The Travelling Dillberries wrote:

---

Perhaps these pics will help, selected from the internet.

 

Hammerlock, used to join chains.

Clip a D shackle in, very easy.

---

 Many thanks to the Travellers and to Craigs comment on using a Bow Shackle replacing a D shackle.

With the pics and the description, myself and many others can now see the information that I was requesting. How simple!

It looks like a good idea and I think that I have actually seen some of those hooks hanging from some tow bars from time to time.

iana wrote:

---

I might be missing something here, but what's wrong with just using the supplied and legal "D" shackles. Its not like you unhitch the van at every intersection, seriously it takes a minute to connect them.

---

Hooks are much quicker and easier to use,and can be connected and disconnected with one hand,whilst the hammerlocks mean that nobody can "borrow" your hooks or shackles. They also can be used if you simply want to lengthen your chains a bit.Cheers

Cupie wrote:

---

iana wrote:

---

I might be missing something here, but what's wrong with just using the supplied and legal "D" shackles. Its not like you unhitch the van at every intersection, seriously it takes a minute to connect them.

---

 It may be just a male thing.Many of us like to potter around and 'fix' or 'improve things'.In this case maybe to make another aspect of hitching & unhitching just a little bit quicker & easier.I could post a list of the vast range of things like this that I have done to 'improve' things on the van over the years. But I wouldn't like to risk the wrath of others by going off topic. LOL

---

 Very wise decision Cupie....there seems to be a couple of sensitive souls around! It is human nature that,in the course of any conversation,one topic touches another,and suddely we are 'off topic'.Simple solution is to cease reading imediately you think that someone has gone 'off topic',surely? You could perhaps start another thread along the lines of "improvements I have made".....then you'd be safe? Cheers

Iva Biggen wrote:

---

 

---

 Hi Cupie,

You could always just start another topic which could include anyones modifications and improvements with vanning.

This topic could stay independent of the others.

Or we could all use this sub forum.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/f593698/hints-tips-and-great-ideas/

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Wednesday 27th of November 2019 01:00:08 PM

---

 What a good idea ...  LOL

If you have a look at the first post on that sub forum (23/April 2013) you might get a surprise.

Must not have been very interesting .. Only 1 reply (from Dunmowin) from 7595 looks!

Cupie wrote:

---

Iva Biggen wrote:

---

 

---

 Hi Cupie,

You could always just start another topic which could include anyones modifications and improvements with vanning.

This topic could stay independent of the others.

Or we could all use this sub forum.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/f593698/hints-tips-and-great-ideas/

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Wednesday 27th of November 2019 01:00:08 PM

---

 What a good idea ...  LOL

If you have a look at the first post on that sub forum (23/April 2013) you might get a surprise.

 

Must not have been very interesting .. Only 1 reply (from Dunmowin) from 7595 looks!

---

 I just had a look at your link to a post way back in 2013.

 Many of us newbies were not members then...well at least I wasnt.

I generally read and contribute on a mobile device and as such I really can not read your cursive text in that post. That text maybe the reason why only one contributed an answer.

I do know that back then many of us used computers as opposed to small devices which are more the norm today.

Computer screens may be a bit clearer to at least my old eyes but I am in my van most of the time so it is the mobile which is my device of choice.

The sub forum is a good resource.

yobarr wrote:

---

Craig1 wrote:

---

Thanks, Chris, Sharyn, two things out of this, 1 -that the "D ", more probably bow shackle will fit over the tapered latch hook more easily than bare end of chain. and 2 -has anyone actually truly tried to check or measure the chain length to see that it keeps the drawbar off the bitumen/concrete in the worst case scenario ? or like me, just a good I hope edumacated guess

---

Without wanting to start a spit fight,          very few of the towing setups that I have seen would keep the drawbar off the road should the trailer detach.             Whilst the theory is good,if the van comes off the hitch,the van drawbar will run under the car's towbar,thus reducing the distance between the point where the chain is welded to the van's drawbar,and where the chain attaches to the car.The drawbar will thus hit the road,as very few chains are shorter than the distance from the hitch point to the road.The bigger the distance from the hitch point to where the chains attach to the drawbar,the bigger the problem.Breakaway systems are useless unless the van leaves the car and actually pulls the pin to activate the brakes,whilst the 7/12 pin plug is likely to become disconnected when the drawbar drops to the road,rendering the electric brakes useless too. I have recently been playing around with a short piece of chain that goes from one safety chain to the other,over the towbar,just behind the DO35 hitch,so that if the van becomes disconnected,the drawbar still is 300mm off the road.Work in progress.Cheers.

---

 Alas with many of your statements in other topics Yobarr you always assume in your comments that most of us do not know what we are doing.

Could you just for once assume that many of us know the regulations and not group us in the worst situation.

Thank you

edit; I tried to highlight what you said but it may not be as clear as I hoped.

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Wednesday 27th of November 2019 08:29:04 PM

Iva Biggen wrote:

---

yobarr wrote:

---

Craig1 wrote:

---

So Yobarr, the theroy is that your top chain piece will still allow an almost jacknife reverse without pulling the chains off the drawbar or coupling, which is likely to happen if they are shortened enough to stop the thing hitting the ground?

---

That is exactly right Craig,and is the reason that I am experimenting with the cross chain.It depends a lot on how far apart are the points where the chains are attached to the car. The further apart they are,the bigger the problem,but a lot depends on how far back from the hitch the chains have been attached to the van.....the closer the chains are to that hitch point,the lesser the problem.The cross chain allows for more slack in the safety chains,but I will get my engineer to certify everything anyway.So far,so good! Cheers

---

 Just to clarify for all of us Yobarr could you please give all of us a link or a way of identifying your consultant engineer that has approved or will assess and susequently approve these modifications.

Thank you

---

 I am sure that anybody capable of accessing Google would have little difficulty in finding an suitable engineer in their local area.Cheers

 Yobarr 

From your post above.

I will get my engineer to certify everything anyway.so far,so good! Cheers

You are the person that is informing us all that your safety chain set up is approved or will be approved by the various state authorities so cough up mate and prove it.

This is directly related to the question the OP asked whereby you said clevis hooks werent approved but your method is.

You, at the very least, owe it to him or her to provide proof.

I would just like to see that from an authority other than a truck driver.

While you claim that all people in authority may not be fully conversant with regulations when they intercept you on the road I personally would like to offer more than the explanation and excuse that a truck driver on a caravan forum said these safety chains comply.

Do you see where from where I am coming.

To my knowledge all van manufacturers just use D Shackles to the tow bar..

Thank you