Ford! What were you thinking?? | Hammerlock | RV Safety chain 

They are going to keep improving things until nothing works.

Whom ever designed that never towed anything. Just another desk jockey with a degree. No common sense.

ford must have done a lot of market research to identify the shape that fits the fewest number of safety hook options

The hammer lock was an excellent choice for this application. The trucking industry has been using them for years

I can see 50 different camera angles as I back my truck up yet I can't hook up a damn chain. Brilliant work. I also own a 2020 F250 and shared the same frustration.

The reason for different colors is not for looking pretty, it's to help identify the group capacity rating at a glance.

WOW! What a neet design I sure need that design and am going to get a set. So wonderfull in thanking you for sharing - Now it will be a whole lot easier attaching my safety chains for my 29ft trailer to my 2008 F250 with a class 5 hitch. Thankyou for shareing. Cheers!

If it ain’t broke, engineer it till it is!

The chains should be crossed, so if you have a breakaway it will cradle the trailer hitch and won’t let it dig into e ground or pavement.

You guys are awesome. I just started researching to overcome the hassle of clamping on the safety chains on a 2019 2500HD. I'm definitely buying based on your video. Thank you!

Your video was very helpful - I'm going to install mine tomorrow. Thanks for posting!

The trick to installing the pin is to put bigger hammer on the other side to act like an anvil

And here's a great tip for you. Being that you have a F250, To help with keeping your Radiator and Condenser coil clean and bug free - Simply use a House hold screen that has its own frame and put it in front of your condensor coil. This in turn will keep the Bee's and the moths and all the flying insects out of your Coils and allow the air flow to be unabstructed and keep those coils from getting damaged . On a 2008 modle its easy to install but on yours I dont know how new your truck is. If your grill opens with the hood then it'll be easy - If your grill stays put as you open the hood youll have to remove the grill in order to install - But I found this idea from whom ever owned the truck before me did a great thing and saved my cooling system and Air conditioning . Every fall Its easy to clean for the next summer and wow I do catch a lot of Bugs. Hope this to you helps. Cheers...

I did the hammer locks because you can get the correct weight range. If you take 1 inch heat shrink wrap you can keep it from making noise when driving

Nice links and I do like the color. I am getting some just for decor on my truck...😁 Some people hang those naughty rubber things from theirs, but I will have hammer locks!! 😉😃

I just changed the hooks on the safety chains. With largest available from the local hardware store. Problem solved and for less money.

I forced the safety chain on and actually had to take it apart to get it off. I am currently using d-rings but will look into these hammer locks.

Thank yaw so much. Ordered mine after watching. For my new/used 2020 F350.

Hey, container links but smaller and a lot harder to use. The pins usually unlock and come out easily. I guess that's why they call them "hammer locks". Those are a pretty slick solution.

We use Hammer locks with cables on heavy lifting fixtures in aerospace/aircraft jig and fixture fabrication. Great product and at grade 100 their stronger than the grade 70 chain hook. Threaded pin Shackles would be another solution for those that don't want anything hanging on the truck. Threaded 3/8" carabiners are ok for lightweight trailers...not a heavy trailer. A 3/8" carabiner at 2200 lbs doesn't have the same strength as the 3/8 G70 safety chain.

Great idea even the newer non super duty trucks have the same issue too

I was taught to always cross my safety chains - something to think about.

Thanks for the pointers!

Thank you guys for putting this video together and sharing. I got a set but wasn't sure the best way to install it with the hammer.

Welcome to the club, nailed it exactly "Ford what where you thinking."

Thanks a million, was going to throw away mine not knowing how to I stall them, headed out to the truck to install mine....cool blue like it

The hitch on my 2022 F450 is no longer like this. I hated the one on my 2017 F250 and I used hammerlocks however the hooks on my TT and enclosed trailer fit great on my new one

Recently discovered these when making straps to pull vehicles out of the sand. Much better than d-rings for permanent connections.

Here in Australia safety chains are attached to the vehicle using D shackles. Also we cross the chains over, like the left chain attached to the right side and visa versa with the other chain. That way if the trailer does come off the hitch, the trailer will not dig into the road.

Thank you guys

You are a life saver

I love to see Muricans Nackling with full tool kit.

Lol....great work around!

very useful video thank you

Thanks for showing me how to install these!

I have no problem hooking up either of my 2 trailers to my truck without any other hardware.

Camped next to y’all days before Pandemic at Thousand Trails in Texas

Very interesting

Thanks, just what I was looking for, well now I know I was looking for this. I'm going to subscribe to your channel, you have not posted video's for awhile. hope you haven't given up, sometimes it take a bit to let people find you. Just like me today.

Buy two Crosby brand shackles / clevises that have bolt, nut, and cotter pin. mount them in the same holes instead of using hammer locks and safety hooks fit like a charm. I trust them before i trust that pin in the hammer lock. Just my opinion

What if you put a wood block behind it when hammering the pin in?

