Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

dorelse

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Messages
624
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I'm going to get flamed but here goes.

Crossing the chains is a good practice but will not catch & hold a trailer up off the ground.

Think about it everyone...If one end of the chains are attached to a trailer that's come unhooked and has fallen...what holds that end of the chain up?

Answer...Nothing...they're on the ground just like the rest of the trailer. Crossed chains do keep the tongue more in line with the center of the vehicle, they most certainly do not hold the tongue up.

The chains are only there to keep the trailer somewhat under control...when you hit the brakes, that trailer tongue is going under the rear of your vehicle as you try to stop...

In order for chains to hold up a trailer they'd have to be shorter than the height of the chain's attachment point to the vehicle. So if the chains attach at a height of 13" off the ground, your chain could only be 12" in total length...

I'm guessing most of us use a draw bar and the chain attachment point is back under the bumper, with the attachment point on the trailer set back a decent amount on the trailer, a little added slack for corners...and we're all over the total length.

Twisting chains weakens them and increases the chance of failure...
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I'm going to get flamed but here goes.

Crossing the chains is a good practice but will not catch & hold a trailer up off the ground.

thanks for doing it for me! After reading through the thread, I was about to post a one sentence post. Crossing your chains is pointless!

Here is an experiment you can try if you have a lighter trailer. Cross the chains, unhook it, and then pull the trailer back away from the vehicle. (much like the normal drag would anyway) On MOST trailers, the tongue will simply fall through the crossed part and hit the pavement.
 

Z71Man

Cadet
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
16
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I know a few of our readers have told stories about decoupling trailers while on the road... Has anyone actually witnessed the crossed chains offering a benefit? I kind of agree that the tongue is hitting the ground either way, not to mention whatever bump is big enough to bounce the tongue off the ball will probably bounce it out of the crossed chains.

I still cross mine when on public roads because it doesn't take any extra effort, but it seems like false security to go around thinking it will help.
 

smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,838
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

nah usually there will be no benifit as far as "catching the tongue" but crossed chains don't bind in turns....

It's still a good idea to cross them.... it is also a good idea to have them attached to the trailer with two seperate bolts or welds..... redundancy is your friend:cool:
 

iop

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
112
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

There used be a law on the books in some lands that before you marrried your wife the land lord would get first crack at her... just saying!!
Lets all do a collective bow to the OFF DUTY cop for having mercy on you!!
 

JimKW

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 10, 2009
Messages
397
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

My trailer has cables not chains. Should I cross them or replace them with chains?
 

korygrandy

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
698
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I was riding with a friend when his trailer came unhitched without crossed chains. The trailer bounced left, then right until breaks were applied at which point it slammed into the back of the truck and he used the truck to stop the trailer.

If you add one of those d clamps or bolt the chains together closer to the toungue it will create an effective basket that will create a nice basket. This is pointless if you have too long of a chain. I think the safest thing would be to test it. That's what I did...the correct length of chain will hold my trailer toungue off the ground.

chains.jpg


We just had a 16 yr old girl in MN that didnt have safety chains hooked up and her trailer killed a 31yr old dad and his 3yr old girl. Imagine the guilt she is feeling while sitting in her jail cell waiting to be tried for 2 counts of homicide.

If you ask me this is unquestionably the most important part about owning ANY trailer. If it were up to me, anyone pulling a trailer should need some sort of trailer certification card they can show to officers proving they are deemed responsible.
 

HappierWet

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
839
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

Interesting read from NHTSA :rolleyes:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/Equipment/towing/connecting.htm

Also, from the sticky

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

And from pennsylvania's Motor Vehicle Code

Chapter 49 section 4905 subsection D

(d) Safety chains.--Whenever two vehicles are connected by a ball-and-socket type hitch, or pintle hook without a locking device, they shall also be connected by two safety chains of equal length, each safety chain having an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the towed vehicles. The safety chains shall be crossed and connected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the tow bar so as to prevent the tow bar from dropping to the ground in the event the tow bar fails or becomes disconnected. The safety chains shall have no more slack than is necessary to permit proper turning.
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

Interesting read from NHTSA :rolleyes:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/Equipment/towing/connecting.htm

Also, from the sticky

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

And from pennsylvania's Motor Vehicle Code

Chapter 49 section 4905 subsection D

(d) Safety chains.--Whenever two vehicles are connected by a ball-and-socket type hitch, or pintle hook without a locking device, they shall also be connected by two safety chains of equal length, each safety chain having an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the towed vehicles. The safety chains shall be crossed and connected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the tow bar so as to prevent the tow bar from dropping to the ground in the event the tow bar fails or becomes disconnected. The safety chains shall have no more slack than is necessary to permit proper turning.

I wouldn't put much stock in this one:
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

They're completely wrong on the MN law regarding trailer brakes.
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I was riding with a friend when his trailer came unhitched without crossed chains. The trailer bounced left, then right until breaks were applied at which point it slammed into the back of the truck and he used the truck to stop the trailer.

