MPond
Thousand Oaks, CA
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So if most states require that your safety chains be crossed, how does that apply to tow bars that have channels for the safety chains, such as the Roadmaster Sterling?
I found this picture online, but wasn't sure if crossing the safety chains on a towbar like this was "correct":
Here is a picture from the Roadmaster website that shows the safety chains (cables) not crossed:
Any comments?
Another thread mentioned this, but I didn't want to hijack it with a question that wasn't related to the OP.
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Fishinghat
Western Washington, USA
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I've never heard of an exemption for tow bars, so my assumption would be that the cables/chains have to be crossed.
On the other hand, how many LEOs are going to check? And, if they did, would you be cited? In the event of an accident where failure of the tow bar was an issue and the chains/cables were not sufficient to prevent damage, would having them crossed prevented the loss? I think the answer is "no" to all of the above.
However, I use a tow bar and have always crossed my chains. Why not?
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kalynzoo
Los Angeles , California
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I was told in discussion with a CHP officer that cross chains on a tow-bar without a ball seemed sort of silly, since the intent is to catch the tow bar if the ball fails. But old habits die hard, and I still cross my chains.
Happy Trails.
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Francesca Knowles
Port Hadlock, Washington
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Forget the law and consider the mechanics: if the trailer comes off the hitch, would you prefer it to fall on the chains or on the road?
Cross the chains.
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Roadpilot
Lakes Region of New Hampshire
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The purpose of crossing the chains is to keep the front of a trailer from dropping to the pavement which causes the trailer to ride up and over the front.
If you run the chains per Roadmasters method the chains are in the tow bar so it can't fall to the ground. There's no need to cross chains.
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PackerBacker
Montreal Qc Adirondacks,NY
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As one who has had a hitch fail with a trailer, I know for a fact that crossing chains/cables will really help keep the towed unit in line. In my case, a hitch ball sheared off and with the chains, the trailer maintained a 'fairly' stable track until I was able to slow the vehicle to a stop along tjhe side of the road.
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dan-nickie
Grand Prairie, TX
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I have that same tow bar with the channels for the safety cables and have wondered about the same thing.
Seems most people are answering are talking about trailers with typical hitches and do'nt really apply to this tow bar.
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PackerBacker
Montreal Qc Adirondacks,NY
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dan-nickie wrote:I have that same tow bar with the channels for the safety cables and have wondered about the same thing.
Seems most people are answering are talking about trailers with typical hitches and do'nt really apply to this tow bar.
True. I guess if there is any doubt, remove the cables from the channels and cross them in the usual fashion.
... Eric
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NC-Hawk
Crystal Coast of North Carolina
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Quote:So if most states require that your safety chains be crossed,
Here in NC a friend of mine recently went to pick up his rented 'U-Haul' car trailer. 'I' crossed the chains, but the U-Haul rep 'uncrossed' them saying that they couldn't allow the trailer to leave their property with the chains crossed. A company policy and insurance requirement U-Haul said. 
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WyoTraveler
Powell, WY
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This is a tow bar, not a hitch and ball. I am assuming that the chains are short enough so the bar could not come out of the hitch, even if you pulled the pin. No reason to cross them. If it were a ball hitch it is true the tongue would fall on the crossed chains and keep the tongue off the ground and trailer from flipping.
Most of the accidents I have seen are not actually from broken hitch balls but because of people towing trailers with the wrong sized ball. Duh! Sometimes it makes you wonder.
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