TxDiesel007

Guys

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...cat/500/page/2


I have been pulled over in the past for not having safety chains on a rig before, I have made it a point NOT TO TOW anything that does not have safety chains, or lights, Brakes on trailer and brake control just depends on how heavy or how far im going...

This picture shows my safety chains CRISS CROSSED... i have been told by some regular police officers that YOU MUST TOW according to texas law with the safety chains criss crossed.. I dont see how this is effective in any sence especially with clevis hooks, but i have made it a custom anyways, I also have not found anything to state this as true or false...

My question being, is this a fact, myth or a rumor in texas or other states? thanks alot guys,


Tx

Marine

I've always towed with the chains criss-crossed. As for being law, I do not know.
Mike

pind

As it has been explained to me by many different highway safety "officers" the reason for the crossed chains under the tongue of a tag trailer, is so that when the hitch gives out, the trailer tongue will fall onto the chains and rest there. ( good luck, but hey) anyway. The theory is sound, as long as your chains are not too weak, too long, too short to turn, too... etc.
This is also why some areas want you to have a separate hookup point for your breakaway device. Somewhere on the frame of the truck, not connected to the trailer hitch. This is so that if all of your 4 or 8 or 12 bolts shear off, and the hitch comes off the truck, the breakaway switch will still work.

Lots of cool stuff when you read various different highways acts.

OTR PU

I dunno if it's the law or not, just done it cause it makes good sense to me. Only time I don't cross um is when I'm haulin a cheap tag that the manufacturer doesn't provide long enough safety chains. I've had a tag jump off the ball once, (ya you know why, lesson well learned), thing is the dang thing stayed on for more than a couple states. Didn't jump off til I missed my turn and burned a cookie through a bank parking lot. Steep exit gutter got me. Would have done alot more damage if they weren't crossed. That was 3 years ago, and I haul everyday. Since then. . .I'm by the book, I check everything.



Cheers,
Steve J

Hannibal

I always crossed the chains when I had a TT so when I turned, the chains wouldn't tighten on one side and loosen on the other. They always maintain the same loop when crossed.

smokindog

The reason for crossing chains is simply to keep the coupler off the ground in the event the unit comes uncoupled. Imagine doing even 45 mph and uncoupling. The nose would hit the ground and plant itself a trailer flip seed. It would be trouble enough to have one come uncoupled, but to have it hit the ground would multiply your problem exponentially.

Always cross your chains for safety. If they aren't long enough to cross and make turns get some that are.

siotwo

WOW, that is the first time I have heard this. I like the crossed chain.

Tiny

I have always crossed mine, that is the way I was taught.

durasmack

I know someone that was pulling their skidsteer (with a dodge) and sheered off all but one bolt.... noticed it when he was taking the loader off the trailer.....

StrokeThisCTD

the trailers i pull have chains coming out right next to each other, they arent separated by a few inches like your picture shows. crossing them would offer no help at all. if i do happen to pull a trailer with the chains apart by a few inches where crossing them would help, then i cross them

Scotty

Last time I went through the scales with a tag trailer I was inspected for exactly that.

I was told that the chains must be crossed. It was explained to me the same way as described in above posts as to why its done this way. I was doing it like that all the time anyway...just looked better to me.

I did get a not so bright scale dude try and hassle me for the safety chains not being hooked up on my gooseneck. I told him the chains are there for a gooseneck application but I have a 5th wheel coupler. Then he said I should have them hooked up. A Semi was behind me and I asked him if that rig needed safety chains too since it had a 5th wheel. He just shook his head and then said...DOH! You can go.

Scotty

TxDiesel007

OK so...

for a gooseneck you need safety chains too? Problem is you cannot cross them on a gooseneck, plus they are on the plate as my picture here shows

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...cat/500/page/1

My question being, really what good does that do right there? I really can understand if the coupler would come undone and it would snap and hop out THEN the chains would bail out.. Just a pointer on what i do for safety, just like my bulldog couplers have little holes for some of those pins like the pintle has to keep it closed or open, i put the pin in there, For a gooseneck, most of them just slide on over and stay in ther place and lock due to a spring loaded handle. The goosenecks that i have towed (thru experience with my dad) and thru some experience i have learned that a good way to prevent theft and unhindging coupler would be to use two chainlinks, weld one on the actual spring loaded hooking handle, weld a second one right at the point where you can close the gooseneck, move the little handle back and it will hinge and the welded link will under or overlap right where the other chainlink is, put in your favorite good quality lock and tow with better peace of mind. similar to that pin on the bulldog coupler....

Plus my dad makes some wicked gooseneck and bumper pull trailer locks, ill post pics soon...

IMHO, the safety chains would be no good on a gooseneck if the ball would break loose, cause if it would, the plate is being held by the gooseneck ball shank that sits in the hole it is either screwed on or pinned too..

Perhaps im lookin at this wayy too much here, but towing id rather be safe than sorry, dont want a trailer breakin then pickin up momentum and goin haywire... then again none of us do..

Thanks guys and hope this helps yall

Tx

Scotty

I agree about the chains being nearly useless on a gooseneck. Up here the bumper pulls must have the crossed chains and the gooseneck must have safety chains attached as well...it does not say crossed. For a 5th wheel assembly there is no safety chains required. My last 5th wheel camper never had them and I have never seen any that do. Strangely enough, if you convert a 5th wheel over to a gooseneck, you now need safety chains.

I would be interested in these locks. I have my air ride hitch cable locked into the bed and I have a 'no tow' lock for the 5th wheel coupler while its unhooked but I do not have the 5th wheel hitch locked when I have the trailer hooked up...this would be a good thing to have.

Scotty

kandgo

The bumper pull chains crisscrossed makes a basket of sorts for when the hitch malfunctions or operator error. Now for the goose chains, I have personally witnessed a goose coming off a worn down ball, the chains are there for your protection to keep the tralier from coming thru the back of your cab into your living space. It would we wise to use them and to insure that they are the quality and tensil strength and the connections in the bed are correctly installed as to keep it in the bed instead of the back of the cab or on the road loose. I have said on this board before I have worn out several 2 5/16th ***** and wore out the femal housings on goose trailers, It is good advice to mic the diameter of both the ball and the housing from time to time, if you use your trailers extensivley. Goodluck,,Rick

Fronty Owner

I tow with chains criss crossed so I dont have to worry about binding when backing up. My chains are also as short as I can get away with. My ball will hit the ground about the same time the chains do...