Has anyone tried safety cables to replace their chains. Ordered a set today - they self coil when not in use and are rubber coated so no more clanging chains. The rating is 7000 lbs. per cable.
The only thing I haven't figure out is how to fasten then to the trailer frame without losing the strength. Quick links seem to top out at 2500 lbs. per link.
Yes it's overkill - but, it is after all a vintage Airstream.
Has anyone tried safety cables to replace their chains. Ordered a set today - they self coil when not in use and are rubber coated so no more clanging chains. The rating is 7000 lbs. per cable.
The only thing I haven't figure out is how to fasten then to the trailer frame without losing the strength. Quick links seem to top out at 2500 lbs. per link.
Yes it's overkill - but, it is after all a vintage Airstream.
Interesting idea. Do you have a picture, or website link for a supplier so I can see what they are like? Thanks for the idea!
__________________ Phil and/or Sue (with Gus, Penny and Roger)
(Buffett RIP 9/15/08) 1983 31' Sovereign 1973 31' Sovereign (project)
'01 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad LWB 2x4 6sp Cummins Turbo Diesel
AIR 1753
As I understand it, one of the purposes of the safety chains is to support the tonque if the hitch fails (that's why you cross them), not merely to keep the trailer attached. It seems to me that the cables should be the same length? Be interested in how you end up terminating the cables.
__________________
"Not all who are lost are wondering" say Bill & Heidi
'78 Excella 500,"The Silver Pullit". vacuum over hydraulic disc brakes, center bath, rear twin. '67 Travelall 1200 B 4X4 WBCCI 3737
Funny thing is that the cables and chains may be rated at 7k each, but in most cases the part of the hitch they connect to don't strike me as being able to take a full load hit should the trailer ever come disconnected.
That said, I've kept my chains.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
I was at Safford RV picking up my 25 FB SE when the police pulled in an SOB that had broken loose from the old van that was towing it. The owner later told me he'd been towing for 4 years without incident (dumb and lucky - severely overweight and old rusty hitch, chains, ball, etc.). The trailer bounced off the hitch ball, then dragged by the chains briefly, then the hooks on the chains straightened out and the trailer went off the right side of the road, went nose down and came to a stop (bent the frame!).
I saw the chains and the hooks literally had been pulled almost straight. Wow. Seeing that surprised me. I wouldn't count on chains holding together at high speed if you made any turns, etc. And if the trailer comes off the ball, wouldn't the safety pin for the trailer brakes be yanked out? I assume that's why the chain hooks were strained so much on the wreck I saw.
It makes sense to me that using a Reese Dual Cam or any other spring bar hitch should help keep the trailer ON the ball, so chains or cables would probably function about the same wouldn't they? If the trailer has tandem axles and is properly loaded, it might tend to stay rather level especially if it were being moved forward.
Anyone here have any experience with a hitch ball failure, etc. that can chime in?
It seems that the chains I have seen on nearly every trailer are too long to really prevent the tongue from hitting the pavement, much less hold the tongue in the event of a failure/ disconnect. Along those lines, I am not sure that the Emergency brake switch cable is taught enough to cause the brakes to engage in same. How tightly can that cable be, without causing errant engagement?
For that matter, as ST said, not sure that the hitch would hold either when those 'shock' forced were applied.
Maybe all that stuff is helping to keep the illusion of safety, and I am SURE that the law/ attorneys would have you cold if you had a problem and DIDN'T have the "safety" stuff at all, or hooked properly.
I'll take a look at the upcoming rally to see what others have as far as their set-ups go. And for that matter, I'll see what I can do to improve MY hook-up BEFORE I leave for that rally.
Seriously, I'd be interested in others thoughts on this as well.
The cables are 36" each - has an end loop as shown for connection to the trailer.
thinking alike.....................
I've got a set of these and will probably put them on before my next run to the Pac NW this summer. They should be perfect on the bambi..........and no more twisting of the chains to get the proper length.............
I would not trust them as far as I could tow them.
When I had my accident. MY CHAINS BROKE. 10,000 rated strength. Twisting them will reduce their strength. I use ty-wraps. they keep them off the ground and the extra length is there if they need it.
My trailers gross weight 10,000 pounds. approx current weight 8,000.
The truck reciever was un-damaged. Ford tough.
__________________
Michelle
I'm not afraid I learned to drive in Washington, DC
Sarah
Ruby, (05 BMW R1200RT) serviced and put to bed for the winter
Daisy, (06 Diesel F-250 w/Tow Command)
Butter Cup, (06 Classic 31 w/dinette, solar) http://Michelles-Adventures.US
Cables stretch, and can degrade from flexing. If you don't like the tinkling sound of the chains, get a vinyl sleeve for them. No more tinkling. I also use the threaded chain links to hold my chains together, no hooks. They are 10,000 pound rated, like the chains, and shouldn't straighten out when "used".
I'm wondering if any of you have ever considered shortening the chain with a length of bunji cord which will keep the chain off the ground but allow the chain to stretch when it needs to?
__________________ Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
Craig,
I have used bungee cords with a hook at each end wrapped around the chains and stinger for my Hensley. With a Hensley the chains are quite long and tend to hang too low if you don't support them. It works very well.
Al
being a lineman for 20 years i have been around rigging of all sorts for quite a while.
i have no way to prove this but, every time you subject a chain or a piece of wire rope of similar ratings to a shock load the wire rope breaks and the chain holds.
i have seen it happen enough times to know to use a chain if you are gonna yank on something hard.
john
__________________
you call them ferrets, i call them weasels.
being a lineman for 20 years i have been around rigging of all sorts for quite a while.
i have no way to prove this but, every time you subject a chain or a piece of wire rope of similar ratings to a shock load the wire rope breaks and the chain holds.
i have seen it happen enough times to know to use a chain if you are gonna yank on something hard.
john
Sorta like the GM tailgate cables, right John?
__________________ Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
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