Remember those wimpy safety chains I posted about last year, on my 20 ft, 12K GVW flatbed tagalong?
Well, I did something stupid, got distracted after I hooked up the safety chains and before I actually hitched up the trailer. So, when I pulled away, the only thing connected were the saftey chains and the break-away cable. I heard the trailer drop and the chains snap right off, and stopped before I pulled the break-away switch.
This was all in the yard, so no real dangers.
Anyway, I figure now I'm gonna fix it right and put grade 70 3/8 transport chain on for my new safety chains.

What is the best way to connect the chains to the trailer?
The old chains were welded on, and guess where they broke, right where they were welded, or at least the link that was welded. This leads me to believe the temper was changed in the links when they were welded, and made them more brittle.
I figure I don't want to weld the grade 70 on there, and since I don't think I want to drill the trailer frame, I can only think of one choice, wrapping the chains around the frame.
I don't know that drilling would allow me to fasten the chains sufficiently anyway. Would grade 8, 3/8" bolts withstand the same pressure grade 70 will?

With wrapping, I was thinking of making a bracket with slots in it to slip the chain into so it could not shift from side to side, as I was thinking of one piece of chain, wraped aorund, and then either end hooking to the receiver.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Chris

 

I always wrap them individualy right behind the hitch and use grade eight 1/2in. bolts, I too have had them shear off when just welded. Glad you didn't find out the hard way and was in the yard. Goodluck,,,,Rick

 

Mine is wrapped too. Same bolts as kandgo.

Not admitting to anything, but aint that a horrible sound?

Ed

 

If you go to any trailer shop or on line trailer supplies they make a special link that is designed to put through the link in the chain and weld to the trailer. When you weld hardened steel chain you lose the temper, these gadgets are made of a different kind of steel to prevent this weekspot. All my wholesaler catalogs are at the house, if you need an exact name for these just hollar and I can post it tonight when I get home.

 

What 99 cummins said is dead right, the only way to do it correctly.

 

Yes, I'd like to know about these special links. If it can keep me from having to fab something, then I'm all for it. Are those links strong enough to handle 12K, with about 1500 tongue weight dropping on them? (just thinking about what really happens if the hitch gives way while riding down the road)
That's why I'm getting grade 70. It has a working strength of 6,600, and two of them will exceed the GVW of my trailer. Perfect.

Thanks,
Chris

 

They are called weld on safety chain clip, they come in all different diameters, most of them under a dollar a piece retail cost. The catalog I'm looking in right now is Lucky B www.luckyb.com , let me know if you have trouble finding them. They are in the hardware section.

 

I saw something like that on a trailer at a trailer store today, after I posted my last message. The guy there said I could also use a grade 8 bolt, and just weld it into place. While I'm not sure about that, the chain clip you recommend could probably do the job.

Thanks,
Chris

 

I can't believe a guy at a trailer shop would suggest that!?!? .....You are right to be unsure of that!....The chain clips are the proper way to fasten the safety chains to your trailer.

 

I found some of those chain clips at Tractor Supply, when I picked up the 3/8" Grade 70 chain, and they appear to just be 3/8" rod, with bends in it. They looked kind of wimpy when I was holding them in my hand so I looked for something else thast might be stronger. I just don't know if they could handle the shock if the trailer came loose from the truck, with 9-10K on it.
I found some D-rings that are rated at 11K, so I bought a couple of those. They are the largest D-ring I could find that would fit through the 3/8" chain. Since they are solid, I will have to cut a slot in them large enough to fit the chain onto them, then I will have a welder weld the D-rings to the trailer frame, closing up the slot I cut at the same time.
I was gonna weld them myself but I figure my MIG just doesn't have enough power to burn these things right, and I want this to be the last set of safety chains I ever put on this trailer, in addition to all of the other safety concerns that make me not want to skimp on the chains.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Another option to look at here is safety cables, with the natural coil in them they are always the right length and size for size stronger than chain. Watching the recent trend in high end trailers these are all you will see in the future anyway. You can also get them with hooks on both ends that you can just hook to your d-ring and not have to cut it. No matter how you look at it if you put a weld on hardend steel you are going to take the temper out of it and weaken it. This will hold just as true on your d-ring as it did welding the chain directly to the trailer. This is all just IMO.

 

You have a point on the temper. I hope this welder I'm going to see has some ideas about that. One thing that gives me hope with the D-rings is how much more bead can be put on them than a link of the chain, which could have maybe a bead around 1/2" of it. The D-ring whould have about a 4" bead on each side when it's done. I'm not a metalurgist, so I'm hoping that counter the loss of temper with more bead is heading in the right direction.

As far as cables go, that's an idea, but I don't have much familiarity with cables, or where to get ones heavy enough for my trailer. Kinda wished you'd mentioned it earlier so I could research it. I have to pull the trailer about 100 miles this weekend, with the backhoe on, so I have got to get the chains fixed immediately.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Kinda forgot all about em until I read you latest comments, started looking through myt parts catalogs and there they were.

 

Still looking through my suppliers and I don't see any weld on D-rings available either, except for 1 in less than 5000# rating, everything heavier is all bolt on. I suspect that it is because of the loss of temper and they won't warranty it.

 

www.awdirect.com

They have everything you need and they ship real quick. I buy a good bit from them.