List,
I'm another big believer in crossed safety chains and have recently
started using screw shut type connectors at the hitch ends after seeing some
cheap s-hooks straightened out. The hitch lubrication deal just requires a
little common sense. Obviously, if you grease up the ball and then drive on
the beach you might get enough sand in the hitch to create an abrasive that
will eat up the hitch and ball. For normal highway towing a regular
cleaning and relubrication will keep the hitch much quieter and more
pleasant to pull.
Living right near the ocean I see lots of stupid stuff done with boat
trailers, and thought these few cautions might save someone lotsa grief.
With reciever hitches, do not attach the safety chains to the reciever
end. (even if the manufacturer provided nice hooks there to hang them on)
Attach them to the hitch itself. I saw a beautiful bass boat that made a 55
MPH trip into the Croatan National Forest when the reciever came out of the
hitch. Worst part was that the safety chains and hitch were all still
firmly attached to the front of the trailer when it made its' little detour.
After seeing that I'll never tow with a reciever hitch without a good
quality, locking retaining pin for the reciever.
Screw (U-haul) style hitches can cause BIG trouble if you don't pay
attention when hitching up. I lost a 16' U-Haul not a mile from home after
my buddy hitched it up. It all looked good and the hitch was screwed down
tight. Problem was that the hitch "foot", that's supposed to ride on the
small part of the ball had been tightened down onto the 3/16" high flange
around the base of the hitch. This flange just happened to be exactly the
same diameter as the ball, and at the first good dip in the road I was
testing both the safety chains and break-away brake system. Only damage was
a bunch of smashed lamp shades. Not near as bad as the damage a local
fisherman did recently when he did exactly the same thing, but without
attaching the safety chains! Launched his boat and trailer through 6 mail
boxes, where the trailer stopped and the boat continued over the front of
the trailer and up a telephone pole!!!
While we're talking trailers, does anyone do anything special when
securing their cars on trailers? Like a kinda fail-safe chain around a
stout chassis member in case of an accident which might cause the car to
break free of its' tie downs? I'm using 10,000 Lb rated nylon straps with
attachments at all 4 corners. I've always been pretty comfortable with this
arrangement, but safety is samething that can always be improved upon -like
the cotter pin through the hitch idea. Good winter safety project.
Chuck Rothfuss
Long time solid axle 4 wheel car trailer puller
Pole Cat Hollow, NC
At 05:31 PM 11/29/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>
>> I always cross the chains as well. I learned this while in the
>> Army
>
>Something I learned on my last trip...
>
>It is a good suggestion to drill the shaft of the ball and insert a cotter
>pin. Ideally, use a castellated (sp?) nut so that the cotter pin is engaged
>right from the start.
>
>The cotter pin is all that kept my ball on after it came loose! I tightened
>it up at the next stop, but crisis averted!
>
>Mark V.S. in Austin, TX
|