Trailer swing tongue question

[Cosmos]

Hi guys,

 

I am wondering if you can give me another awesome advise as you always do.

 

I recently installed fulton swing tongue on my trailer to fit it in garage. By instructions it says that I have to extend safety chains, I didn't.

Friend of mine bought new Lund Fury which came with trailer from shorelander with swing tongue installed by marina. Here is a picture:

 

 

I am wondering now if I should extend safety chain or leave it like that.

Forgot to add - his is 3"x3" and mine is 2"x3" but rated the same 5000 lbs

 

 

Thanks

Edited March 29, 2014 by Costa

[moxie]

Is the reason because the chains are to be aft of the break? Mine are set up the same way. Only difference is it is welded to the trailer where yours is a bolt-on(looks solid none the less).

Edited March 29, 2014 by moxie

[Cosmos]

Is the reason because the chains are to be aft of the break? Mine are set up the same way. Only difference is it is welded to the trailer where yours is a bolt-on(looks solid nine the less).

 

Moxie,

 

How heavy is your boat?

 

If this thing will fail apart trailer still will be attached to your car if chains are attached to the main body of trailer.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Costa

[Cosmos]

Picture of mine after installation:

 

[Rob]

What I did was add chains behind the bracket and in front and crossed them and left enough slack so it could swing away. Works great and still provides t the safety if it breaks.

 

Rob C

[BillM]

We've got a swing tongue on our Shoreland'r as well (Came from the factory like that) chains are in a normal position, not extended at all. If you did something on road to shear that bolt off, the trailer being disconnected will be the last of your worries, lol.

[Cosmos]

So you guys recommend it to leave it like that?

 

Bill can you clarify?

[Crazy Ivan]

I have steel cables instead of chains that extend to behind the pivot point. The idea is that if the bolt snaps, your boat won't pass you on the highway.

 

Like this (not my photo) http://www.thehulltruth.com/attachments/boating-forum/243054d1338053114-folding-trailer-tongue-issues-tongue.jpg

 

I like the rubber coated cables better than chains. You might want to check with MTO about what is required for swing away tongues.

[BillM]

So you guys recommend it to leave it like that?

 

Bill can you clarify?

 

I wouldn't change anything. If it's good enough for ShoreLand'r it's good enough for me.

Edited March 29, 2014 by BillM

[lew]

My last 2 trailers have come factory equipped with swing-away tongues and both had the cables mounted right behind the hitch.

 

Personal opinion though, but I much prefer chains to cables.

[moxie]

 

Moxie,

 

How heavy is your boat?

 

If this thing will fail apart trailer still will be attached to your car if chains are attached to the main body of trailer.

Weighs in at approx 1,400lbs as it sits. You should be fine. Like Bill said if something happened and it was enough to shear the bolts, the added safety chains would add is negligible.

Edited March 29, 2014 by moxie

[ch312]

While the odds of the bolt and pin of the pivot coming loose or shearing off are extremely low, it could definitely happen as the pivot is the weakest link.

 

Let's say the pin that locks the trailer in the straight position comes loose because the driver forgot to put in the cotter pin. The result would be a trailer swaying back and fourth which would put a ton of stress on the one remaining pin that's keeping the trailer attached to the vehicle and could definitely shear it off. With the chains attached where they are you'd have a boat and trailer cruising into the ditch or other lanes uncontrollably where if they were attached to the main frame of the trailer it would still be attached to the vehicle.

 

Having the chains where they are is okay.

 

Attaching them to the main trailer is the best way.

 

 

 

My G3 Angler came with a Bear trailer that has a detachable trailer tongue. The manufacturer attached the chains to the main frame to eliminate any doubt and IMO is the proper way of doing it.

 

 

[nofish4me]

I'd follow reg's on that. No need to over think it.

I've seen what happens when trailer comes off the hitch.

Lead links in safety chains are a good idea. Hahaha

 

Just kidding about the lead links.

[aplumma]

The force of the tongue of the trailer digging in the road will destroy the pivot point and the trailer will be free with the chains in front of the pivot. The chains the way you have them might as well be made of paper for all the good they will do if your trailer gets free.

 

 

Art

[Cosmos]

Thank you guys,

 

I think it's better to be safe than sorry - so I went this morning to Princess Auto to buy some goodies. Ended up with this one hour later:

 

[lew]

Maybe it's just the way I'm seeing that picture, but from where the chains drop down from the hitch, are you gonna have enough slack for making sharp turns ??

[jedimaster]

Might just be the angle of the dangle Lew.

[Cosmos]

Lew, It's more than enough.

I measured old ones and new ones are even a bit longer.

[lew]

Good to hear Costa, guess I was just seeing it wrong.

[aplumma]

I would be honored to drive next to you now.

 

 

Art

[Cosmos]

I would be honored to drive next to you now.

 

 

Art

Thank you Art.

[didoban]

My opinion only, others may differ. I would keep the chain with enough allowance that you can turn safely. I would not want that much length of chain. In case the trailer got unhitched, the trailer tongue might swing so far out and pose a danger while in motion or it will slide further under your vehicle and cause more damage. The shorter chain will keep the trailer from traveling farther than you want incase of a mishap.

[irishfield]

Chains are to be at just enough secured length so that when the coupler lets go the tongue gets cradled on the chains for a non event. Is also why you're supposed to cross the chains underneath. Now that said... if my hitch ever pops at 100kph, my chains had better break !

[Crazy Ivan]

The chains on Costa's trailer run through a metal bracket under the hitch. So if the hitch came off, it wouldn't swing out very far.

[BillM]

The chains on Costa's trailer run through a metal bracket under the hitch. So if the hitch came off, it wouldn't swing out very far.

 

If that swing tongue fails (Which it never will) that trailer is going to dig in with all that extra chain and bad bad things are going to happen. If this was an issue, manufacturers would be doing this from the factory...