On Friday, July 8, 2016 at 4:43:59 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Friday, July 8, 2016 at 11:13:24 AM UTC-4, Oscar-Hotel-Mike wrote:
I just purchased a glider housed in a 2002 Cobra trailer. It came with only one chain (I always use two crossed chains) and the chain is attached to one of the bolts that connects the tongue to the trailer (big honking steel U strap over the tongue inside the trailer). According to the owner this was installed at the Cobra factory.

Here is a picture of the chain's external attachment points. Note that I upgraded to grade 10 bolts replacing the original Cobra bolts.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...r%20Chains.jpg

The question is, is this a good/best attachment point for chains? It would seem that a sharp jolt puts a high lateral force on the bolt at the weakest "threaded portion". I also saw this same setup in the linked picture at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!ms...8/FKmbkTjMBAAJ.

I see other Cobra owners with chains attached via a shackle to the V shaped bracket holding the jockey wheel/post. While this is a beefy bracket, is that a good place? Is another chain location even better?

PS - Is is true that Europeans don't even use chains? Seems just CRAZY to me as you would have a deadly unguided missile if it were to come off the ball.

Thanks, John

I use 2 chains bolted to the primary structure independent of tongue mounting with the solid portion of the 1/2 inch bolt going through the chain and the lock nut on the inside.
FWIW
UH

In the UK braked (i.e. pretty much all) trailers and caravans must have a break away cable that applies the hand brake if the trailer coupling comes off the ball. The cable is attached to a point on the towbar by a clip that is strong enough to apply the hand brake but weak enough to brake away allowing the vehicle and trailer to separate and leaving the trailer to stop on its own.

I wouldn't fancy being followed by an uncoupled unbraked trailer attached by a strong chain