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Old 04-16-2015, 11:19 AM   #1
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Safety Chains on 2015 Windjammer

I have a 2015 Windjammer 3025, I was looking at the tow chain hook up on the trailer tongue. There is a little bar welded between the frame rails right in the center with both chains on it! How does this allow for crossing the chains before hooking them to the T V? So you can have a cradle with them crossed for the tongue to fall into if ever it does pop off the ball. (God forbid!!)Given the weight of the T T it does not seem like this would hold!! Has anyone bolted these right to the frame??
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Old 04-16-2015, 04:28 PM   #2
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Hi bwcarp I just took possession of a 2015 Flagstaff 30wikss V-lite. This is the same floor plan as the 3025. You don't have to cross the chains as they are shorter in length than than in the past and will not drag on the pavement. I have 22 1/2 " from the top of the ball to the ground with the tt hooked up to the tv. The answer to your second question would be no!!!! I would not alter how the chains are hooked to the tt. If you do you will be liable for that engineering changes you make. The lawyers rule and we droll. If the tt were to become uncoupled from the tv and the chains broke free form the tt where you attached them and the tt injurers or kills someone you may go to jail. This happened several years ago in my home town and he went to jail for several years for manslaughter.

Hope this helps Tim
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Old 05-07-2015, 08:02 PM   #3
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We have a 2013 Windjammer 2809W and have fought with these short chains for a couple of years. Finally a light bulb went off in my head and I bought two "quick link" add-ons to extend the chains. There is no way they would cross before. Problem solved. Guess I am a little slow. Make sure you get the heavy duty.
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Old 05-07-2015, 09:50 PM   #4
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We have a 2013 Windjammer 2809W and have fought with these short chains for a couple of years. Finally a light bulb went off in my head and I bought two "quick link" add-ons to extend the chains. There is no way they would cross before. Problem solved. Guess I am a little slow. Make sure you get the heavy duty.
How does making them longer allow them to cross when they still are connected at the same place on the trailer tongue? I'd have see a pic of that.
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Old 05-07-2015, 10:17 PM   #5
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Chains should be crossed under the tongue to catch the tongue and keep it from making contact with the pavement should it come off the ball or the ball shank break. In most states, to my knowledge, it is a safety requirement if not the law.
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Old 05-08-2015, 07:14 AM   #6
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These chains are hooked on a small bar right in the center of the tongues frame. So its impossible to cross them to make a safety cradle for it to fall into. Will try to get a picture of it. Thanks
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Old 05-08-2015, 07:28 AM   #7
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These chains are hooked on a small bar right in the center of the tongues frame. So its impossible to cross them to make a safety cradle for it to fall into. Will try to get a picture of it. Thanks
IF you have enough chain, you can put a couple of twists in the chain and get the X. For that matter, you can get the X just by crossing them as is. The X does not have to be directly under the front of the tongue. Just try crossing them and then unhook the trailer and check it out.
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Old 05-08-2015, 07:48 AM   #8
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I'm in the same boat. With them both anchored at the same point on the tongue, even if you twist, unless it falls off at EXACTLY the center and lands just right, the tongue would just fall to the side of both chains rather than be cradled.
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Old 05-08-2015, 07:59 AM   #9
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Chains should be shortened to just allow turning, but catch the tongue. I found out that they really don't need to be very long. We played with them by hooking up at max angle and then shortened the chains accordingly. Try it is all I can say.
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Old 05-08-2015, 08:32 AM   #10
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Chain length isn't my issue. It's the common connection point on the trailer that doesn't allow for a very wide cradle to form regardless of crossing chains. I have serious doubts about the piece of round bar welded to the tongue holding anyway.
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Old 05-08-2015, 08:48 AM   #11
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Chain length isn't my issue. It's the common connection point on the trailer that doesn't allow for a very wide cradle to form regardless of crossing chains. I have serious doubts about the piece of round bar welded to the tongue holding anyway.
Like I said, cross them and drop the tongue on it and see if it will hold if you're worried. All it has to do is support the initial shock load and the weight of the tongue.
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Old 05-08-2015, 08:55 AM   #12
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I have a Windjammer 3001w and the chains are connected close to each other but not exactly at the same place. However, where they attach to your WDH separates them. My chains are short, but I found that when I raise the tongue up to attach the torsion bars they are easy to connect. I connect/disconnect them at this time, and do cross them. As I live in Texas, I looked this up and indeed it is specified in code. Take a look at the quote on this website. Tow Chains [Archive] - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com, also this site shows the SAE standards http://http://chains-fittings.peerle...omasNet-51.pdf. So from what I gather is is required to cross them as they provide better protection, and really, if you can - why not? I just found that I can connect mine easier when the tongue is raised up during connections.
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:06 PM   #13
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OC: I don't think you're understanding. When both chains are attached to the trailer tongue at basically the same point, the best you can make is a "V," not an "X." You can't cross them, they just wind up together. This will shorten them, but it doesn't really make the "cross" under the tongue that we want.
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:21 PM   #14
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OC: I don't think you're understanding. When both chains are attached to the trailer tongue at basically the same point, the best you can make is a "V," not an "X." You can't cross them, they just wind up together. This will shorten them, but it doesn't really make the "cross" under the tongue that we want.
Understand exactly what you're saying. If you want an X that is under the tongue, just get another link and tie the chains together about 6" -8" behind the socket. Just make sure the link is as strong as the chain.
BTW, if you take the right chain and hook it on the left and the left chain and hook it on the right, you have the X even if it is a very narrow one at the rear and wide at the front.
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:29 PM   #15
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My chains don't have a left and right at the tongue. They are attached at the exact same place. A perfect "V." (In other words, they're already tied together. Unfortunately, it's where they attach to the tongue.)
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:32 PM   #16
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I totally understand that you can't achieve a " X " to cradle the trailer tongue if it came off. Maybe this is a dumb suggestion, but what if you got a short chain 6 to 8 inches long connecting it to your chains just aft of the tongue making an " A ". Wouldn't this give the tongue something to cradle in? is this what OldCoot is saying?
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:33 PM   #17
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Rockford, you might contact the Roo guys and ask them how to make an X withchains that are fastened to one spot. I would like to hear their explaination.
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:40 PM   #18
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When I pick up my 2503S in a week or two, I'm going to ask the dealer about this. (I'm hoping the 2503S doesn't have this arrangement.)

Sounds like a short piece between the chains to make an "A" as suggested above would be a reasonable fix, though.
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:41 PM   #19
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My chains don't have a left and right at the tongue. They are attached at the exact same place. A perfect "V." (In other words, they're already tied together. Unfortunately, it's where they attach to the tongue.)
Is it one chain and bolted to the frame? How about a picture?
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Old 05-08-2015, 09:50 PM   #20
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As I recall, it's 2 chains, bolted together at the tongue. I'm 200 miles from my Roo right now, so can't get a pic for a few days.
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