Chain Lengths

Papou · Senior Member

Chain Lengths

PeterD · Guru

Safety chains or the chains on WDH?

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Safety chains should allow maximum turning and prohibit the draw bar from hitting the ground if the van becomes detached from the tug.

Cheers,
Peter

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Wot Peter sed Papou -

Check this site - http://www.towingguide.com/towing-parts/

I snipped this from that site to save you scrolling -

Chains 01.JPG

cheers - John

patrol03 · Senior Member

I wonder how many vans have their chains adjusted correctly to comply with the regs.Most I see on the road have their chains almost dragging on the bitumen,in fact you can see them dangling when travelling behind.By the same token I wonder if they would really stop the draw bar from hitting the deck.(I don't really want to find out either).

Baz421 · Guru

Vehicle Standards Bulletin VSB1 details the legal requirements for trailers up to 4.5 tonnes (ie all ADR light category trailers)

https://infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb1/vsb_01_b.aspx#anc_16

See section 16, page 26.

The standard is not very exciting reading BUT is the legal requirement for construction.

John has provided the other info above.

HANSON47 · Newbie

depends on the size of the fish you are going to hang off the drawbar lol confuse

mr glassies · Guru

Held a lot of chains in my hands over the last 59 yrs can't remember seeing ratings stamped in the link lol

Dibs

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

They are certainly on most caravans, Dibs - definitely on mine ... should be on all caravans.

This is what the 'rating stamp' looks like -

Cheers - John

PeterD · Guru

Papou wrote:
Rule of thumb or requirement for chain lenths on drawbar of Van ??...

If you are talking about the safety chains, there is no rule of thumb (like there is for ball weights) for the chain lengths. Different manufacturers supply different lengths.

mr glassies · Guru

Well nock me over with a feather I just looked at the van chain and it's not the same as that but it has numbers on it the pop top hasn't and non of the chains in my box of lifting chains has .

I stand corrected

Dibs

Hylife · Guru

Really there should be variations in chain lengths because they should be matched to the LEVEL height of the van.

Your towbar coupling should be matched to the level height of your van as well. Your van should couple at a level ride, not nose up or nose down.

If your van's drawbar is 'X' height when level then the chains need to be shorter than that to hold it up from the ground.

All chain mounting points on tow bars are BELOW the coupling (ball) and it is the variations in towbar design where the chains attach to, that can make your chains appear too long or short.

Perfect for my towbar might be too short or too long for yours.

-- Edited by Hylife on Wednesday 6th of April 2016 04:14:46 PM