Posted 2007-06-20 3:49 PM (#62546) Subject: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
New User
Posts: 3
I have a Trailet 2 horse bumper pull with dressing room. How do I hitch it to my truck. This question actually sounds stupider than it is.
In particular how long should the electric cable be in relation to the crossed safety chains and how long should the emergency breakaway cable be?
Should the emergency breakaway engage if the trailer hops the ball but is still attached with safety chains? Or should the emergency breakaway only engage if the safety chains fail?
If the breakaway is for only if the chains break then I guess the electrical connection would need to be longer than the safety chains so that it does not get unplugged.
I currently don't know how long my electrical connection is in relation to my safety chains (I am at work so I can't check). My breakaway cable is slightly shorter than the chains. So if it hops the ball then the trailer immediately has the brakes applied. Somebody pointed out on another board that this would be more likely to cause chain failure since now you are trying to pull a trailer that has the brakes fully applied and it isn't rolling at all.
Posted 2007-06-20 4:16 PM (#62548 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
I am interested to hear the responses here.
Here is how I see it. The breakaway cable should be shorter than the chains. Then if the hitch breaks the brakes will be applied and hopefully the chains will be attached to the tow vehicle. I seem to think the length of the electrical connection is somewhat irrelevant, because I am going to be stopping as fast as I can, no matter what, if the hitch breaks. If a pulled breakaway cable causes the chains to fail, you really are no worse off than if your chains are shorter than your cable and your breakaway cable only got pulled when the chains broke.
All I know is that I hope never to have to test the chains or the cable.
Posted 2007-06-20 6:09 PM (#62551 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
there are many different opinions on this subject. to me its fairly simple, chains crossed and as short as possible, trailer wire a touch longer, and the break away cable longer still. the chains will not break (if they are of the proper grade, quite a few manufacturers skimp though) and will hold the trailer to the truck, so i should have a fair amount of control. i dont want the trailer brakes being applied unless i step on the brake or use manual lever.
after all its called a "break away" cable, if the chains are still holding the trailer to the truck it hasnt broken away.
your best bet is to use/maintain proper equipment and do a "walk around" at EVERY oportunity.
Posted 2007-06-20 8:18 PM (#62555 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
New User
Posts: 3
Yes it is called a breakaway cable but when does the breakaway occur? When it has hopped the hitch? Or when it is totally free from the truck?
As an FYI I do have the truck inspected yearly. I normally have my husband hitch the trailer and then I check everything. This way we have two sets of eyes looking over the connections before I load. Also if I leave the trailer unattended at a public place like a park I check everything again to make sure nobody tampered with it. I don't normally recheck as thoroughly if I take the trailer to my trainers since I know that nobody there will mess with it.
If some trailer manufacturers skimp on the chains how do I know if the ones that I have are up to the job? Are they marked in any way or do you measure the thickness of the metal of the links?
Posted 2007-06-20 9:51 PM (#62561 - in reply to #62555) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
Originally written by SonnysMom on 2007-06-20 9:18 PM
Yes it is called a breakaway cable but when does the breakaway occur? When it has hopped the hitch? Or when it is totally free from the truck? As an FYI I do have the truck inspected yearly. I normally have my husband hitch the trailer and then I check everything. This way we have two sets of eyes looking over the connections before I load. Also if I leave the trailer unattended at a public place like a park I check everything again to make sure nobody tampered with it. I don't normally recheck as thoroughly if I take the trailer to my trainers since I know that nobody there will mess with it. If some trailer manufacturers skimp on the chains how do I know if the ones that I have are up to the job? Are they marked in any way or do you measure the thickness of the metal of the links?
youll have to make you own decision about when a "break away" occurs....as i mentioned if the chains are still holding the truck/trailer together it hasnt broken away by my standards.
as for the chain a 2h generally has a gvwr of 7000#. to satisfy the law (depending on who you argue with) a 1/4" grade 43 chain will be enough. chain is marked every few links......no mark is grade 30, a 4 indcates grade 43 and a 7 is grade 70 or transport grade, usually gold colored. "s" hooks are generally not rated above 5000# so they are a dead give away the chain is not strong enough.
