Can you add a swing hitch later?

[AZgang]

How much did you lose from the length by covering to the swing away tongue?

I’m trying to get 3124 into a 21’ garage.

Thanks again.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by AZgang

Could I use a Weight Distribution Hitch with this setup?

If so would I want to connect the chains before the swing away joint or after?

Thanks again.

Many owners use a WDH with the swing-away hitch.

Chain location is a personal preference. For ultimate protection, you would attach the chains to the main frame. This would protest you from a run-away trailer in the event that the swing-away hitch happened to fail completely and fall off. Chances of that happening to a properly welded tongue would be close to zero.

The main reason for using safety chains is to protect from trailer hitch failure which is far more common. Most common is forgetting to latch the coupler on the ball, 2nd the ball coming loose from the hitch, 3rd the welds on the trailer hitch (on the TV) failing.

For best security, be sure to attach safety chains to the tow vehicle frame and not the trailer hitch. I learned that the hard way a few years back. This was a 7K# rated hitch on my class A motorhome towing a 4K# cargo trailer.

[AZgang]

That looks like a catastrophic failure of the TV hitch mount weld. I hope you weren’t going at highway speeds when that happened.

I have my safety chains connected separately to my frame. (Different attachment point)

So it’s best to connect the WDH torsion chains or bars to the main frame of the Trailmanor, rather than the swing away.

Thanks

[Wavery]

Thankfully I was just pulling away from a Stop sign when it happened. I was about 4 blocks from home so I just walked home and grabbed my truck.

[Bill]

I'm a little concerned about a couple things I am seeing here. Take this for what it is worth to you.

1. Owners should know that once the swing hitch is unlatched, it is not capable of supporting any weight. Years ago, when TMs were being built in Tennessee, we had a rash of reports of frame cracking in the hitch area. I had some long discussions with the TM engineers, and it turned out that many of the affected users were either a) opening the swing hitch, and then cranking down the tongue jack to level the trailer, or b) opening the swing hitch and then cranking down the tongue jack with the dolly wheel attached, and moving the trailer by rolling it on the dolly. Either of these actions puts an enormous twisting force on the hitch structure, which it was not designed to withstand, and a common result was broken welds. The proper way, of course, is to do whatever heavy-weight activity is needed while the swing hitch is closed and latched, then crank down the stabilizers to support its weight and prevent movement. Then, open the hitch.

2. Re attaching safety chains. Each state has its own requirements for safety chains, including where to attach them to the trailer. TM, of course, has to meet the requirements of any state where they will sell a TM, so basically they meet the requirements of all states. And as I recall, one of those requirements is that the safety chains must be solidly attached to the frame of the trailer, behind any movable part. So attachment to the swing part of the hitch is not allowed. When I was researching the issue years ago, I'm sure that I saw this requirement in some overall federal code, but I can't find the reference now. So again, take it for what it is worth to you. Has anyone bought a new TM from the factory or one of its dealers, with safety chains attached to the swing part of the hitch? If so, can we have a photo?
. . . Safety chains must be strong enough to support the entire weight of the trailer, even though they won't be used to actually lift the trailer off the ground.

Bill

[Shane826]

Bill- Where are the safety cables attached on your new TM?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

2. Re: attaching safety chains. Each state has its own requirements for safety chains, including where to attach them to the trailer. TM, of course, has to meet the requirements of any state where they will sell a TM, so basically they meet the requirements of all states. And as I recall, one of those requirements is that the safety chains must be solidly attached to the frame of the trailer, behind any movable part. So attachment to the swing part of the hitch is not allowed. When I was researching the issue years ago, I'm sure that I saw this requirement in some overall federal code, but I can't find the reference now. So again, take it for what it is worth to you. Has anyone bought a new TM from the factory or one of its dealers, with safety chains attached to the swing part of the hitch? If so, can we have a photo?
. . . Safety chains must be strong enough to support the entire weight of the trailer, even though they won't be used to actually lift the trailer off the ground.

Bill

The reason that the safety chains must be strong enough to support the entire trailer is because it is not uncommon for a trailer to go off of an embankment or bridge if the entire rig spins out. This could happen on ice or dry roads if the trailer sway gets out of control.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Shane826

Bill- Where are the safety cables attached on your new TM?

They are bolted to the frame members aft of the swing hitch. As I recall, welding is also an acceptable attachment method. I have the curly-cable version of safety chains, which I find really unhandy to use. I actually have a pair of chains on a shelf in the garage, but I never remember to install them until I am hooking up the TM and have no time.

Bill

[AZgang]

I believe the reason for the curly cable is to reduce the likely hood of chain sparks in the National Forest.

That doesn’t make them any easier to live with. 😉