Trailer kills another person

terrible shame.  guy was wearing earlpugs and never heard it coming.
 
cross those chains...

Also tighter regs. on saftey chain hooks.. must now have complete loop when installed on tow-veh. NO MORE PLAIN S HOOKS Spring loaded saftey hooks at a minimum.. rather spend my money on bait not on tickets.. NW/

Road emergency kit? Wow, I missed that one. Thanks for the heads up...

OK, so I just called our local State Police barracks and asked them about the s-hooks and emergency kit. Their answer was to ask my inspection mechanic . So, if my mechanic gives me erroneous information do I still have to pay my fine?

Clem do you know what the legal way to hook your chains?
I always cross mine to the bumper. But I guess the best way
is to the frame. I,m serious. I suppose that if your bumper is not good
then the frame would be it.

From the Penna vehicle code.

S 4905 (d) Safety chains.--Whenever two vehicles are connected by a ball-and-socket type hitch, or pintle hook without a locking device, they shall also be connected by two safety chains of equal length, each safety chain having an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the towed vehicles. The safety chains shall be crossed and connected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the tow bar so as to prevent the tow bar from dropping to the ground in the event the tow bar fails or becomes disconnected. The safety chains shall have no more slack than is necessary to permit proper turning.

§ 4530. Portable emergency warning devices.
(a) General rule.--Every truck, other than a truck registered as either a Class I or Class II having a gross weight of 7,000 pounds or less, truck tractor and bus and any motor vehicle towing a trailer shall carry at least three portable emergency warning devices of a type specified by regulations promulgated by the department. The regulations shall be consistent with Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety, section 393.95.
(b) When display required.--Whenever any vehicle of a type referred to in subsection (a) is disabled or stopped for more than ten minutes upon a roadway or shoulder outside of an urban district, or upon any divided highway, the driver of the vehicle shall display the portable warning devices of the type required under subsection (a) in such manner as the department shall direct by regulations.
(July 10, 1984, P.L.679, No.146, eff. 60 days)

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As of about 1 month ago, "S" hooks are legal. That per the inspection cop who checked the books at dads garage. I also asked a DOT guy about that again in Feb. And if they did change it, our old trailers with the "S" hooks should be grandfathered in.
 
About hooking the chains to something other than the hitch, after my experince, its not a bad idea. I had one break (should say ROT off) on me this winter with aload of firewood on. Neve ever ever, seen or heard of a class 3 rusting off. It rotted off on each end about 1 inch in on each side from where it was welded to the mtg brackets. And this was a sheldon or reese and had only been on the truck about 10 years. Though now this is another thing we look at when a vechicle comes in for an inspection. It was an expereince to say the least, if I can I'll post some pics off it. Love to hear if anyone else ever heard of this, so far no one we ask has.
 
 
Smitty

I once had a small trailer come off the ball, the locking mechanism needed adjusted. It was at slow speed and the tounge of the trailer fell down into the crossed chains just like it's supposed to. I was only going about 10mph and the trailer was whipping side to side, can't imaging what a 6,000 pound trailer would do at 70mph but it wouldn't be good. I talked to a guy last week that lost a 10,000# trailer once, he said the chains just snapped and he barely felt it. Break away brakes averted tragedy there.

eyes: You will not beleive this, my fishing partner got stopped on I80 for a burnt out tail light on his trailer. While writing a warning ticket, the officer told him cables were NOT approved even if they came from the manufacturer that way, He happens to have a new Tracker rig. The officer said "The statute says "CHAINS" not cables. Go figure. You can not debate any issue when the law is open to interpretation. So, the answer to your question should be "maybe"