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Structural Integrity Question

2K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  krisscross 
#1 ·
This is kind of a sailing question as is it for my trailerable sailboat. The loop on the back of my SUV designed to catch the chains is so thick, it is hard to find a hook that will fit on it. My new coiled style "chain" almost fits but the securing spring part of it won't get past the metal loop, although it is very close.

If I took a metal grinder to a small section on the loop I could get it to easily fit. The question is where should I grind on this loop in order to minimize the reduction of structural integrity? There is a straight section of this loop running fore and aft on the SUV and a curve at the end where it loops back. I could grind a spot away at either location but want to do the least damage.
 

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#2 ·
I would take material away from the top of the loop, where the hook is placed in the photo. Do it in such a manner that the hook can slide in by the frame and be oriented horizontally straight back towards the trailer. You would want the direction of force to be straight back in the event the chain ever needs to do its job. No twisting forces. I would just remove material from the top so it is thinner top to bottom but not fore to aft. Hope that is clear.

Tod


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#3 ·
Grind the loop were it goes around the cable and throw the hook away. Go to your local Menards or a Walmart and buy a quick link. Reese # 49134 The loop is much bigger and the open end is threaded, so the loop is continuous. Rated for 5000 lbs. It takes a tiny bit longer to connect up, but it is much more secure, and will not open up under stress.

If your trailer is lighter, here is the link from Walmart:
REESE 700801142 Quick Link, 3500 lb, PK 2 - Walmart.com
 
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#4 ·
If I was using a chain I would go with those quick links. But I am using a cable that is from a trailer manufacturer and is like a bike cable. It is a stiff wire and will be holding the hooks in the picture in what looks like a nice horizontal pull and I think keeping the hooks tensioned and secure, especially with the spring loaded securing hooks.

The trailer is only about 2500 lbs but the cable and hooks I got are rated for 10k. Without doing the math I feel a 2500 lb trailer could produce over 5k worth of force if it were to separate from the hitch and started bucking along dragged by a chain.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Check your local laws before modifying a trailer hitch.
I know in Ontario the MTO would pull you off the road for "Excessive wear" if you ground away part of the safety chain loop on the hitch.

"(e) no connecting devices provided at the rear of a vehicle for the attachment of a safety chain or cable shall be insecurely fastened, missing, cracked, broken or excessively worn."

Different in many areas but ignorance is not an excuse....here they'd pull your rig off the road on the spot.
 
#6 ·
Thanks Tanski,

I too am concerned of any resulting structural integrity loss, thus this post.

The bar is so thick on my SUV I have not found any hook to come even close to fitting around it except for this one. On my other trailer using chain I use the links suggested by Daveinet. I loop them through the loops on the SUV and back to the chain.

The hooks I am looking to use come so very close to fitting the loop except for the spring catch thickness. I was tempted to use a hammer to make it fit but that would get the loops on but not help in getting them off. I would have to grind very little to make it fit. I doubt any regulatory agency would ever notice. However if the act or grinding probably less than 10% of the loop would cause significant loss of integrity I would think twice about doing so.
 
#7 ·
I think I'd just notch the hook under the latch so that it can seat into the notch if that would give you clearance to get the hook over the hitch loop. Looks like you're just not making it by the thickness of the latch.
 
#10 ·
Caught me just in time. I had my grinder out and was about to go outside to remove some metal. I got a welding guy one street over that will hopefully be able to get his done today. I tried my insignificant vice and pry bar and it was a no go.

throw away the cable and use chain. the cable can not be adjusted for the proper length. the TWO chains should be crossed under the trailer tongue so if the ball was to come off the chains will keep the trailer off the ground. the cable will make sure it stays attached and allow the trailer to go left or right and pull the tow vehicle with it. the load on the cable will not be in pull direction, it will be trying to stop the trailer when you apply the brakes if you get the chance.
I researched and read up on this and decided to go with the cable over the chain. The argument from the cable group was a chain's breaking strength is based on a linear pull on the links and related attachments. A cross loaded link would be a possible weak link.

I just got off of the phone with tech support from Curt the company that sells the cable. I was hoping for some enlightenment on the safety factors built into the cable but he had nothing to say other than it is just a different style.
 
#9 ·
throw away the cable and use chain. the cable can not be adjusted for the proper length. the TWO chains should be crossed under the trailer tongue so if the ball was to come off the chains will keep the trailer off the ground. the cable will make sure it stays attached and allow the trailer to go left or right and pull the tow vehicle with it. the load on the cable will not be in pull direction, it will be trying to stop the trailer when you apply the brakes if you get the chance.
 
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#12 ·
I had the same problem. Here's what I did. I bent the hook. I put the hook in a vice and took a piece of iron pipe and opened the hook a little. Then I bought a bolt the same diameter as the loop on the back of my van. I put the bolt in the back of the hook and cranked the vice down on the end of the hook to bend it a bit around the bolt and I spread it back just enough to pull the bolt out. This opened the back end of the hook so that it was just right for the loop and put a bend or hook back on the front tab of the hook so that it easily slipped over th loop and hung in place.
No Heating and no welder needed.
 
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