Towing Saftey Chains

[Wind Chime]

So after many years of towing the Mac and our tent trailer before that, I found out this week I was not hooked up correctly. Except for having the safety chains crossed.

I had some work done on the trailer recently, including the actuator, so I decided to find a manual for it.
I learned some things that I think are worth sharing.

1) The safety chains should be adjusted short enough so that if the trailer comes off the ball, the actuator (tongue) should not touch the ground, but still not bind when making sharp turns. The chains are supposed to support the actuator in the air, so the trailer tongue can swing free, even submarining under the tow vehicle.

2) The emergency brake clip cable should be adjusted so it only engages if the safety chains are broken, and the trailer is completely disconnected from the tow vehicle. If the trailer comes off the ball, it should not engage the brake unless it is separated from the vehicle. So the safety cable should also connected to the tow vehicle, and not the safety chains themselves.

I learn a little every day. Hopefully no too little .. or too late

[bscott]

Always put a pad lock thru the tongue hitch while towing to keep the hitch from lifting off the ball. Good info on the chain length

Bob

[RobertB]

OK - I understand the guidance as it applies to chains since they can be easily adjusted.

BUT How would one deal with this with the cables as installed on the aluminium trailer? Personally, I cross the cables and loop the brake safety cable thru the hitch lug and back onto itself.

[Wind Chime]

by RobertB » Mon May 14, 2012 12:21 pm

OK - I understand the guidance as it applies to chains since they can be easily adjusted.

BUT How would one deal with this with the cables as installed on the aluminium trailer? Personally, I cross the cables and loop the brake safety cable thru the hitch lug and back onto itself.

My Titan actuator manual says:
“DO NOT loop the break-away cable around a bracket and hook it back onto itself”.

Yup, that’s that is says. Don't know why? .. and is exactly what I have not been doing.

It says to hook the brake-away cable directly onto the same place on the tow vehicle as the safety chains wrap through. So need to adjust the length of the brake-away cable I guess.

[RobertB]

I have been looping the cable back around because at the end is an open s-hook that looks like it will easily bounce off if placed on the tow lug with the safety cable.

[Phil M]

The way I understand it , the brake safety cable is only supposed to actuate the braking system after the safety chains malfunction and somehow let go. The brake safety cable is the absolute last line of defense. One pull on that safety cable and your brakes lock up until you manually unlock them.

[yukonbob]

Ya not really sure why everyone is trying to shorten the brake cable?? Should be long, If the trailer tongue is on the ground (no chains) the break cable should just barley reach.

[pokerrick1]

Having my trailer hooked up correctly (well almost correctly), as Wind Chimes suggests, saved my bacon on the Marina Del Rey Expressway headed toward the 405. Apparently I hadn't connected the hitch to the ball very well and when I turned the corner to go East on the MDR Expressway I looked back to see the boat seem AWFULLY LOW. So I stopped and inspected. Sure enough the trailer had come off the ball and the tongue was lying on the chains off the ground (WHEW!!!).

I was able to reconnect the trailer - - - but I was LUCKY - - - there was a LOT of traffic; every lane was full.

Rick

[Centennial]

In at least one case a good hitch or chains saved a truck.

http://pages.suddenlink.net/rwg/images/ ... _truck.jpg