Safety Cables - To Cross or Not to Cross?

[marcoalza]

....that is the question.

I have read a post that says you should cross safety chains on trailers.
Would you also do that with the safety 'cables' on Tahoe trailers?

The post shows the diagram as below.

What do you guys do?

Also, any idea what is meant by the 'Right & Wrong' way to hook as shown in the diagram?

 

[yourboatmyboat]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

The theroy of crossing the chains is that if your hitch comes off the ball the trailer tongue would come to rest on the chains and not hit the road.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

The theroy of crossing the chains is that if your hitch comes off the ball the trailer tongue would come to rest on the chains and not hit the road.

Really! Never new the reason for that... have always done it....but didnt know why... Thx !

 

[CVX20SPRINT]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

It's law here to cross them.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

They also need to be short enough as to not let the trailer hit the ground.
But crossing not hit the ground is the general idea, even if it is not really going to help.

Dont belive me? try it sometime.
Experiment with different lenght chains and see, once you get a short enough chain as to not hit the ground when they are straight, cross them and let the trailer down. Its only a minor difference.

 

[Hashi]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

What about the cables. Because my cables are spring loaded (retractable), I don't cross them.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

What about the cables. Because my cables are spring loaded (retractable), I don't cross them.

Exactly. I tried this yesterday and not sure that there is a benefit or that it is right to cross cables on a Tahoe trailer.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

Re: Safety Chains - To Cross or Not to Cross?

The other reason to cross them is because crossed chains provide a pivot point (the centre of the X) that keeps the trailer going straight and stable. With un-crossed chains, the trailer tongue can whip side to side - which isn't good if you are pulling much weight.

Don't take my word for it - try it and you will ALWAYS cross the chains and keep them as short as possible!

(I bought a new trailer earlier this year and replaced the cables with chains because the cables were too long - if it had ever come uncoupled on the highway it would have been a wild ride with lots of damage!)

 

[kailec00]

Re: Safety Cables - To Cross or Not to Cross?

When pulling a trailer that has chains I have always crossed them. However the cables on my boat trailer I do not cross. I have let the boat down while they were attached to the hitch and they stop the trailer from hitting the ground.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Safety Cables - To Cross or Not to Cross?

I have let the boat down while they were attached to the hitch and they stop the trailer from hitting the ground.

That sounds like a good idea. I'll try this tomorrow with my cables and see if they stop the tongue hitting the ground.