Reply With QuoteJeremy, not just on the safety chain but I also use rated shackles on the tie down strap which is attached to trailer via tie down lugs.
In fact at every point of tie down or attachment I have rated shackles. 7 in total. Jim.
Yes
No
According to Transport and Main Roads (pdf file available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au/ or Google towing guide Queensland) (go to top of page 7)
Safety chain connections (shackles, pins or bolts)
A suitable shackle is where:
the shackle is rated and complies with Australian Standard AS 2741-2002 “Shackles”
or other equivalent recognised standard; and
the break load limit of the shackle is rated at least 1.5 times greater than the ATM of
the trailer.
In short, it appears that rated shackles are required for towing a trailer and that the shackle must be rated to at least 1.5x the mass of the trailer. I have only just discovered this and having bought some 2000 kg rated bow shackles today, I now find that they will not fit the gap provided in my towbar. Some people are towing much heavier rigs than mine, so must have shackles rated to 5000 or 6000 kg which would be much thicker steel again than mine.
Questions:
Who is using a rated shackle to connect their safety chain to the towbar?
How the hell do you connect a thick shackle to the towbar?
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Apathy is the enemy
Jeremy, not just on the safety chain but I also use rated shackles on the tie down strap which is attached to trailer via tie down lugs.
In fact at every point of tie down or attachment I have rated shackles. 7 in total. Jim.
Haines Signature "FinaLeigh" 580F 135 Optimax
CH 81 & 72 VHF
Bigjim... Are you saying your tie down straps are rated the same or higher than your rated shackles ?
So you now need a load rated shackle for towing your trailer which is fine but the safety chain welded to your trailer and shackle is not load rated it's just normal gal chain. Very confussed . Cheers hally
Tie down strap is rated at 2t Fish Face. Also at the way it is applied : ie Basket hitch inverted, I have 1.5t shackles on each lug, over what is required of the 1t at each end of the strap. This would be well over the safety factor required as it would be extraordinary if all three points were to fail. Jim.
CH 81 & 72 VHF
You should have included the option of 'unsure' as I don't know if my shackles compliant. How can you tell as most don't have any markings on them.Originally Posted by Jeremy
If they aren't marked they aren't compliant......
text from the PDF.
"It is recommended that if shackles are used that they comply with AS 2741-2002 “Shackles”. These shall be legibly and permanently marked with the following information:
The manufacturer’s name or trademark
Quality grade of the shackle, e.g. (“M” or “4”, “S” or “6”)
Working Load Limit (WLL) or Rating; and
Identification marking in order to correlate shackle to test certificate. "
Remember to always log on before heading offshore.
just remember the load is the "breaking load limit" which is aprox 6 time the working load limit.....so the 8mm shackle on mine is rated @ 750kgs ....with a breaking load limit of 4500kgs ....on a 750kg boat trailer
A 10mm shackle would have a WLL of 1000kgs and a BLL of 6000kgs ...
so unless you had a total crap 2$ shop shackle or a 6mm on a 3000kg trailer you shouldn't have a problem...
You can get rated chain, each link has the AS compliance stamped on it. I have just fitted some to a new trailer that I imported, it was supplied from the Aus distributors for the trailer so it could be made compliant.
hey mate.. hows is the new boat going ? have you had it in the water yet.. iam still looking every 2nd day on the web over there but nothing on the market worth it .. cheers mick
...........GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO BAIT.........
Nope the chain has to meet standards as well mate.
Safety chains
All pig trailers with rigid drawbars (with or without breakaway brakes but excluding converter
dollies) and any other trailer without breakaway brakes must be fitted with safety chains that
are marked in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard. It must comply with the
following:
trailers that do not exceed 2500kg ATM must have at least one safety chain
complying with Australian Standard AS 4177.4-1994 or Australian Standard AS
4177.4-2004 'Caravan and light trailer towing components Part 4: Safety chains up to
3500kg capacity', or be a safety cable with a certified load capacity of the same;
trailers over 2.5 tonnes and not exceeding 3.5 tonnes ATM must have two safety
chains of designation of 3500 kg complying with Australian Standard AS 4177.4-1994
or Australian Standard AS 4177.42004;
trailers over 3500kg ATM must have two safety chains made from steel of a minimum
800 MPa breaking stress that conforms to the mechanical properties of Grade T
chain as specified in Australian Standard AS 2321-1979 'Short Link Chain for Lifting
Purposes (non calibrated)' or Australian Standard AS 2321-2006 'Short Link Chain for
Lifting Purposes.' Each chain must be sized such that the minimum breaking load
exceeds the ATM.
Remember to always log on before heading offshore.
Would be interesting to see how many box or boat trailers & caravans comply to the rule. From memory its part of ADR 62/00 also.
Dont know if there is a "manufactured after" part to it all for compliance. Leigh
PS: I tried to use a wll 1.5 tonne rated shackle on a factory VT commodore towbar the other day and the whole in the bar isn't big enough.
Last edited by lee8sec; 24-07-2014 at 09:50 AM. Reason: PS info
yeah seems funny to me that most have unrated safety chains, it is part of the ADR's and Im pretty sure Queensland has always been part of Australia though maybe slightly "superior" at times
Maybe it hasnt been enforced but it certainly is in WA at licensing and roadside inspections
I have a rated shackle on my boat trailer and my boat trailer has a single chain (1.7 tonne trailer and boat) but there doesn't appear to be any stamping on the trailer chain links (and my trailer is only 12 months old).
I'm guessing there's not many trailers made with rated chain fitted even now.
| Savage Kestral with Evinrude 9.9 --> Stacer 3.9 with Yamaha 15 --> Polycraft 4.55 CC with Honda 50 --> Ally Craft Reel Mate 4.25 with Yamaha 3 cylinder 30 horse --> Hmmm what next? |
Not in the water yet.... But I have recently resigned from my job so hopefully will get it sorted very soon now tat I have some spare time.
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