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Old 01-19-2014, 08:32 PM   #141
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
"Why? So you can adjust working length for different tow vehicles, perhaps? To avoid cutting off excess chain length?"

Yep. Why cut chains down and then not be able to adjust working slack length to the tow vehicle(s). True that does mean every time I chain-up I gotta remember what linkage works best. I'm fine with that.
You can also take out the extra length by making a loop at the trailer end with a quick link or double shackle. If the chains were connected to the trailer by one of these removable links, it would be even tidier to put the extra length behind the tongue anchor, out of the way.
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Old 01-19-2014, 08:40 PM   #142
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Glenn: I use a red cable tie to mark the link. Works great and won't wear off.
Great idea. Also, more manly than nail polish
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Old 01-19-2014, 08:42 PM   #143
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To handle the issue re: where the chains are attached to the trailer via a bar and the ends can move, install a piece of rubber hose split down the middle between the chains, that will keep them apart and give you your triangle opening. an old trick
Clever... but if those chains ever need to do their job, won't the hose will pop off instantly and the chains slide to the middle of the bar, which will likely bend forward in the middle, and there will be too much chain slack? We're talking about potentially high forces here.
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Old 01-19-2014, 09:05 PM   #144
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I was going to mark the correct link with a pink ribbon but just thought of a better plan. Insted of marking it, keep the quickLink thing on the link, and when doing the link-up simply connect to the last chain link. That way you never miss a link.
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Old 01-19-2014, 09:33 PM   #145
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I was going to mark the correct link with a pink ribbon but just thought of a better plan. Insted of marking it, keep the quickLink thing on the link, and when doing the link-up simply connect to the last chain link. That way you never miss a link.
Why didn't I think of that? :
For someone with multiple tow vehicles, a differently coloured tie wraps can be used to indicate the desired locations, but for a single tow vehicle Myron's idea is simpler (as long as you always remember to leave the link on the mid-chain side, not on the chain end).
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Old 01-19-2014, 10:53 PM   #146
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And if you did we could call it the missing link.
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Old 01-20-2014, 05:01 PM   #147
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Twelve links to the QuickLink (yellow tape) seems about right for me with this turning angle.
Attached Thumbnails
chain01.jpg   chain01a.jpg  
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Old 01-20-2014, 05:50 PM   #148
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Yes, but your power cord and emergency cable look too lax…….
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Old 01-21-2014, 03:54 PM   #149
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Myron,

It appears your chains are attached to separate loops at each end of the bar, and not on the bar itself, so they wouldn't slide.

Also, I've been looking further into the weight rating of QuickLinks. A 1/4" Reese brand QuickLink is rated at 3500 pounds, while the 5/16" Reese brand is at 5000 pounds. I have 1/4" chains on my 17B, so if Escape gave me the Reese brand it would pass muster in California after all. I would imagine you got 5/16" chains for your 19.
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Old 01-21-2014, 04:20 PM   #150
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I think on some units ETI has separate, my 19 was separate, my 21 is on the bar. Looks like the 5/16" or greater is what you need. Now to find some made on this side of the ocean…..anyone have a source?
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Old 01-21-2014, 04:34 PM   #151
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Myron,

It appears your chains are attached to separate loops at each end of the bar, and not on the bar itself, so they wouldn't slide.
Good catch - judging from the angle of the first link, it must be welded to the trailer frame and/or the bar, not just free on the bar. That makes the bar a brace for two separate chain mounting points, rather than a single long mounting point... although if one side tore off, I wonder if the other side would be unaffected.

I assume from earlier discussion that other Escapes do not have these welded-in-place first links, but if they don't, they could be easily modified to this configuration.
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Old 01-21-2014, 11:05 PM   #152
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Bob - When you come over (after we pick up our trailer), you can give us a tutorial on all the ins and outs of the chains ;-)
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Old 01-22-2014, 10:56 AM   #153
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Bob - When you come over (after we pick up our trailer), you can give us a tutorial on all the ins and outs of the chains ;-)
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Happy to, after we've made the appropriate congratulatory toast!

This thread has already been a pretty good tutorial for me, a few things bubbled up that caused me look closer at matters myself.
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Old 01-22-2014, 11:02 AM   #154
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Clever... but if those chains ever need to do their job, won't the hose will pop off instantly and the chains slide to the middle of the bar, which will likely bend forward in the middle, and there will be too much chain slack? We're talking about potentially high forces here.
Welding the links in place would be the better solution, although a stopgap measure would be to secure the split hose with two or three stainless hose clamps.
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Old 01-22-2014, 11:39 AM   #155
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Myron,

It appears your chains are attached to separate loops at each end of the bar, and not on the bar itself, so they wouldn't slide.

