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03-20-2017, 11:11 AM
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#21
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Rivet Master
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,349
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The flimsy looking split ring welded on the front of my trailer looks like the weak link in the chain set up.
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03-20-2017, 01:08 PM
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#22
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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Absolutely cross!
Cross and cradle-
The reasoning/logic behind cross and cradle:
If the trailer becomes uncoupled from the ball, the crossed chains will catch the trailer coupler, a-frame, and tongue jack and prevent them from hitting the ground and causing more damage.
The chains must be just long enough to make sharp turns without binding.
If the chains are too long, crossing them will not do what it is supposed to do.
If the chains are to long, take up extra links by zip tying them together or using key rings to take up the slack in the chain links.
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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03-20-2017, 01:45 PM
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#23
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Full time Airstreamer
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Anywhere
, USA Living.Somewhere.Yonder
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,359
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRH
The flimsy looking split ring welded on the front of my trailer looks like the weak link in the chain set up.
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Agreed!
__________________
@living.somewhere.yonder | Instagram
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03-20-2017, 02:11 PM
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#24
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Yertle01.com
2006 22' International CCD
Estes Park
, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 106
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I learned to cross the chains in a boating class that had a section on towing safety. Made sense to me then, makes sense to me now -- cross the chains.
__________________
Terry P. Rizzuti, "Yertle"
TRizzuti.com
Yertle01.com
"My two cents is worth every penny."
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03-20-2017, 02:21 PM
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#25
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Flying Cloud 27
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Union Hall
, Virginia
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 90
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I agree with others - chains should be crossed. I had a small utility trailer jump off the ball once, and the crossed chains caught the hitch and kept it off the ground as I came to a halt.
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03-20-2017, 02:24 PM
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#26
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Rivet Master
1995 25' Excella
xxxxx
, xxxxxx
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,349
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I had a 2500 lb trailer come off the ball at 70 mph. The cradled chains caught it. I was able to pull over safely and had no damage.
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03-20-2017, 02:32 PM
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#27
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Rivet Polisher
1973 31' Sovereign
Mt Pleasant
, North Carolina
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 169
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRH
The flimsy looking split ring welded on the front of my trailer looks like the weak link in the chain set up.
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Far from it, if the trailer separates from the TV it will drop. If this ring was welded to the top it would only rely on the welds, being welded on the bottom it now supports the tongue and the welds are simply to keep it in place. Chances are the rest of the trailer will disintegrate long before that split ring will separate.
Always Cross the chains
PS. All you have to do is watch "trailer races" on Youtube to see that the ring will outlast the trailer.
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03-20-2017, 02:53 PM
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#28
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Rivet Master
2013 27' FB International
El Dorado Hills
, California
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,023
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My trailer chains are both welded to the same single location under the tongue. What's the benefit of crossing in this instance?
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03-20-2017, 03:05 PM
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#29
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kscherzi
My trailer chains are both welded to the same single location under the tongue. What's the benefit of crossing in this instance?
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Not much probably...other than the law in many (all??) states says they gotta be crossed.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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03-20-2017, 03:10 PM
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#30
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4 Rivet Member
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Huntsville
, Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 288
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The Trailer Races vid is awesome!
However:
1. Notice you DON'T see in Airstreams (for good reason, right).
2. At one time each and every one of those TVs and trailers were someone's pride and joy. How sad, but at least brought one last bit of joy in their deaths.
3. What a HUGE mess to have to clean up.
__________________
2017 Airstream 26U Twin
2017 F250 Platinum
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03-20-2017, 05:33 PM
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#31
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Rivet Master
2015 25' Flying Cloud
2016 30' Flying Cloud
Blenheim Ontario
, Ontario
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,263
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony
Absolutely cross!
Cross and cradle-
The reasoning/logic behind cross and cradle:
If the trailer becomes uncoupled from the ball, the crossed chains will catch the trailer coupler, a-frame, and tongue jack and prevent them from hitting the ground and causing more damage.
The chains must be just long enough to make sharp turns without binding.
If the chains are too long, crossing them will not do what it is supposed to do.
If the chains are to long, take up extra links by zip tying them together or using key rings to take up the slack in the chain links.
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"ZIP TIES"?? "Key rings?" THE chain will STILL be too long, when the hitch 'decouples'.
Cut enough links off to make a proper length chain.
