Crossing Chains/Cables

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 10:58 AM

Never noticed or payed any attention before, but I've been looking since I got my trailer hitch and see that hardly no one crosses their chains on trailers! Some are so long that even if crossed, they wouldn't prevent the tongue from grounding if it came off the ball.

Are they all just dense about the safety chains?

bcklash · 07-08-09, 11:06 AM

We always cross our chains--I'm not sure but I think it's the law in the state of Va.

BigBassin144 · 07-08-09, 11:09 AM

I have to cross mine like 3 or 4 times to keep the chains off the ground when I'm pulling the boat in my truck. It doesn't help that my truck is factory lowered though...

BB

nofearengineer · 07-08-09, 11:34 AM

Hmmmm....I've got spring loaded cables on my trailer. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be crossed or not. I never heard to do that before.

carolina-rig-01 · 07-08-09, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abbeysdad

Some are so long that even if crossed, they wouldn't prevent the tongue from grounding if it came off the ball.

they should keep the hitch from touching the ground because if the toungue of the trailer popped off then the chains would be pulled tight.

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

they should keep the hitch from touching the ground because if the toungue of the trailer popped off then the chains would be pulled tight.

Until the brakes were hit - but I see what you mean...I just meant that the chains/cables on some rigs seem too long and need to be recrossed or wrapped around the tongue so it couldn't hit the pavement.

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Hmmmm....I've got spring loaded cables on my trailer. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be crossed or not. I never heard to do that before.

The safety chains need to prevent the tongue from grounding if it was to pop off the ball - If the tongue hits the ground at any speed at all, it's gonna find the first divet, dig in and it's gonna ruin the day! (at least this is what I've learned, being a newbie to trailering and all)

nofearengineer · 07-08-09, 02:23 PM

Oh, I know what the cables do. I just don't know if they need to be crossed. It does make sense, if what you want to do is provide negative feedback, i.e stability...it's just weird that I haven't heard to do it before.

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 04:43 PM

This was really stressed at the NYS boating safety course I just took.

As an experiment, hook up w/o appropriate length and crossed chains and pop the tongue off the ball and see what happens - imagine if you were on the highway.

bassboogieman · 07-08-09, 05:28 PM

Almost ALL of the cables I've seen - yes, including mine - are too long. Most of the cables also have "S" links to hang from the tow bar. I removed the cables and replaced with chain, and the "S" links were replaced with screw closed links. This isn't an expesive fix.

zooker · 07-08-09, 07:34 PM

yeah my cables are coiled -and too long- i crossed them a couple times. however i had a mess and a half after towing with them crossed...

proper ball/hitch adjustment will prevent the hitch from popping loose...

the reason i refused to use any ball hitch but mine when towing my boat..

i towed my boat to ky lake 11 hours thru tennesse-not a flat area NO WHERE-with the cables crossed took me 45 mines to untangle the cables. i did not cross them on the return trip. took me 20 seconds to remove the cables when i got home..

nc state requires an extra attachment on the bow eye..i belive ny and pa also require this..it is a peace of mind since even the best winch systems will and can pop loose over rough roads..

zooker

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassboogieman

Almost ALL of the cables I've seen - yes, including mine - are too long. Most of the cables also have "S" links to hang from the tow bar. I removed the cables and replaced with chain, and the "S" links were replaced with screw closed links. This isn't an expesive fix.

My cables are also too long with 3-4 wrap coils with "S" links (what were they thinking?) and I'm thinking I'll follow your lead and replace them with chain and links as you describe.
Until then, I'm wrapping the cables around the tongue once to "remove" the excess.

Abbeysdad · 07-08-09, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zooker

proper ball/hitch adjustment will prevent the hitch from popping loose...

Well yes zooker, but isn't the purpose of the chains/cable to act as a backup in case the ball/latch fails and the tongue comes off the ball? If the chains or cable are such that the tongue can hit the ground, it may be all over but the cryin.

WTL · 07-09-09, 02:51 AM

I imagine having the tongue pop off the ball (no dirty jokes please, this is serious) is pretty scary even with the optimum chain arrangement when going fast.

My chains are about right it seems. If I drop it off the ball it will keep the tongue an inch or so off the ground.

