The use of large hooks instead of rated D shackles for trailer chains?

couldn't see any reason as to why not ,as long as the hook had a safety latch fitted to it

Hi Roachie,..Not real keen myself, those type of hooks are used on most lifting gear and have weight on them most of the time. you notice how only the first bit of the hook is just sitting in the hole on the tow hitch if something went wrong there, that's not really a secure situation. the hook should be taking the weight from the centre of its self.....those little spring loaded safety locks are a pain in the butt to use if they get dirt or rust in the mechanism, use the old d shackle and keep a bit of grease on the threads, keep it simple...and don't lose anything!!...LOL.


Cheers Axle

Just love where the breakaway cable is connected to, it wont work too good if the chain lets go.

Thanks for the replies.....we'll just add this to the LONG list of stuff that the yanks can do that our nanny-state pollies won't allow us to do.

Bear in mind that the size of truck and trailer that the yanks use in every day use are much larger than our "average" rig here. Some of those big 3500 trucks (Chev, Ford, Dodge) haul trailers up to 19,000lb (which I think is about 9 tonnes)....and they have no issues with those hooks.

I wish that Ricky Muir (the senator who got in on the Motoring Enthusiasts Party) would earn his bloody keep.....to my knowledge there has not been ONE thing he has put forward that would make the life of a motoring enthusiast any better than it was before he got elected. I relaise, however, that the vast majority of these nanny-state laws are state-based, so there may be severe limitations as to what he can achieve...

Some could stop and think that perhaps the rules are there to protect us from ourselves.

Going by what is said on here at time they sure are needed.

Have seen vans with D shackles I wouldnt use on a garden trailer and both chains on one tiny shackle

Same van would have been far overweight for the Prado towing it.

To add insult to injury he had the brakesafe wire wound twice through the hitch handle and onto the same tiny shackle.

Have also seen snaphooks or Caribieners that were too light even for climbing being used to attach chains to vehicle. In another case was just a wire open hook

They live amongst us and breed as well. but we dont need rules. Spare me.

Put the pins in from the top and they wont fall out. If worried put a cable tie around the shackle and through the pin

I agree that there should be rated shackles but my son recently got his boat trailer registered in NSW with hooks not shackles on the chains. It tows at 1600kgs.
Beats me how that happened. The hooks do have gates fitted so they can't come off.
Ian

Hook vs Shackle is not the issue it's the real rated strength of hook/shackle and chain. I have hooks on an imported trailer they were passed. Problem is a lot of imported cheap shackles making their way onto the country and they may break imo.

Roachie

The U bolt stops the receiver from jiggling about but if you look closely there is a pin on the bottom of the towbar just below where the receiver goes in.
I don't use D shackles, just the chain link.
I removed the towbar to work on it and welded three 12mm plates with a gap between them to accept a chain link. one single pin with an R clip in the end to hold it there.
Pull the pin that goes through all three plates and the chains fall free.
Many trucks that tow dog trailers use this setup.

In the QLD safe towing guide Section 6 explains what is required in QLD under the title Safety Chain Connections. http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Vehicle-standards-and-modifications/Loads-and-towing/Safe-towing.aspx

This what we used on our trailers in the USA..................USA safety chains and hooks.