I have never had a problem putting hooks on my 17 F- 350 with the 3 inch hitch

My only issue with these is the worry that they will wear through the receiver metal over time with all the rubbing and bouncing as they don't come off(like a tag on a dog collar) I ended up putting 3/4 bow shackles on mine. They don't move at all which makes me feel a bit better about preventing that, but I know the load rating is compromised because of the position they are in. Their rating is for 9,500lbs working(57,000lb breaking) load for each, so they are a bit overkill for the application anyway so I'm not worried.

Thank you. I couldn’t figure out how that collar went on to secure it. No directions in the package.

My 2014 F-150 has this problem. Thanks

Bow , D shackle ,would do as well

I ordered mine from amazon and they arrived today. I have an F-350 with the same safety chain issues.

Replace the chain hook,done!

Would a large enough shackle do the same thing?

This REALLY pisses me off! GM did the same thing. What the fuck were they thinking. They have literally millions of customers who use their trucks to pull trailers and suddenly the safety chains won't fit! I paid over $70K for my 2018 3500 HD GMC and then find I cannot pull my trailer with it.

And hows the rattling? A bungee hooking them together may help some, with or without the rig.

Are you able to remove them, or is it considered a permanent installation?

New follower here. I have a Chevy HD2500 with the exact same issue. Great channel, we are trying to grow our channel as well.

Looks like a D ring would be an easier solution

another case of engineers fixing things that ain't broke.

Glad I’m not the only one laying down cussing like a sailor, I questioned my intelligence.

Don’t have a problem with any of my trailers. These are hd trucks for towing larger trailers.

The colors represent the load capacity

That 1/2" screw link is rated more like 3,300 lbs not 10,000

Why not just use a clevis?

You needed a heavier hammer to knock the pin in

I just discovered this today on my Silverado 2500HD! Chevy! What were you thinking?? Towed my trailer home from storage without the safety chains on (luckily just a 20 min drive) Going to order the Hammerlocks. Thanks for making this video. Happy Travels!

Be careful to never use a tow hitch with its dog leg to get yourself pulled out of a boggy situation. I saw recently one snapped in half under the force of a snatch strap and it went through the wind screen and killed the driver of the bogged vehicle. There is a video of it here somewhere on YT.

Is it DOT approved?

Do you have a Link?

lol run the chain in and out the hole then hook your quick link or you called locking oval. Not rated very high weight wise . The 80 and 100 are in reference to the chain rating 100 is an European chain 80 grade chain is heat treated made mostly for over head lifting . 100 grade is about 25% stronger . 70 grade chain in mostly for tie-down or for towing and DOT approved

why not just buy d rings?

Reasons why i own a welder

Try putting the hook in the bottom then turn to come out of the hole in the back works like it was intended. it’s the best setup on the market and the safest on the market

A permanent solution to the problem would design it right all the money we pay these vehicles and you have to do your own engineering

Now you have to listen to them rattle when you drive ..

Another part to rattle.

Worse on my F150 2020. Can’t see to hook.

Same thing happened to me, seriously ford what gives? Thanks for posting

They made them bigger in 18 or 19

Ford changed the hitches because of people using incorrect safety chains. Now, you have to use an appropriate safety chain hook for the tow capacity. Yes, if you are towing something smaller, it is inconvenient. But when you approach the upper range of trailers, these force you to use the correct hooks. Grade 80 or 100 self locking hooks are the appropriate hook allowed now.

can you get them off?

An engineer will tell you that leaving these (or any D or Bow shackle for that matter) swinging on the towbar will eventually provide a weak spot on the link. I guess half inch provides a significant safety factor, but I would keep an eye on wear

Its Ford. What did you expect

Use a large c clamp

Criss cross your safety chains

It is called trailer safety chains.............

Weld a couple eyes on it.

And now without a trailer your Ford will rattle like a Chevy!

You didn't try putting them in sideways did you. Standard safety chains work perfectly fine on those, just learn how to use it

Use a clevis

I believe I would grind that hole out

..or you could simply use a slightly longer chain and hook it through the holes and into itself

My 2016 is different so I believe you are correct that the 2017 plus have the new one. I noticed some poor welds and fitment on your hitch also

Are those hammerlocks permanently on after you bang that pin in. I’d like to use them but they are god awful ugly when not in use

A Grinder or a Cutting Torch would be my fix.

Ford didn’t make the hitch

Can they be removed? Like say you change trucks. It looked like you had to really put some effort into pounding the pin in, It doesn't look like it's ever going to come out.

Don't know who designs their hitch mounts but they need a beating. (Kiss) keep it simple stupid!!!🤯

One should never use a carpenter's claw hammer to beat on hardened steel pins as the hammer head is also hardened and prone to chipping either the head or the pins and the bits of flying metal are an eye hazard, did you wear your safety glasses? Get a machinist's ball peen hammer and still use safety glasses please.

Mate , put a jack under that before you hammer it

Smurf blue tho, hmm. Mighta painted them first.

Ford has lost it’s marbles on a lot of dumb things.

We can do without the woman's voice and the attempt to be cute with the cat "saying" something. Just stick to business and stay with the install which was fairly good. Next question, how do you remove the hammer locks?

Make SURE your trailer safety chains CANNOT DRAG ! Twist the chains together to raise them up to stop the possibility of dragging. Dragging chains create SPARKS, which can create WILDFIRES/FOREST FIRES !!