Also, I've been looking further into the weight rating of QuickLinks. A 1/4" Reese brand QuickLink is rated at 3500 pounds, while the 5/16" Reese brand is at 5000 pounds. I have 1/4" chains on my 17B, so if Escape gave me the Reese brand it would pass muster in California after all. I would imagine you got 5/16" chains for your 19.
Stamped on 5/16" Reese Quicklinks is SWL 1760lbs. Confused me with the 2 numbers, but found this on Wiki:

" Safe Working Load (SWL) sometimes stated as the Normal Working Load (NWL) is the load that a piece of Lifting Equipment, lifting device or accessory can safely lift, suspend, or lower without fear of breaking. Usually marked on the equipment by the manufacturer and is often 1/5 of the Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) although other fractions may be used such as 1/4, 1/6 and 1/10"

So the 5000# must be the MBS rating?
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Old 01-22-2014, 02:39 PM   #156
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Stamped on 5/16" Reese Quicklinks is SWL 1760lbs. Confused me with the 2 numbers, but found this on Wiki:

" Safe Working Load (SWL) sometimes stated as the Normal Working Load (NWL) is the load that a piece of Lifting Equipment, lifting device or accessory can safely lift, suspend, or lower without fear of breaking. Usually marked on the equipment by the manufacturer and is often 1/5 of the Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) although other fractions may be used such as 1/4, 1/6 and 1/10"

So the 5000# must be the MBS rating?
The Reese web page for one 5/16 QuickLink (74602) just says 5000 lbs, doesn't differentiate between SWL and MBS. I guess the difference is the operating margin of safety...pretty high.
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Old 01-22-2014, 03:14 PM   #157
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Old 01-22-2014, 04:42 PM   #158
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The Reese web page for one 5/16 QuickLink (74602) just says 5000 lbs, doesn't differentiate between SWL and MBS. I guess the difference is the operating margin of safety...pretty high.
Sure seems to be. I suppose there are some applications where they have to go by that much lower weight limit rating- sound like it is specifically when lifting or suspending something. Makes a lot of sense to have a huge safety margin in those situations. At least now I know for sure that the ones that came on my trailer are plenty strong.
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Old 01-22-2014, 07:43 PM   #159
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I suppose there are some applications where they have to go by that much lower weight limit rating- sound like it is specifically when lifting or suspending something. Makes a lot of sense to have a huge safety margin in those situations. At least now I know for sure that the ones that came on my trailer are plenty strong.
It's not just a safety margin.

If you suspend something, it can bounce up and down. If the suspension hardware has a breaking strength just slightly higher than the weight of the object, it will break, because it will be subjected to higher forces. Say, for instance, that you hook up your hardware to the object on the ground, then lift: if you accelerate the object at all - and you must, because you need it to move and it starts stationary - then you will be applying a force equal to the weight plus the force required to accelerate it. This is why a "live" (moving) load is very different from a static (unchanging) load... even without allowing a "safety margin" to allow for errors in calculation or flaws in construction.

I don't think anyone intends to hang their trailer in the air by one safety chain, so it would not make sense to to me to require the safety chain hardware to have a working load limit equal to the weight of the trailer. Instead, it would make sense to required the hardware to have a breaking strength of at least the trailer weight.
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Old 01-22-2014, 08:21 PM   #160
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Just guessing, but I think most manufactures would be more likely to publish the safe working load of a device used for general public use rather than it's ultimate strength. This based on the general observation that most people like to stretch anything as far as they can to get maximum value from it.

As noted in other posts above, items that are used where life may be at risk such as lifting devices, ropes or slings a higher factor of safety is typically applied to the ultimate capacity.

If a manufacturer were to only list the ultimate strength on the packaging they would be in court most of the time defending against the improper use of their devices when the device failed due to improper usage.

Some commercial products are packaged with both the safe working load and the ultimate strength published. I would much rather purchase a product labeled like that rather than one that only publishes a load without publishing any load factors applied or ultimate strength. Otherwise how are you to know?

Ex.: A wire sling used to lift workers may have a load factor of 6 or more applied to determine the safe working load. If the user knew the load factor they could safely support a higher load for an application not involving lifting workers as long as they did not go down to a load factor approaching one. You have to know what load is published and how you intend to use the product.
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