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03-20-2017, 05:33 PM
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#32
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MelGoddard
"ZIP TIES"?? "Key rings?" THE chain will STILL be too long, when the hitch 'decouples'.
Cut enough links off to make a proper length chain.
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Uh, yup.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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03-20-2017, 05:57 PM
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#33
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3 Rivet Member
2004 25' Safari
1999 27' Safari
1968 17' Caravel
Fountain Valley
, California
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 111
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Mine came loose one time, pulling a 27' AS. This was after several years of towing. Definitely glad the chains were crossed!
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03-20-2017, 06:00 PM
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#34
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2 Rivet Member
2007 25' Classic
Hutto
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 86
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Besides the unlikely need to catch the tongue if the hitch breaks, there is a more mundane reason to cross the chains when the tv anchors are spaced a little.
If you do not cross, in a turn the inside chain will droop and the outside chain will bind. By crossing, the chains stay closer to the same height.
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03-20-2017, 06:22 PM
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#35
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
Uh, yup.
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The logic behind cinching up extra links:
If you cut them to length for a certain tow vehicle, then it hey will be too short for another.
The zip ties will break if the trailer is uncoupled.
The key rings will distort/stretch/break.
Damage will still be minimized.
Airstream puts key rings on the chains from the factory.
Another option, though not recommended, is to twist the chains to make them shorter.
The reason they say to not twist them is that it supposedly weakens the chains, although I can't see how or why.
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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03-20-2017, 06:26 PM
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#36
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony
The logic behind cinching up extra links:
If you cut them to length for a certain tow vehicle, then it hey will be too short for another.
The zip ties will break if the trailer is uncoupled.
The key rings will distort/stretch/break.
Damage will still be minimized.
Airstream puts key rings on the chains from the factory.
Another option, though not recommended, is to twist the chains to make them shorter.
The reason they say to not twist them is that it supposedly weakens the chains, although I can't see how or why.
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I disagree with all in this post. Proper length chains with no "cheaters" for each application is the only prudent way to ensure proper behavior during a disconnect. Just make chains for the longest application and move the hooks on the links to shorten. Use a clevis hook rated for the job.
Never twist chains to shorten. This reduces strength during high loads.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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03-20-2017, 07:01 PM
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#37
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4 Rivet Member
2004 22' Safari
Albuquerque
, New Mexico
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 374
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony
The logic behind cinching up extra links:
If you cut them to length for a certain tow vehicle, then it hey will be too short for another.
The zip ties will break if the trailer is uncoupled.
The key rings will distort/stretch/break.
Damage will still be minimized.
Airstream puts key rings on the chains from the factory.
Another option, though not recommended, is to twist the chains to make them shorter.
The reason they say to not twist them is that it supposedly weakens the chains, although I can't see how or why.
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A little off topic, but do you pull a 30 foot AS with a Tundra (I see them both in your signature block)?
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03-20-2017, 07:31 PM
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#38
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Rivet Master
2013 30' Classic
Greenwood
, Mississippi
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 12,111
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Safety Chains: Cross or Not to Cross
Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
I disagree with all in this post. Proper length chains with no "cheaters" for each application is the only prudent way to ensure proper behavior during a disconnect. Just make chains for the longest application and move the hooks on the links to shorten. Use a clevis hook rated for the job.
Never twist chains to shorten. This reduces strength during high loads.
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Anther way to shorten without cutting:
Use one of those links with the threaded portion that can be opened to gather up the extra links.
Or is that a Clovis hook?
__________________
2013 Classic 30 Limited
2007 Silver Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited 5.7 iForce
2006 Vivid Black Harley-Davidson Road King Classic
1999 Black Nissan Pathfinder LE
TAC #MS-10
WBCCI #1811, Region 6, Unit 56
Airforums #70955
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03-20-2017, 07:36 PM
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#39
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m.hony
Anther way to shorten without cutting:
Use one of those links with the threaded portion that can be opened to gather up the extra links.
Or is that a Clovis hook?
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No, a clevis hook is a hook for the TV end of the chain which attaches to the chain with a clevis pin. Yes, you could use a threaded link. Each piece, hook or link, should be rated at or above trailer gvwr for breaking strength.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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03-20-2017, 07:51 PM
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#40
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2 Rivet Member
2017 27' Flying Cloud
2017 30' Classic
Sulphur
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 54
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You can twist the chain if it is to long as in touching the ground but you do need slack in the chain.
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