When I jackknifed on the interstate and flipped the trailer, the chains might have kept the boat from rolling a few extra times.

bassackwards · 07-09-09, 07:20 AM

if your chains are to long you can twist the chain to shorten it than cross them. i'v had one come off (23 ft with a tractor on it) was no fun i think my butt sucked up part of the seat. want to talk about no fun one of the guys i worked with had the ball snap off in the bed when he was pulling a fully loaded goose neck, if not for the tool box it would have been real bad.

Abbeysdad · 07-09-09, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTL

When I jackknifed on the interstate and flipped the trailer, the chains might have kept the boat from rolling a few extra times.

Ouch .... what caused the rig to jackknife... a required 'panic stop'?

I'm wondering as I'm new to this and last week (without the boat) I was coming home from one of the lakes, down this steep cow path of a winding road, in the rain and thinking....'this could be a bit tricky with the boat'.
Also, my trailer doesn't have brakes and I think that could increase the potential jackknife equation.

MrPhotographer06 · 07-09-09, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassackwards

want to talk about no fun one of the guys i worked with had the ball snap off in the bed when he was pulling a fully loaded goose neck, if not for the tool box it would have been real bad.

dang.
that make me flinch sitting here reading it.

wow, that makes me think about my neighbor [uncle cousin, whatever

] who pulled his horse trailer to OK a couplea weeks ago and went through a storm with 3 tornados in it

zooker · 07-09-09, 02:13 PM

i have seen king pins break with 80,000 pounds on them.. it happens...

i put a new ball on every three years..then again i tow mine more than alot of you...

zooker

Captmikestarrett · 07-09-09, 03:34 PM

The retracable spring loaded cables on my Mako will not cross. I wonder if they stop it from dragging with my new hitch.

I will hafta check that out before my next trailer tire passes me.

Capt Mike

WTL · 07-09-09, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abbeysdad

Ouch .... what caused the rig to jackknife... a required 'panic stop'?

I'm wondering as I'm new to this and last week (without the boat) I was coming home from one of the lakes, down this steep cow path of a winding road, in the rain and thinking....'this could be a bit tricky with the boat'.
Also, my trailer doesn't have brakes and I think that could increase the potential jackknife equation.

I blew out the left rear tire on my truck in the left lane passing a semi and ahead of several other semis. I managed to miss the inside wall, then lost control and did a hard right across the right lane in front of the big rigs and into a ditch.

The lessons, take your tires - all of them - superseriously and slow down.

http://bassfishin.com/bassfishingfor...ight=blew+tire

nofearengineer · 07-09-09, 06:08 PM

So you're saying I shouldn't tow my rig at 75 mph? Other people have made that comment to me, but hey...

WTL · 07-09-09, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

So you're saying I shouldn't tow my rig at 75 mph? Other people have made that comment to me, but hey...

I dont like to tell other people what to do, but it can be very dangerous if you have a failure of some sort and with a big boat like yours, lots of stuff can go wrong and you wont be able to control it more likely than not.

Abbeysdad · 07-09-09, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTL

I managed to miss the inside wall, then lost control and did a hard right across the right lane in front of the big rigs and into a ditch....

Wow WTL ...well yer dad may have been riding shotgun, but a guardian angel musta also been on-board. Glad to hear you walked away. But that was more than just a jackknife (right .... listen to me "more than just a jackknife" - lol).

zooker · 07-10-09, 07:17 PM

i had a spare wheel go under the boat at 65mph..holy bleep!!! just did not cut it... it bent the aluminum mag rim to bad to hold air...

a soild steel axel note the gouge from the rim...

where the tire/rim wedged. lifting the entire boat and trailer..

i'll never have a spare in the bow belly rack ever again.. the pin holding the spare broke off causing this...

zooker

nofearengineer · 07-10-09, 07:57 PM

Hmmmm.....thta's good food for thought, Zook. I hate to keep a spare tire in my truck cab all the time, but it would definitely be preferable to that disaster.

07-08-09, 10:58 AM	#1
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	Crossing Chains/Cables Never noticed or payed any attention before, but I've been looking since I got my trailer hitch and see that hardly no one crosses their chains on trailers! Some are so long that even if crossed, they wouldn't prevent the tongue from grounding if it came off the ball. Are they all just dense about the safety chains?

