Drop chains for lifted trucks?

[FTwardoch]

What do you guys recommend for towing with an 8" drop hitch. My tent trailer sits level about 15" off the ground so when I use my 8" drop hitch the chains are not long enough to criss cross them under the tongue (which is what I was told is the safest way in case you lose your ball/tongue connection). Sure, longer chains would solve the problem but then if the hitch ball came off the chains would be on the ground.



By the way, I had an experience once where I left the hookup in someone elses hands and didn't double check the coupling - it was not 100% seated and lost the trailer a few miles from home - thank goodness I had the chains but the tongue dragged on the ground, leaving a nice shower of sparks. The chains did their job (they were NOT criss crossed) but ended up replacing the S hooks because they were so ground down!.



Seem to remember seeing some guys using 4" extension chains hooked to their receiver frame opening... ... ... ... ...



So I'm not being paranoid, I figure I'm finally trying to get hooked up properly.

 

[JacksonH]

Your not being paranoid, just smart and safe.

Ditto, usually the chains cross under the trailers tongue. (Use weight rated chain, shackles connectors, and hooks. ) Yes you want them long enough to make turns, yet short enough that they hopefully wont let the tongue dig into pavement and send the trailer flying up, over and on top of your truck. When flyin down the Hwy From what you stated. You may have to reposition the 2 chains all together on the trailer. You may have to shorten them and not X under the tongue, yet long enough to make turns, and not hit pavement. Dont know if thats hwy legal. But better than nothing, as you learned