Safety Chain Capacity and Requirements for a 6-Ton Triple Axle Trailer

Updated 02/08/2011 | Published 02/07/2011

Question:

Safety chain question. I have a mobile home triple-axle trailer sold to me as a 6-ton trailer. Tires and axles are rated OK, the two axle brakes the limit to 11.5 k pounds, which for me is further limited to the 10 k lbs hitch rating. So far Ive only seen safety chains to 5 k lbs each. Is there a higher rated safety chain available, or does the 5 k lb rating meet the requirements of the low?

asked by: Bill

Expert Reply:

The highest rated safety chains we carry at this time are the 35 inch Long Safety Chain with Clevis Slip Hook, 5,400 lbs., item # 1483-535-04, that you mentioned. Two of these chains are rated for 10,800 pounds working load limit and 32,400 (16,200 lbs each) breaking strength, and should be sufficient for your towing limit of 10,000 lbs.

Safety chain requirements state that the breaking strength of each chain, not the working load limit of the chain, should be equal to or exceed the GVWR of the trailer. Two safety chains are required for redundancy and so that the tongue of the trailer can be caught in the crossed chains beneath the tongue, in the event of a breakaway.

expert reply by: Robert G