These are some great tips, especially the cotter pin. I always cross my
chains over the top of the hitch so that they support the trailer wieght if
my coupler should come free for any reason.
I used to just cross them under the hitch, untill a friend of mine saw me
and related a story about how the hitch came loose on their horse trailer,
loaded with show horses. The only thing that saved the horses was the fact
that the chains held the tongue up high enough that it didn't catch on the
road.
Larry Zink
----- Original Message -----
From: <jmark.vanscoter@amd.com>
To: <Tim.Mullen@trw.com>; <epetrevich@relavis.com>
Cc: <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 5:31 PM
Subject: RE: Safety Chains Was: Build it yourself Car Trailer
>
> > 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
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