Trailer safety chains

[SteveandViv]

Done. Thanks for the reply's Decided to fill weld the inside and front edges to stop any moisture/salt/mud etc. getting in and rusting

I think anyone questioning your welding skills can go 

[DannyG]

I think anyone questioning your welding skills can go 

I agree the welds are sound However I do not think that chain meets the national standard! I am confident it is safe and strong enough for its intended purpose but it doesnt appear to have the stamping it requires?? Not that it is any of my business mind you, I just thought Id mention it

[grafy82]

Hey DannyG.
    Mate, do you know what grade of chain meets the AS 4177.4-2004 as outlined in the building code? The chain I used is stamped with 4344-9.0 which is HiLite lashing grade 70 rated to 9.0 tonne. I was searching for a couple of hours last night trying to find out if it meets AS 4177.4-2004 but I couldn't find anywhere as to which stamped/grade of chain relates to that standard. If you or anybody else knows for sure please let me know because as far as I know, the chain I used is the strongest you can go before getting into the T80 grade alloy chains which are not suitable for welding. Any info appreciated.

Cheers

Wes

[Mace]

some excerpts from AS 4177:

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
Australian Standard
Caravan and light trailer towing components
Part 4 Safety chains up to 3500 kg capacity

This Standard specifies requirements for safety chains for use with trailers and caravans of
up to 3.5 t aggregate trailer mass. The safety chains are designated according to their
loading capacities based on the aggregate trailer mass.
A method for determining the strength of safety chain is given in Appendix A.


Safety chains shall be provided in four designations, according to the aggregate trailer
mass. The designations and the corresponding aggregate trailer masses shall be as shown in
Table 1.

TABLE 1
DESIGNATIONS
Chain size designation kg        Aggregate trailer mass kg
1 000                                        0 to 1 000
1 600                                        Up to 1 600
2 500                                        Up to 2 500
3 500                                        Up to 3 500



The chain shall be permanently and legibly marked with the manufacturer's or importer's
identification and the digits 4177 (i.e. the number of this Australian Standard), followed by
a hyphen and the first two digits of the chain designation (i.e. 4177-25 represents 2500 kg
due to manufacturing limitation). The marking shall be repeated at intervals not exceeding
4 links and the characters on the links shall be not less than 1.5 mm high for chains less
than 8 mm, and not less than 2 mm high for chains 8 mm and above.

Your Chain would seem to exceed the relevant AS specifications by quite a bit as its rated (and stamped) to 9 Ton, against the Trailer Safety Chain requirement of Rated (and stamped) to 3.5 Ton max.  Its actually manafactured to the  Higher Specification Standard AS4344 -
Cargo Restraint Systems - Transport Chain & Components.

[DannyG]

some excerpts from AS 4177:

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
Australian Standard
Caravan and light trailer towing components
Part 4 Safety chains up to 3500 kg capacity

This Standard specifies requirements for safety chains for use with trailers and caravans of
up to 3.5 t aggregate trailer mass. The safety chains are designated according to their
loading capacities based on the aggregate trailer mass.
A method for determining the strength of safety chain is given in Appendix A.


Safety chains shall be provided in four designations, according to the aggregate trailer
mass. The designations and the corresponding aggregate trailer masses shall be as shown in
Table 1.

TABLE 1
DESIGNATIONS
Chain size designation kg        Aggregate trailer mass kg
1 000                                        0 to 1 000
1 600                                        Up to 1 600
2 500                                        Up to 2 500
3 500                                        Up to 3 500



The chain shall be permanently and legibly marked with the manufacturer's or importer's
identification and the digits 4177 (i.e. the number of this Australian Standard), followed by
a hyphen and the first two digits of the chain designation (i.e. 4177-25 represents 2500 kg
due to manufacturing limitation). The marking shall be repeated at intervals not exceeding
4 links and the characters on the links shall be not less than 1.5 mm high for chains less
than 8 mm, and not less than 2 mm high for chains 8 mm and above.

Your Chain would seem to exceed the relevant AS specifications by quite a bit as its rated (and stamped) to 9 Ton, against the Trailer Safety Chain requirement of Rated (and stamped) to 3.5 Ton max.  Its actually manafactured to the  Higher Specification Standard AS4344 -
Cargo Restraint Systems - Transport Chain & Components.

