Safety chain question.

[handle]

What size or strength safety chain should one use towing a 1000lb package?

 

[GA_Boater]

The standard safety chain should work for a 1000 pounds.

 

[handle]

There are lots of different sizes of chain. What's the standard ?

 

[GA_Boater]

Take your pick. http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Trailer-...0211626--session_id.427965633--view_id.238456

Match the class to your hitch.

 

[Starcraft5834]

gizmo up Amazon if you have an account.. Boat safety chains go by class. I've got a class 3 safety chain.. (5000lb GW) for my 20 ft cuddy, that weighs +2500 lbs... look at class weights on the web..

 

[drrpm]

At the risk of being Captain obvious, I'd say a chain with a 1,000 lb or higher rating would be good.

 

[dingbat]

At the risk of being Captain obvious, I'd say a chain with a 1,000 lb or higher rating would be good.

apparently capt. Obvious doesn't understand that a shock load can exceed the weight load by a factor of 10 or more Don't know about you, but I'm not laying under a #3,500 car supported by a #3,500 rated chain....

 

[haulnazz15]

apparently capt. Obvious doesn't understand that a shock load can exceed the weight load by a factor of 10 or more Don't know about you, but I'm not laying under a #3,500 car supported by a #3,500 rated chain....

I would add the caveat that just because you are towing a 5,000;bs boat, doesn't mean there is a 5,000 load on the chain. We aren't dangling the boat/trailer from the chain, it is just the force involved in A) catching the tongue weight, and B) slowing down the momentum of a 5K lbs trailer from a given speed. You don't need chain rated 8K pounds in order to tow an 8K lbs trailer.

 

[drrpm]

apparently capt. Obvious doesn't understand that a shock load can exceed the weight load by a factor of 10 or more Don't know about you, but I'm not laying under a #3,500 car supported by a #3,500 rated chain....

They are safety chains designed to keep the trailer attached to the tow vehicle if the hitch fails or becomes disconnected so two 1,000 lb chains should be more than adequate for a 1,000lb load. If you get a shock load with a factor of 10 it won't matter how strong the chain is because it will rip the rear end off the tow vehicle unless you're towing that 1,000 lb rig with something grossly oversized.

 

[Outsider]

I like to point to many boaters that their 'safety' chains might result in their tow vehicle landing in the roof if the trailer comes loose and digs in. Amazing how many deer look in that headlight ...

 

[haulnazz15]

I like to point to many boaters that their 'safety' chains might result in their tow vehicle landing in the roof if the trailer comes loose and digs in. Amazing how many deer look in that headlight ...

A bit overly dramatic. I don't see how any trailer "digging in" is going to cause a vehicle to flip on it's roof. A violent stop? Sure. Damage to the rear of the tow vehicle and trailer? Most likely. Vehicle going out of control in a manner that will leave it upside down? Fat chance.

 

[sublauxation]

Not saying it can't happen but I've never seen a vehicle end up on it's roof because of chains that are too strong. I have seen a recent news article about a trailer that came off the hitch, broke the undersized chains, crossed the center line and impaled a dad and his child. I've got 2 5000 lb chains for my 2000lb set up. They cost me about $15 from Home Depot. For better or worse I'm hoping that wherever I go my trailer follows. I can probably find a link to the news story if anybody wants to read it.