WLL of Trailer Tiedown Points

Although it sounds like there should be an easy answer, there isn't, here's why...The steel used in the trailer construction is graded, but how does one guarantee the WLL of a welded joint, unless each and every weld is tested and approved....It would be cost prohibitive for the trailer mfr to do this....Additionally, liability wise, they would be foolish to stamp it without actually testing it....
Historically, the anchor point has long been considered to be the strongest part of the securement link, and history has taught us that it is usually driver error, then a chain or strap that lets go, that results in a securement failure, not the anchor point.....FWIW, I pulled FB for years and never got a ticket for that, nor had a securement failure happen.....But, I suppose if I had developed a bad attitude towards the officer, he/she might go looking for such things, but I'll digress......

 

From what I have seen, experienced and read over the last 20 years comes down to this.

I have rarely ever seen a securement point on a trailer ripped off. I have seen them bent and damaged however.
This tells me, and most inspection officers as well, that generally speaking, a securement point on a trailer will handle the load put on it, as long as it looks good, and isn't showing signs of being damaged.

I have heard of people being told to connect chains differently, and sometimes being cited for improper securement when the officer didn't like where on the trailer they were attached.
Sometimes this is frivolous, sometimes it is very accurate.

I have often hooked chains to the edge of the frame cutouts on lowboys etc, when that gave me the angle I needed, but I have also heard of people getting hassled for that.
On the other hand, if someone wraps a 1/2" chain around the rub rail bar (not a spool or pocket) on a flatbed, and expects to get WLL out of it, you are going to be disappointed! Lol

I used to hook 5/16 chain onto the rub rail, pulling up against a spool or pocket, all day long, and never had an issue, either with inspection, or with damage to the rub rail. (steel trailer, wouldn't do it with aluminum) but if I was needing full WLL out of that chain, I would still wrap it around a pocket.

Basically, if the inspector can look at the tiedown point, and common sense says it is not strong enough for the load on it, or it is showing signs of distortion, then you have a problem.

So, use common sense when you tiedown, and don't stress about it.

 

I pull a 53ft reitnouer maximizer and the rub rails on this are rated for 5400. I'll get you a picture of the data plate later on

 

That's from a Maxmiser.