Trailer safety chains.... ? Why do some NOT have them?

[shady]

I was recently given a fifth wheel camper. So I bought a hitch and put it in my truck.

Then started down the YOU tube rabbit hole.

In there I realized that Gooseneck hitches have safety chains, like all bumper mounts do.

But fifth wheel stuff doesn't

Then you have this newer combo that is just a raised gooseneck, called a fifth wheel, but still doesn't have chains.

For some reason I find that all ODD?

I know semis don't have chains, but always assumed it was because the chains they'd need would be too unwieldy for a man to use so they just skipped it.
But normal pickup towed stuff that's not the case. Yet they aren't used.


Just an observation... Figured I'd mention it here and see what you guys thought about.
Or if anyone else ever noticed it. Lol

 

[imiceman44]

I was recently given a fifth wheel camper. So I bought a hitch and put it in my truck.

Then started down the YOU tube rabbit hole.

In there I realized that Gooseneck hitches have safety chains, like all bumper mounts do.View attachment 514716

But fifth wheel stuff doesn't View attachment 514717

Then you have this newer combo that is just a raised gooseneck, called a fifth wheel, but still doesn't have chains.

For some reason I find that all ODD?

I know semis don't have chains, but always assumed it was because the chains they'd need would be too unwieldy for a man to use so they just skipped it.
But normal pickup towed stuff that's not the case. Yet they aren't used.


Just an observation... Figured I'd mention it here and see what you guys thought about.
Or if anyone else ever noticed it. Lol

The fifth wheel setup is designed not to come off, and there have been pictures of trailers hanging off bridges holding only to the fifth wheel of the tractor.
A ball type hitch if forced can pop off.
Plus on big rigs the brakes have a fail safe, when air lines disconnect the emergency brake activates and stops the trailer.
Not sure if rv trailers have anything built in but I know people put kits for a break away controller

 

[kennyw]

Gooseneck trailers from the 80s and earlier did not come with safety chains.

On a bumper pull it makes more sense as the chains can basket carry a disconnected trailer tongue as you stop the truck. I've had that happen once when I forgot to flip my hitch between trailers and my empty trailer popped off on a rough section.

On a Gooseneck, it may keep the truck and trailer close for a while, but I don't see it offering much control.

 

[imiceman44]

Gooseneck trailers from the 80s and earlier did not come with safety chains.

On a bumper pull it makes more sense as the chains can basket carry a disconnected trailer tongue as you stop the truck. I've had that happen once when I forgot to flip my hitch between trailers and my empty trailer popped off on a rough section.

On a Gooseneck, it may keep the truck and trailer close for a while, but I don't see it offering much control.

I think that bumper pull trailers have very little tongue weight and could unload on rough roads, fifth wheel and gooseneck have a lot more tongue weight and are less likely to unload and separate

 

[shady]

I've seen a lot of videos in this rabbit hole, of peoples fifth wheels unlatching and destroying the tailgates or coming out.

So it CAN happen.
I've seen ball style that have flipped and rolled all sorts of ways in the highway and stay latched too.
So really, they're all strong, and they can all fail. It's odd that safety standards would be different.

As for chains on a bumper pull.
If the chains mount to a single point on the trailer side. Like a lot of them do. I don't think they'd cradle anything, and there's no real reason to cross those.
I personally wouldn't leave a trailer that way if I bought one.
The Ones with some spread on the trailer side have a lot better chance of catching and cradling.

Funniest part is nearly all of them in the pics I've found, even from manufacturers, are too long. Lol

 

[imiceman44]

I've seen a lot of videos in this rabbit hole, of peoples fifth wheels unlatching and destroying the tailgates or coming out.

So it CAN happen.
I've seen ball style that have flipped and rolled all sorts of ways in the highway and stay latched too.
So really, they're all strong, and they can all fail. It's odd that safety standards would be different.

As for chains on a bumper pull.
If the chains mount to a single point on the trailer side. Like a lot of them do. I don't think they'd cradle anything, and there's no real reason to cross those. View attachment 514791View attachment 514792
I personally wouldn't leave a trailer that way if I bought one.
The Ones with some spread on the trailer side have a lot better chance of catching and cradling.View attachment 514793View attachment 514794

Funniest part is nearly all of them in the pics I've found, even from manufacturers, are too long. Lol

Chains are crossed to allow slack when turning, if the chain is too short it might not reach some people's hitch spot for the chain so the make it long but if you twist it it gets shorter. As for fifth wheel setup coming off, it only happens when you do not latch it properly, that's why it's part of the pre-trip inspection, you can see it.
You also can tug on it after you hook up but the only sure way is to go out and look

 

[shady]

Any worn part in that Hitch breaks and...
Only way they're coming off any of them is worn parts or improper hook up. So really, it's still all the same as far as I can see.

 

[Blue85]

As a "temporary/quick" set-up, there are some pitfalls to the hitch ball that may make the redundancy more logical. First is the similar sizes. You can easily have a hitch one size larger than the ball and not really notice. The latch is also adjustable, but rarely actually adjusted to where it should be for that exact equipment. Being able to swap balls between mounts (or reverse the raise/drop) gives more opportunity for it to be improperly tightened. U-haul did this to me once when they "helped" me hook up a cargo trailer. Got to my destination with the nut almost off the bottom of the shank and most of the threads ruined. We've all heard stories of cheap hitch pins breaking after enough abuse. The chains are the difference between a smashed tailgate and a boat through somebody's car (well, maybe...).

All of this is avoidable, but there will always be people not doing 100% due diligence.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

As stated 5th wheels don't get them as they're locked in. When they're locked. You're supposed to do a tug test before you drive off to make sure it latched properly. I've seen people not get latched fully in and drive off and crush the bed/tailgate.

 

[shady]

I'm not cool with the fact that there's nothing but a couple small pins and E clips keeping that latched.
Think I'm going to add them on mine for my own piece of mind. Lol
I personally think they should have them in the NON semi sized stuff.
Oh well. Just think it's odd.

 

[sweetk30]

I know of a 5th wheel with the lockout plate in so it couldn't turn at truck hitch . Got towed around 400 miles and made all sorts of noises and bangs but never come out .

Went to drop trailer at camp site and took 2 guys and pry bars 30+ min to get it separated as it was all bound up and bent the hitch guts .

This was a B&W 5th wheel unit . Shows how hard a 5th wheel would have to work if it wanted to come apart .


I also in my towing days seen a 5th wheel camper get its body removed under a low train bridge . The 5th wheel never had a problem with it .

I would do a 5th wheel any day no chains . But anything with a ball gets chains .

 

[76zimmer]

Yep, the ole ball and chains!