There is the relevant info you require, your chain will be strong enough to pull your tug and trailer in half All legal as far as I can read. Now I might go and check my chains!

[grafy82]

Once again the swaggers deliver. Thanks again for the help guys

[Jeepers Creepers]

As a kid. about 14, i was at a mates place and him and i watched his dad weld a new safety chain to the box trailer.

The trailer was mostly rust and flaking paint and he put on an old hunk of rusty chain before hooking the whole lot up to the old AP5 Valiant wagon.

Halfway to the dump, the trailer pops off the hitch, cause the dummy didn't tighten up the old wind down nut on the hitch.

The racket a loaded box trailer can make at 60kph is deafening. When it wasn't trying to roar off into the scrub, it was punching the f#*k out of the rusty tailgate on the ol Val.

I still remember the tailgate window spraying glass over the back of the Val as the now; trailer from hell; continued its onslaught onto the now helpless Val.

As the mates old man was almost stopped, the trailer made one last attempt to kill the Val before it popped back out of the tailgate, broke the weld on the previously welded "safety chain" and then realised "I'm free", so the box trailer mounted the footpath and ran into a bus stop seat.

The mate's ol man, gets the three of us to help him put the trailer back on the Val, this time tightening the hitch before getting the hell outta there.

This time, no safety chain and no lights, due to the wiring being ripped from the plug.

For the next  few klm to the dump, the ol boy is muttering, bloody faulty welding rods, that's what it was, faulty welding rods.

Oh, the tailgate on the Val was way beyond repair too, as it had its share of rust in it before being beaten and flogged like a red headed step child.

Hey Grafy82, nice welding.

[Ynot]

Usually takes an hour with a grinder to make my welds look that good

Great job!

[kylarama]

Usually takes an hour with a grinder to make my welds look that good

Great job!

Body filler is quicker...

Wonder what it's structural properties are like?

[whitey1]

Looks aren't everything. Its all about penetration 

[grafy82]

Looks aren't everything. Its all about penetration 

Totally agree there. I'm no boily by any means (taught myself so far) but I've seen some welds that look OK but have snapped off with little force due to poor penetration.  I did a 3 run on that chain to fill the gap and get a nice big bead. The amps were up high enough to get good peno but without any undercutting. I'm confident it will hold.

[Prado7]

My drawbar is made of ali so welding chains on is not an option so there must be rules for ali drawbars. The chains are fixed by a 12mm round rod which is welded across under the front of the drawbar with the chain slipped on b4 welding.

[fishfinder]

In WA they can be shackled onto the drawbar. And there only needs to be one chain these days but it must be load rated and have its rating stamped on the links

I got knocked back on the rego inspection in Midland because the chain was shackled to the draw bar - they must have changed the laws in the last 10 years

[99disco]

And the one chain thing in WA is only up to a 2ton gross weight. Over that you must still have 2 chains, aswell as other things.



Shane

[prodigyrf]

As a kid. about 14, i was at a mates place and him and i watched his dad weld a new safety chain to the box trailer.

The trailer was mostly rust and flaking paint and he put on an old hunk of rusty chain before hooking the whole lot up to the old AP5 Valiant wagon....

Sighhhh.......those were the days....

[griz066]

Just as an aside to throw a spanner in the works so to speak, I noticed this on another thread and thought about reading this thread last month.
Notice the trailer safety chains are bolted on by the manufacturer............ All to confusing if you ask me.
Weld is the law......... no bolting......... no shackles???
Link is Here

[pinarelloman]

Reviving an old thread.
My CT was manufactured in 2009. Does it have to have the newer 4177-25 rated safety chains fitted?

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Reviving an old thread.
My CT was manufactured in 2009. Does it have to have the newer 4177-25 rated safety chains fitted?

That's something I'd like to know as well.
Mines a 2009 Tvan, as from the factory.
I've checked the chains, no marks, clean as and galvanized as well.
Plus, if you weld hi tensile stuff, it changes the properties of the link that's welded.
Just sayin, I'd like the understandable answer.  Not the abuse, ok.

[GregP]

My understanding that if your trailer is already registered it is okay with the chain/s on it.  Also the chains can be attached to a plate welded to the draw bar by a hammer lock but not a shackle or bolts.
Cheers
GregP