Trailer Towing Safety

Safety essentials when towing a trailer

Note: This information is based on Victorian (AU) requirements.

Light Trailer Safety Chain Shackles

When trailer towing, it’s a requirement to have a safety connection device on your car in addition to your normal tow coupling. This safety connection acts as a backup if your tow coupling breaks or detaches from your vehicle.

Your safety connection device can be anything that connects your trailer with your towing vehicle including chains, cables, shackles, or any combination of these. The final point between the safety chain/cable and the towing vehicle is usually a D shackle.

Do I need a load-rated shackle to connect my safety chain/cable?

Whilst using a load-rated shackle isn’t mandatory, it’s a good idea to choose a shackle to suit your trailer and towing vehicle.

Suitable shackles include:

• rated and compliant with Australian Standard AS 2741 “Shackles” or other equivalent recognised standards AND the break load limit of the shackle is rated at least 1.5 times greater than the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) of the trailer (see below for example).
• supplied  by the original vehicle manufacturer
• shackles supplied by an original equipment tow bar manufacturer

Recommended shackle/trailer ratios

Contact Abacon Products on 03 9331 5544 to buy trailer chain, shackles and accessories – pick up or delivery Australia wide.

Read the full article and find out more at vicroads.vic.gov.au