what usually happens to a fifth wheel hitch in a wreck?

[Country Campers]

So a guy I camp with has a fifth wheel camper. Also does farming. Bought a flat bed trailer with fifth wheel hook up. The trailer came with safety chains on it. So he welded d-rings in his truck for the safety chains.
He hooks them up so there are no questions. Kind of interesting for this conversation maybe.
To make a goose neck trailer into a fifth wheel the manufacture simply puts a different connection point on the the tongue of the trailer.
I too think safety chains should be required and used if not required.

Brian

[SouthTX]

Actually, it's easy to find out about state-by-state requirements for safety chains - it's right here: https://www.rvia.org/system/files/me...equirement.pdf

This one is even more detailed: http://webspace.webring.com/people/j...yChainLaws.pdf

You'll notice that it's not ambiguous at all - very specific. The interesting thing is that many states don't give a fifth wheel exemption at all, meaning they require chains.

Now, that said, I have never had, seen or heard of any dealer installing safety chains on a fifth wheel. The first one is an RVIA chart and yet, I'm not aware of any pinbox manufacturer (who presumably belongs to RVIA) who installs eyelets for chains on their products. I don't know what dealers do with Andersen's and in fact don't even know if they sell/install them. Has anyone here ever gotten a ticket for not having chains on a fiver? So, even if it is the law, it seems that there is a lot of interpretation on the part of law enforcement.

Now, to address the Andersen specifically - the very fact that they offer them as options and take the time to address the "confusion" tells me you should use them. I haven't bothered to look, but I have never seen any safety chain options offered by fifth wheel manufacturers. After seeing the pictures at the top of this thread, there is no way that I would ever use an Andersen without chains. As far as fifth wheels go, tractor trailers have been using them forever and they have a few decades of use in the RV world. I'm good to go without chains on my Reese Elite fifth wheel.

Nice try, Dick, but the cops don't enforce RVIA standards, they enforce specific statutes or sections of the appropriate vehicle code. So far, no one on this forum has cited an *enforceable* requirement for safety chains on AUH. Let's try to provide valid information rather than just the opinion of some anoymous person.

[BigGuy82]

I'm not "trying" anything. Just stating accurate facts. Read the attachments.

Open the link and look at the title of the RVIA document. It says "Safety Chain Requirements for RV Trailers - State Equipment and Road Use Law Summaries" . Not "RVIA Standards". Laws. In fact, you can go to each state DMV website and confirm this - I did for NY and AL and FL. This chart is correct.

Go to the next link. The header reads: " STATE SAFETY CHAIN LAWS"

No "opinions" - just facts (laws). Last I looked, the cops do enforce the laws, so I don't see anything incorrect in what I posted. And, I stick by what I said about using chains on an Andersen - regardless of your ownership of one. You need to look at the picture of that hitch knocked off of the ball - says more than I ever can.

PS - every one of these laws is "enforceable" and none of the information is "anonymous".

[TucsonJim]

Moderator Comment: The usage of safety chains with Andersen hitches has been discussed and argued ad nauseum in other threads. If you wish to continue these discussions, please search for an applicable thread. The OP has asked about the safety of different style hitches in an accident. Please try to keep the discussion focused on that topic.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Per the photos, the connection point that came apart is the Andersen frame to the goose ball . . . not the Andersen 5th wheel pin adapter to the hitch ball on top of the Andersen frame. This a potential failure for any type of hitch that fastens to the truck only by a goose ball. It does look like the Andersen connection tube being aluminum rather than steel may have played a part in this.

The discussion should be about what could happen to any type of hitch in this scenario?
For example, if the emergency break away pull (and maybe safety chains) are attached to the hitch and this hitch has a single attachment point to the truck at the goose ball, these safety devices will not come into play.

Similarly, if safety chains are used, they are usually thought of as a means to prevent the 5th wheel from being pulled backwards out of the truck bed. This is the second Andersen failure discussed on this forum where the chains were called upon to stop the forward motion of the trailer. In the original pictures, I think the firewood might have been more important the the chains, in stopping this.

Rob

[BigGuy82]

Per the photos, the connection point that came apart is the Andersen frame to the goose ball . . . not the Andersen 5th wheel pin adapter to the hitch ball on top of the Andersen frame. This a potential failure for any type of hitch that fastens to the truck only by a goose ball. It does look like the Andersen connection tube being aluminum rather than steel may have played a part in this.

Rob

I'm curious - what other hitch uses the gooseneck ball (other than a gooseneck and Andersen"?