparently this is a new modification.
Steve & Karen

ChanW

Thanks Steve, just what I needed.

RZRBUG

Thanks for the photo, Steve.  Chan, from what I've read, it is not recommended to weld a safety chain.  They say it weakens the metal, and there's always the chance the weld could break loose if not done right.  It should be a relatively simple mod following the example in the above photo.  Just need to be sure that all bolts, links, etc. are heavy duty.  You know what they say about the weakest link.

Gid

With the Dutchman T@B you defiantly want the brake cable shorter than the chains. You also want them crossed.I would think even with electrical brakes you would want the same and your control cable even longer. The breaks will cause the trailer to pull back from the tow vehicle. Preventing it from damaging the car. Neither the Dutchman nor the LG breaking system lock the breaks. Also you do not want to twist the chains to get them to the correct length. I tie a section of bungee cord through the chain links to keep it off the ground. The chain should be able fully extend as the bungee stretches.

geromo

my chains also are hooked to a single point. I bought a "snap link" rated at 5000lbs and attache it to both chains about 4-5 inches from the ball. If the hitch comes loose it "should" be caught by the link.

RZRBUG

geromo said:

my chains also are hooked to a single point. I bought a "snap link" rated at 5000lbs and attached it to both chains about 4-5 inches from the ball. If the hitch comes loose it "should" be caught by the link.

I don't see why something like this wouldn't work, especially if you place the link about where the chains would otherwise cross.  I might even add a short length of chain with connectors between the two tow chains.  I will need to wait until I have a chance to hook up to the trailer and give it some thought after I can see what the actual results will be.  Certainly simpler than reattaching the chains to separate points, which would probably require lengthening the chains.

geromo

i though about the short length of chain but went with the snap link as i could just undo it for storage easier.

RZRBUG

For some reason, this crossed-chain business kept bugging me, so today I bought the chain and connections to redo mine.  After taking a closer look at the single-point attachment, it just didn't look all that substantial to me.  The new chain is also heavier duty material.  I anticipate this will be a rather simple process.  Drilling new holes in the metal plate will likely be the biggest problem.

RZRBUG

The best laid plans....sometimes turn out even better.  After much effort, I was able to drill my first hole in the metal plate so that I could attach two separate chains.  Then it dawned on me that I could use the bolts that attaches the plate to the tongue.  (This is the plate on which the tongue jack is mounted.)  I would, however, need longer bolts since the original ones would not allow the addition of the chains.  I removed one and went to the local hardware store and purchased a couple that are one inch longer.  I then replaced the bolts and attached the chain to the bottom.  I bought two stop/lock nuts to attach the chains, then also put the original nut on top of that since I had the extra length in the bolts.  I also bought extra washers so that I could have one on each side of the attached chain link.  I then had to hitch the tow vehicle to the trailer so that I could get an accurate length and cut the chains with bolt cutters.  Last step was to attach the hooks to the chain that I removed from the old one.  Mission accomplished.

Note:  During a break (I like to take breaks when I work), I was reading the labels on the trailer tongue.  One of the items on the list of Warnings was to check that..."tow chains are crossed and attached to the tow vehicle."  Hmmmm...reason I was doing the work because the original single-point attachment did not allow the chains to be crossed.

DABWCA

Silly question perhaps, but I'm picking up my T@B on Wednesday and wondering whether or not safety chains are typically provided. If not, what do you use -- how long? Reese, Tow Ready, etc.?

Rad

DABWCA said:

Silly question perhaps, but I'm picking up my T@B on Wednesday and wondering whether or not safety chains are typically provided. If not, what do you use -- how long? Reese, Tow Ready, etc.?

If you are getting a new T@B everything you need from the trailer side will be provided.  You will just need a hitch and 2" ball.  Have them show you how they attach a trailer, including chains and brake cable.  After that read the report listed and make your own decision on how long you want the chains.  

I also would not stress much about the chain length, if there are two schools of thought on the subject it must mean they both work.

One thing you may want to look for and have them throw in is a saftey pin for the trailer hitch.  Mine did not come with one.  It keeps the trailer hitch from accidentally opening up and coming off the ball.

last thing,  your dealer may not know this, your hitch ball should be 16" off the ground measured to the top of the ball.

Nomad

I'll second the hitch pin/lock - When in place, there's no way the T@B's coming unhitched. Putting the pin thru is my last safety check. When unhitched, the pin - if you get a locking one - locks down the receiver so it'd be hard to just hook up and drive off with it, they'd have to do some serious messing around to cut the thing off.

RZRBUG

DABWCA said:

... wondering whether or not safety chains are typically provided...

Yes. Chains provided and attached.  Since this discussion started, the chains are being attached so as to allow for crossing them when hooking to TV.

leenscottfl

I use the pin that holds the jack wheel on when I take the wheel off. It fits the hitch latch perfectly.

hatbox

I second pxlated...locking hitch pins are a good investment.  I asked dealer to provide them since it's so easy to "pinch" a t@b.  So, I have the "claw" wheel lock, and hitch pins so whether I'm hitched up, or not, the hatbox will not be absconded without a construction crew.  As far as chains and cable, my dealer twisted mine when he hooked me up, and then attached the cable to the hitch hook...

DurangoTaB

DABWCA...I presume you have a brake controller?

hatbox

Yes, definitely.  I tow with a Subaru outback, and controller is mandated by my vehicle.