If you add one of those d clamps or bolt the chains together closer to the toungue it will create an effective basket that will create a nice basket. This is pointless if you have too long of a chain. I think the safest thing would be to test it. That's what I did...the correct length of chain will hold my trailer tongue off the ground.

with that picture, your crossed chains would do absolutely zero to hold it off the ground, and the crossed portion would be above the tongue nearly instantly.

Don't believe me? Give it a try. Unhook your coupler and let the trailer drop. It MIGHT stay in the cross at this point, now idle your vehicle forward. $20 says it doesn't stay in there and is dragging on the concrete.
 

Baytown.boy

Seaman
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
61
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

Its pretty durn simple, hook em, cross em and no ticket, don't hook em and don't cross em and get the ticket. Even in Texas I was told a game warden can give you a ticket for no crossed chains, jus saying.
Check you states law and obid by it, or get the ticket, pretty simple. I would cross and rather not pay a nice fine to the ol gov. All the talk in the world is not going to save you from the ticket if the ol policeman wants to give you a ticket. He only goes by the law, and not your opinion. Sometimes your opinion can lead to more checking of any other infractions on your trailer or truck, I know!, Hey, I'm Scotch/Irish and pretty damn sturborn, hard headed, but my money is my money, not theirs!! Besides, that big fine can buy a lot of lures, new rod, and reel LOL
Good fishin and be safe.
 

HappierWet

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
839
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I wouldn't put much stock in this one:
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

They're completely wrong on the MN law regarding trailer brakes.

I don't know about their brake laws, but since the thread was started about chains....

From Minnesota statutes 2009
sec 169.82
subdivision 3
paragraph b

Subd. 3.Hitch, chain, or cable.(a) Every trailer or semitrailer must be hitched to the towing motor vehicle by a device approved by the commissioner of public safety.

(b) Every trailer and semitrailer must be equipped with safety chains or cables permanently attached to the trailer except in cases where the coupling device is a regulation fifth wheel and kingpin assembly approved by the commissioner of public safety. In towing, the chains or cables must be attached to the vehicles near the points of bumper attachments to the chassis of each vehicle, and must be of sufficient strength to control the trailer in the event of failure of the towing device. The length of chain or cable must be no more than necessary to permit free turning of the vehicles
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

I don't know about their brake laws, but since the thread was started about chains....

From Minnesota statutes 2009
sec 169.82
subdivision 3
paragraph b
....

So it looks like no crossing of chains is required in MN

As for the brakes, the law is anything over 3K needs brakes:

Subd. 3.Trailer, semitrailer.(a) No trailer or semitrailer with a gross vehicle weight of 3,000 or more pounds, or a gross weight that exceeds the empty weight of the towing vehicle, may be drawn on a highway unless it is equipped with brakes that are adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold the trailer or semitrailer. A surge brake on a trailer or semitrailer meets the requirement of this paragraph for brakes adequate to stop and hold the trailer or semitrailer.
 

HappierWet

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
839
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

with that picture, your crossed chains would do absolutely zero to hold it off the ground, and the crossed portion would be above the tongue nearly instantly.

Don't believe me? Give it a try. Unhook your coupler and let the trailer drop. It MIGHT stay in the cross at this point, now idle your vehicle forward. $20 says it doesn't stay in there and is dragging on the concrete.

How about if the only thing it does is keep it from hurtling into another lane of traffic and killing someone?:mad:
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

How about if the only thing it does is keep it from hurtling into another lane of traffic and killing someone?:mad:

And why wouldn't having the chains straight perform that same function? Uncrossed you are going to get a little more side to side movement but not much. Especially since the chains on most small trailers are a single chain attached to the bottom of the frame with a bolt. On my car trailer which has separate chains, the separation is about 2" - wouldn't make a bit of difference if they were crossed.
 

oldjeep

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Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
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Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

This is a pretty standard looking setup for a small boat trailer. You could cross them, but what would be the benefit?

2664.jpg
 

westexasrepublic

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
524
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

this is a pretty standard looking setup for a small boat trailer. You could cross them, but what would be the benefit?

2664.jpg


just the false sense of security, like having your seat as a flotation device on a plane in case of a water landing :d
 

Baytown.boy

Seaman
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
61
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

This is a pretty standard looking setup for a small boat trailer. You could cross them, but what would be the benefit?


I go one step further and add a H.D. lock where the arrow is pointing to in the pic below. Hey don't make fun of my red lines, I have only had one cup of coffee this morning, LOL
 

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oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Re: Texas state law, CROSS YOUR TRAILER SAFETY CHAINS!

This is a pretty standard looking setup for a small boat trailer. You could cross them, but what would be the benefit?


I go one step further and add a H.D. lock where the arrow is pointing to in the pic below

LOL - or at least a pin might be a good idea. It was just a random picture from the internet. Didn't even notice the pin was missing.
 
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