Drag Chain - Tire Chain Discussion

[yardsale]

For those of you who have spray foam under your trailers, does it cover the axles? We are going to have to attach a drag chain to the axle for winter driving and I am wondering if I have a problem.
Thanks,

[cpaharley2008]

Ye, the entire under carriage is covered, front to rear, including frame and axle, located within the frame. There is about 6-9 " axle outboard exposed between the wheel and frame. What is a drag chain?

[yardsale]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Ye, the entire under carriage is covered, front to rear, including frame and axle, located within the frame. There is about 6-9 " axle outboard exposed between the wheel and frame. What is a drag chain?

Not good news. A drag chain hangs off an axle providing drag and directional stability so the trailer won't jackknife when descending steep, slippery roads.

[techfan]

Originally Posted by yardsale

Not good news. A drag chain hangs off an axle providing drag and directional stability so the trailer won't jackknife when descending steep, slippery roads.

Not sure what CPHarley meant. I included some pictures of mine. While the underside is coated, it does NOT rest on the axle. There is room around all sides of the axle on mine. If the drag chain is to be placed over the axle, there would be room on mine.

[float5]

Thought that would be really bad if the foam were on the axle.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by yardsale

A drag chain hangs off an axle providing drag and directional stability so the trailer won't jackknife when descending steep, slippery roads.

Like a sea anchor on a boat? I can't imagine doing that... why not just use trailer brakes? Also, I think it would be more effective attached to the end of the frame than to the suspension. By the way, the square tube of a Torflex is not at the axle line... it is ahead of it by six inches.

[tractors1]

Long haul truckers use a drag chain to ground the chassis electrically. Can often see them on gasoline tanker trucks. I can't imagine it would do anything for stability as the coefficient of friction between a moving chain on asphalt has to be very low. From a retired mechanical engineer....

[techfan]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Like a sea anchor on a boat? I can't imagine doing that... why not just use trailer brakes? Also, I think it would be more effective attached to the end of the frame than to the suspension. By the way, the square tube of a Torflex is not at the axle line... it is ahead of it by six inches.

Square tube? Our Torflex is mounted clearly in a round tube as evidenced by the pictures I posted. Not sure what was meant.

[Cypherian]

I have to say being from a part of Maine that sees avg 12 foot of snow a winter , and growing up / living on the North East Coast I have never heard of this use for a drag chain. We used them on skidders and trucks etc in the woods in case they got stuck we could haul them backwards but never drove on a road with them.

Cypher

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by techfan

Square tube? Our Torflex is mounted clearly in a round tube as evidenced by the pictures I posted. Not sure what was meant.

I think he means the interior torsion bars. My understanding is that a Torflex suspension contains the square bars which are encased in the outer crossmember tube. They are offset forward of the axle spindle line as Brian mentioned earlier -- about 6 inches.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Thought that would be really bad if the foam were on the axle.

It wouldn't stop the axle from being replaced when it is needed in two or three decades, so what would be so bad?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by techfan

Square tube? Our Torflex is mounted clearly in a round tube as evidenced by the pictures I posted. Not sure what was meant.

I had to go back to check the photos to see if this Escape had a different suspension, since a Dexter Torflex can't have a round tube, and it does look pretty round from a distance. The corners have a relatively large radius, because it is thick-wall tubing, but it is "square" (four flat sides). All Torflex axles have a square tube: the rubber rods inside are arranged with one in each corner, and if that tube were round, they would just roll around instead of acting as springs. This - although not showing how rounded the corners look on the #10 model - is shown in the Torflex flyer.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I think he means the interior torsion bars. My understanding is that a Torflex suspension contains the square bars which are encased in the outer crossmember tube. They are offset forward of the axle spindle line as Brian mentioned earlier -- about 6 inches.

Yes, that's how it works and the inner bars (which rotate but don't twist, but Dexter sometimes calls them torsion bars anyway) are square... but I was talking about the outer square tube (with rounded corners) which runs across the trailer between the mounting brackets.

Round or square, we are all talking about the same tube.

[yardsale]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Long haul truckers use a drag chain to ground the chassis electrically. Can often see them on gasoline tanker trucks. I can't imagine it would do anything for stability as the coefficient of friction between a moving chain on asphalt has to be very low. From a retired mechanical engineer....

Several States require drag chains be attached to the trailer axle that has the brakes whenever conditions warrant use of chains on the tow vehicle. I think the "chains" are not link chains but rather a large variation of a motorcycle chain with fins projecting downward to increase drag--not sure though. Good news about the foam--thanks.

[Donna D.]

Humm, I'm not sure putting a drag chain attached to the trailer axle is a good idea. The freshwater tank is RIGHT there. I'd worry about the chain popping up and smacking the tank. YMMV

[cpaharley2008]

Actually drag chains are nothing but chains installed on your trailer when using chains on your tow vehicle. The effect is a drag caused by the trailer's brakes. It is not something dragged behind the unit which probably would be considered a road hazard. Think about what would happen if the chain got caught?


Question: People talk about drag chains. What are they talking about?
ANSWER: Drag chains are tire chains used on the trailer tires to enhance braking and control. California,
Oregon and Washington all require drag chains.

Source Chain Up Information

[Donna D.]

Jim, I'm really confused. Nick says:

Originally Posted by yardsale

Not good news. A drag chain hangs off an axle providing drag and directional stability so the trailer won't jackknife when descending steep, slippery roads.

Now are these tire chains or something hanging down off the axle? I still maintain, I'd be concerned about the water tank...

[cpaharley2008]

Chains are to be used on tires, not dragged underneath. When not in use they are either kept elsewhere or hanging down on the axle which is what you see a lot on trucks and emergency vehicles for the purpose of quick installation when needed. But they do not drag on the road, that would cause sparks and create a hazardous situation. You would not store chains that way on your travel trailer not would I even consider using chains on my travel trailer, if it is that bad I'm staying put.

[yardsale]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Jim, I'm really confused. Nick says:


Now are these tire chains or something hanging down off the axle? I still maintain, I'd be concerned about the water tank...

I do think they are suspended from the axle and drag on the road. I share your concern about the water tank. Need to wait until the West coast opens for business for clarification

[Ian G]

Originally Posted by yardsale

Several States require drag chains be attached to the trailer axle that has the brakes whenever conditions warrant use of chains on the tow vehicle. I think the "chains" are not link chains but rather a large variation of a motorcycle chain with fins projecting downward to increase drag--not sure though. Good news about the foam--thanks.

From the Trucking site "The American Driver"

Question: People talk about drag chains. What are they talking about?
ANSWER: Drag chains are tire chains used on the trailer tires to enhance braking and control. California,
Oregon and Washington all require drag chains.

[cpaharley2008]

On tractor trailers the axles are high enough where chains will not drag on the road. You may not see them on the axle, hanging on the axle is just a way to store them while not being used. If they need to be used then you already have the inside chains connect and all you have to do is pull the cain taut on the tire outside. It is not that complicated if you use chains routinely. They also hang them on emergency vehicles,like fire engines, again for storage and it is a time saving routine when they have to respond to a call and need to have chains.