|
06-08-2010, 07:52 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 739
|
Safety Cables
I tow 4 down behind my MH. Are the saftey cables required to be crossed, if so why. They seem to get tangled with light and brake away wires. I asked a local police officer about it, he is a fisherman and hauls his boat often. He said he knew of no law that required them to be crossed when towing anything, and did not cross his. Thanks
__________________
2008 Itasca 35A
2008 Honda CRV
2010 Chevy Colorado 4x4
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
06-08-2010, 08:50 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,391
|
Crossed Cables
The reason for crossed cables is incase the tow bar comes unhooked the crossed cables should keep the towbar from digging into the road and vaulting the toad.
|
|
|
06-08-2010, 08:51 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Western WA
Posts: 1,294
|
The primary reason to cross them is so they do not bind in a tight turn. For grins, try it with two short chains, run them straight on each side and try some tight turns. Crossed, no problem. Straight, outside chain goes straight, tight and drags the front of the toad in the direction of the turn.
And, like stuhly said, it will cradle the tow bar if it gets unhooked.
__________________
Sold the Motorhome, joined the fully retired gang. '07 Winnebago Journey 34H, ISB-02, MH2500
Toad - '08 Ford Taurus X, Blue Ox, Aventa
US Gear UBS
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 07:27 AM
|
#4
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
|
The reason that many states have it in their towing laws is to catch the tongue of the trailer if the hitch or coupler breaks loose. It also helps avoid binding if the chains are a bit short, as Fleetman says.
If your toad towbar is the ball & coupler type, I would still cross them. If it is the motorhome mounted drawbar type, there isn't much point. However, I always cross mine, just from years of habit and good practice for other types of trailers.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 10:03 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
I have a copy of the Michigan Vehicle Code on this computer (in fact on all my computers) but I do not recall reading it in the "Civilian" code.. In the Commercial code though I quickly found it (That one is not on the computer)
As others have said, it is so the tong/hitch will be cradled by the cables and not dig into the pavement. Trust me you don't want to be anywhere near when a tong or hitch digs into the ground.
Page 2: Will those fairly light looking safety cables hold a 4,000 pound chevy Lumina
YES... They will
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 10:26 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Appalachian Campers
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Dixie !! (north Georgia) USA
Posts: 4,113
|
Fleetman nailed it
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 06:46 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 739
|
Thanks to all that replyed. Does anyone know if crossing the cables is a law?
__________________
2008 Itasca 35A
2008 Honda CRV
2010 Chevy Colorado 4x4
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 07:55 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,875
|
It's the "law of probabilities". If you don't cross em, it's probable your toad will vault into the back of your motorhome.
__________________
2001 National Tradewinds 7370 300 Cat
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Officially fulltiming. The Journey Begins
|
|
|
06-09-2010, 08:34 PM
|
#9
|
Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 66
|
While towing a car with a tow dolly I actually had the ball pop out of the mount.Those crossed chains worked great. the tongue centered itself and allowed me to slow and keep the toad directly behind me until I could stop.
I would think anytime you could cross the chains it only would make sense.
__________________
1997 Monaco Windsor
|
|
|
06-10-2010, 10:10 AM
|
#10
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Socorro, NM (until ?)
Posts: 1,552
|
True story...
When we lived in SC, I was passing a truck pulling a little flat bed cargo trailer. I happened to notice his chains weren't crossed and said to my kids... "look, there's an accident waiting to happen". Just as I cleared the front of the truck, the truck hit a large bump in the road the trailer must have jumped the ball (it didn't look like it was "locked" on to the ball either) because the trailer dropped slightly wobbled a bit and did this beautiful triple somersault behind the truck. Trashed the little cargo trailer completely. Since then, I ALWAYS cross the chains and make sure the latch is locked down on the ball.
The tow bar we use to tow the jeep has a wire cable that I wrap around the tow bar arm a couple of times before attaching to the hitch. Just to make sure that the bar stays up if it should ever come off the ball.
|
|
|
06-10-2010, 11:21 AM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
|
Quote:
Does anyone know if crossing the cables is a law?
|
What state? They are all different.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
|
|
|
06-10-2010, 11:26 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,478
|
Here's what Roadmaster says:
Quote-
• Always cross the cables under the hitch receiver, as shown in Figure
4 under “Proper installation of safety cables.” In the unlikely event the tow
bar separates from the motorhome, crossing the cables will help prevent
the tow bar from dragging on the ground, which can cause the tow bar to
“pole vault” the towed vehicle.
End quote
Here's what Blue Ox says:
Quote-
Cross the two safety cables under the tow bar.
End quote.
__________________
Warren and Debbie, Deep in The Heart of Texas
2018 Winnebago View 24D
2014 Tiffin Breeze 32BR, 2012 Winnebago Navion 24G, 2006 Winnebago View 23H
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|