Common questions about 2X 6mm Hammerlock+ Eye Sling Hook Safety Chain Caravan Trailer connecting Extend
Is a 1.12 tonne rating enough for my van?
Match the rating to the chain, not the van's laden mass. Safety chains are sized by regulation to your trailer's rating, and the connector needs to be at least as strong as the chain it joins. On a 6 mm chain, 1.12 tonne working load with a 4:1 factor is in the right ballpark — check your compliance plate.
Can I use these instead of shackles?
That's the point of them. A hammerlock closes permanently around chain links, so there's no pin to work loose on corrugations and nothing to lose in the gravel at a rest stop. The trade-off is that fitting is one-way — once it's pinned and seated, you're cutting it off to remove it.
Is this a legal way to extend a short safety chain?
Adding length with connectors is a grey area, and the rules vary by state, so check with your transport authority before you rely on it. What this kit is properly for is joining and terminating chains that are already the right length. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.