07-08-09, 11:06 AM	#2
bcklash BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elliston, Va. Posts: 4,372	We always cross our chains--I'm not sure but I think it's the law in the state of Va. __________________ The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. keep us free:

07-08-09, 11:09 AM	#3
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	I have to cross mine like 3 or 4 times to keep the chains off the ground when I'm pulling the boat in my truck. It doesn't help that my truck is factory lowered though... BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

07-08-09, 11:34 AM	#4
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Hmmmm....I've got spring loaded cables on my trailer. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be crossed or not. I never heard to do that before. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

07-08-09, 02:23 PM	#8
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Oh, I know what the cables do. I just don't know if they need to be crossed. It does make sense, if what you want to do is provide negative feedback, i.e stability...it's just weird that I haven't heard to do it before. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

07-08-09, 04:43 PM	#9
Abbeysdad BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central NY - Finger Lakes Posts: 1,307	This was really stressed at the NYS boating safety course I just took. As an experiment, hook up w/o appropriate length and crossed chains and pop the tongue off the ball and see what happens - imagine if you were on the highway.

07-08-09, 05:28 PM	#10
bassboogieman BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parkesburg, Pa. Posts: 3,762	Almost ALL of the cables I've seen - yes, including mine - are too long. Most of the cables also have "S" links to hang from the tow bar. I removed the cables and replaced with chain, and the "S" links were replaced with screw closed links. This isn't an expesive fix.

07-08-09, 07:34 PM	#11
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	yeah my cables are coiled -and too long- i crossed them a couple times. however i had a mess and a half after towing with them crossed... proper ball/hitch adjustment will prevent the hitch from popping loose... the reason i refused to use any ball hitch but mine when towing my boat.. i towed my boat to ky lake 11 hours thru tennesse-not a flat area NO WHERE-with the cables crossed took me 45 mines to untangle the cables. i did not cross them on the return trip. took me 20 seconds to remove the cables when i got home.. nc state requires an extra attachment on the bow eye..i belive ny and pa also require this..it is a peace of mind since even the best winch systems will and can pop loose over rough roads.. zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

07-09-09, 02:51 AM	#14
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	I imagine having the tongue pop off the ball (no dirty jokes please, this is serious) is pretty scary even with the optimum chain arrangement when going fast. My chains are about right it seems. If I drop it off the ball it will keep the tongue an inch or so off the ground. When I jackknifed on the interstate and flipped the trailer, the chains might have kept the boat from rolling a few extra times. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

07-09-09, 07:20 AM	#15
bassackwards BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: hampton va Posts: 408	if your chains are to long you can twist the chain to shorten it than cross them. i'v had one come off (23 ft with a tractor on it) was no fun i think my butt sucked up part of the seat. want to talk about no fun one of the guys i worked with had the ball snap off in the bed when he was pulling a fully loaded goose neck, if not for the tool box it would have been real bad.

07-09-09, 02:13 PM	#18
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	i have seen king pins break with 80,000 pounds on them.. it happens... i put a new ball on every three years..then again i tow mine more than alot of you... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

07-09-09, 03:34 PM	#19
Captmikestarrett BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: May 2006 Location: Accokeek MD Posts: 3,315	The retracable spring loaded cables on my Mako will not cross. I wonder if they stop it from dragging with my new hitch. I will hafta check that out before my next trailer tire passes me. Capt Mike __________________ Capt Mike Starrett light tackle guide Potomac River http://www.indianheadcharters.com

07-09-09, 06:08 PM	#21
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	So you're saying I shouldn't tow my rig at 75 mph? Other people have made that comment to me, but hey... __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

07-10-09, 07:17 PM	#24
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	i had a spare wheel go under the boat at 65mph..holy bleep!!! just did not cut it... it bent the aluminum mag rim to bad to hold air... a soild steel axel note the gouge from the rim... where the tire/rim wedged. lifting the entire boat and trailer.. i'll never have a spare in the bow belly rack ever again.. the pin holding the spare broke off causing this... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

07-10-09, 07:57 PM	#25
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Hmmmm.....thta's good food for thought, Zook. I hate to keep a spare tire in my truck cab all the time, but it would definitely be preferable to that disaster. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

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