# safety chain hookup



## sr71 (Jul 18, 2012)

I am a rookie at this…..I have a question regarding safety chain hookup. I purchased a 72” 5,000 lb.safety chain and I can’t decide the proper way to attach it to the trailer. Enclosed are 3 pic’s of the tongue. Pic #1 just shows what I have to work with. Pic # 2 I would have to cut the chain in half and attach to the trailer as shown. Pic # 3 looks like it would work as I would not have to cut the chain. I do not know the requirements here in NJ, but does the chain have to be bolted somehow to the tongue? Any help is really appreciated. The boat being towed is a old 14’ Starcraft tinny and splashing in a couple weeks.


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## Stove Iron (Jul 18, 2012)

Since they aren't plugged welded, why not drill out the rearmost factory hole in your coupler and use a long bolt, nut and washers to attach the safety chains? That way, you'd not only be securing your chains, but also reinforcing the coupler-tongue attachment for added safety if a weld ever fractured/degraded. But, you'd have to make sure you have enough slack for turning and grade changes.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 18, 2012)

This is how my chain is attached.
As for yours I go with a combo of the first picture and stove irons suggestion on bolting on.


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## GYPSY400 (Jul 18, 2012)

Stove Iron said:


> Since they aren't plugged welded, why not drill out the rearmost factory hole in your coupler and use a long bolt, nut and washers to attach the safety chains? That way, you'd not only be securing your chains, but also reinforcing the coupler-tongue attachment for added safety if a weld ever fractured/degraded. But, you'd have to make sure you have enough slack for turning and grade changes.




I agree.. The chain needs to be secured to the tongue, not the bar under it.. You could have 10000lb chains, but that little bar is going to pull off if even you look at it the wrong way!


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## Andy Taylor (Jul 18, 2012)

One of the mounting bolts for my coupler holds my safety chain. The bolt goes thru the coupler and tongue, thru one link, and out the other end of coupler. Does that seem OK? It's just one length of chain.


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## GYPSY400 (Jul 18, 2012)

Andy Taylor said:


> One of the mounting bolts for my coupler holds my safety chain. The bolt goes thru the coupler and tongue, thru one link, and out the other end of coupler. Does that seem OK? It's just one length of chain.




It's ok.. But not ideal.. You are depending on 1 bolt if things go bad.. All my trailers have 2 separate chains, held with its own bolt..


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## bcbouy (Jul 19, 2012)

GYPSY400 said:


> Andy Taylor said:
> 
> 
> > One of the mounting bolts for my coupler holds my safety chain. The bolt goes thru the coupler and tongue, thru one link, and out the other end of coupler. Does that seem OK? It's just one length of chain.
> ...


same here. i also cross the chains when i hook up so they act as a cradle


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## novaman (Jul 22, 2012)

Bcbouy

You make a good point about crossing the chains, here in IN. it's the law. The safety chains must be crossed to act as a cradle to catch the tongue so it doesn't do a dive down and turn the trailer into a polevault attempt. You can get a $75 ticket if You get stopped for it. My neighbor has 1st hand knowledge of the fine, I saw the ticket. As several of the guys have said, fasten the chains on ea. side with a separate bolt for ea. side, for the safest way.


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## Andy Taylor (Jul 22, 2012)

novaman said:


> Bcbouy
> 
> You make a good point about crossing the chains, here in IN. it's the law. The safety chains must be crossed to act as a cradle to catch the tongue so it doesn't do a dive down and turn the trailer into a polevault attempt. You can get a $75 ticket if You get stopped for it. My neighbor has 1st hand knowledge of the fine, I saw the ticket. As several of the guys have said, fasten the chains on ea. side with a separate bolt for ea. side, for the safest way.



I don't know what the law is here in WI. So you are going to put one chain on each of the coupler bolts?


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## Palmer812 (Jul 22, 2012)

The above pics are exactly how my 2012 EZ-Loader is done from the factory.


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## GYPSY400 (Jul 22, 2012)

Crossed chains are also law in Canada too.. Prevents the trailer from hitting the ground and loosing control.


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## novaman (Jul 22, 2012)

Exactly!


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## bcbouy (Jul 23, 2012)

it also stops the trailer from swaying like a mother and flipping if it poppes off the ball


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## sr71 (Jul 24, 2012)

Thank you all for the input. I drilled 2 holes through the tongue and put 2 separate #8 hardness bolts on to hold the chains. Attached is a pic.
Just wondering about the trailers with a spare tire wheel bolted to the front vertically......what would happen if the trailer disconnected and the spare bottomed out to the road surface before the "crossed chains"? Would the skidding rubber help stop the trailer or make the rear of the trailer come up over the top of the tow vehicle as would the tongue if it hit a pothole when disconnected? Just sayin'....


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## theyyounggun (Jul 24, 2012)

your just out of luck then


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 24, 2012)

I think you need to shorten your chains. You don't want them to drag on the pavement when hooked to the tow vehicle. You want them just long enough so you can make turns.


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## bcbouy (Jul 24, 2012)

the #1 purpose of a safety chain is not to save your trailer but to stop it from killing someone else.if it flips over and you drag it down the road,so be it.


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## sr71 (Jul 24, 2012)

lckstckn2smknbrls said:


> I think you need to shorten your chains. You don't want them to drag on the pavement when hooked to the tow vehicle. You want them just long enough so you can make turns.


Thanks...I am in the process of getting a hitch on the Highlander, then I will shorten the chains to the proper length.


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## Buddychrist (Jul 24, 2012)

I have a Reese hitch on my highlander that I purchased from U-haul. Only set me back $150 at the time 

They maneuver boats really well because of the short wheelbase of a highlander

Do not go with the standard trailer wire setup on your highlander. They sell a plug and play setup that only takes 2 minutes to install. You just plug it into the plug on the left side of your trunk under the mat and then add a fuse on the fuse box and you are ready to go


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## novaman (Jul 28, 2012)

The spare tire won't dig in like the front edge of the coupler would, so if you're thinking about mounting it there, go for it . I've got mine mounted up front on the side of the tongue. I made my chains just long enough to handle the sharpest turn I could make and no longer, that way they will catch the tongue before it drops to far. The ones you see where the chains are almost on the ground when hooked up, aren't going to be of too much help, as they will extend out if the coupler jumps and the tongue may still hit the road. #-o Make sense?


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## Andy Taylor (Jul 29, 2012)

Where's a good place to buy the chains already made up with the hooks on each end? What is the recommended way to figure out what length you need? Thanks


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## Buddychrist (Jul 29, 2012)

Andy Taylor said:


> Where's a good place to buy the chains already made up with the hooks on each end? What is the recommended way to figure out what length you need? Thanks



Just go to autozone and pick up a premade two pack.

Attach your trailer to your vehicle and then back it up until your trailer is two inches away from hitting and then cut the chains to be tight at that angle.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 29, 2012)

Menards, Wal-mart.


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## Andy Taylor (Jul 30, 2012)

Buddychrist said:


> Andy Taylor said:
> 
> 
> > Where's a good place to buy the chains already made up with the hooks on each end? What is the recommended way to figure out what length you need? Thanks
> ...



Thanks, but I don't know what you mean.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 30, 2012)

Andy Taylor said:


> Buddychrist said:
> 
> 
> > Andy Taylor said:
> ...


You want to put your trailer and tow vehicle into the jack knife position then set the chains for the proper length.


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## Andy Taylor (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks. Now I got it


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