Posted 2007-06-20 10:12 PM (#62564 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Member
Posts: 44 Location: Odessa, MO
Well think this through.. If the trailer jumps off the ball or the hitch breaks how do you plan on stopping the trailer? If the emergency break away cable is longer than the chains it won't engage as long as the chains stay connected. So the only brakes you will have is what your break controller is set too and that only works if your plug stays connected with a trailer flopping around behind your truck. On my truck I don't have enough break set to just stop the trailer suddenly.. If a trailer comes off the ball and you have horses in the trailer it is going to be fairly heavy.. If the emergency brakes don't come on this is going to start throwing your truck around and more than likely throw u in the ditch or worse upside down.. The faster things stop the better in my opion.. I would make the emergency brakes come on before I had a chance to test out the chains and risk trying to control the trailer with nothing but chains attached and no brakes..
Posted 2007-06-21 12:48 AM (#62571 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Member
Posts: 45
I agree with Chadsalt here, leaving just enough slack in chains(make sure they're crossed) and trailer plug in to allow for extra length needed during turns. I've seen trailer plugs(or wires) pulled out, chains binding because they're too tight. Conversely, I've seen trailer wires and chains dragging on road surface for allowing too much slack. The emergency break away cable I attach to bumper(does not take much pull to trip switch) and not the hitch itself(including hook area) in case of rare(if ever) chance of loosing hitch assembly(violent pull by trailer-?). Always heed hitch and especially ball weight ratings and use weight distribution system if necessary.
Posted 2007-06-21 3:49 AM (#62572 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Location: Del Mar, CA
As for the power of trailer brakes... I stupidly hitched up my empty 2H trailer last year not noticing that the hitch was not down all the way on the ball, looked like it, locked like it, but wasn't. As I started to drive off I got about 15 feet and my truck was yanked to a stop, I mean it was stopped cold! Thank god I didn't have a horse standing on his nose in there because I would not have had the strength to crank up the front half of the trailer and horse with the hitch (coupler?) on the ground. I don't know if this was good or bad, it's just what happened.
Posted 2007-06-21 8:42 AM (#62586 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
When we had a bp trailer we always crossed the chains under the hitch and the brakeaway cable was a bit longer than the chains, about the same length as the light wiring.
My ex step mother had a trailer come off the ball on the freeway in Dallas. It rode on the chains until she could exit. If the brakes had locked up it could have caused a huge wreck and blocked traffic. Just imagine what would happen if a car (or trailer) just slammed on the brakes, cars swerving everywhere to avoid it.
Posted 2007-06-21 8:54 AM (#62587 - in reply to #62546) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
I guess I can see chadsalt's point of view pretty well.
Okay, another question. I know the safety chains should be crossed. My chains will drag on the ground if they are just crossed, so I twist the two chains together until I get the right amount of slack, then hook one hook on each side of the hitch. Is there anything wrong with twisting the two chains together?
Posted 2007-06-21 9:08 AM (#62588 - in reply to #62587) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
If the chains are twisted the hitch may drop to one side of the chain or the other instead of "on" them. If the chains are to long then it would be better to shorten them.
Posted 2007-06-21 1:33 PM (#62604 - in reply to #62587) Subject: RE: Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
Expert
Posts: 1416 Location: sc
Originally written by jdzaharia on 2007-06-21 8:54 AM
I guess I can see chadsalt's point of view pretty well.
Okay, another question. I know the safety chains should be crossed. My chains will drag on the ground if they are just crossed, so I twist the two chains together until I get the right amount of slack, then hook one hook on each side of the hitch. Is there anything wrong with twisting the two chains together?
twisting the chains will reduce their strength. like terri said, better to shorten them.
Correct way to hitch bumper pull trailer?
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