Do You Cross Chains on Goosenecks?

Yes—if your gooseneck uses a ball-and-coupler hitch, you should cross the safety chains under the neck; it’s required or explicitly recommended in many jurisdictions, while fifth‑wheel/kingpin couplings are generally exempt from chain requirements. In practice, crossing the chains creates a cradle that helps keep the coupler off the truck bed if it detaches, reduces the chance of a pole‑vault effect, and satisfies “secondary means of attachment” rules common in towing regulations.

What a Gooseneck Is—and Why Chain Crossing Matters

A gooseneck trailer typically uses a ball mounted in the truck bed with a tubular coupler—mechanically, it’s the same “ball-and-socket” concept as a bumper‑pull, just positioned over the axle. Because it’s a ball hitch, most states require two safety chains. Crossing them under the neck forms a sling that can catch the coupler if it pops off, maintaining some directional control long enough to brake to a stop.

Best-Practice Setup for Gooseneck Safety Chains

The following practices help you stay within common legal requirements and industry standards while maximizing safety.

• Use two frame-rated anchor points in the truck bed. Attach each chain to a dedicated, frame‑tied loop or plate provided by the gooseneck mounting system, not to the removable ball or any thin sheet‑metal tie‑downs.
• Cross the chains under the coupler/neck. Right chain to left anchor and left chain to right anchor so they form a cradle beneath the coupler.
• Match or exceed strength ratings. Select chains and hooks with adequate working load limit (WLL); many states require the combined rating of both chains to meet or exceed the trailer’s gross weight. Grade‑70 (transport), Grade‑80, or higher chains with latch‑type clevis hooks are common.
• Set proper slack. Leave enough length for full articulation and tight turns without binding the coupler, but not so much that chains drag or strike the ground. Avoid twists or knots, which reduce strength and hinder the cradle effect.
• Attach the breakaway brake cable independently. Clip the breakaway lanyard to a separate, fixed point on the tow vehicle—never to a chain, the hitch ball, or a removable insert—so it will trigger even if the hitch separates.
• Inspect before every trip. Look for bent hooks, stretched links, corrosion, or worn latches. Ensure attachment hardware (clevis pins, quick links) is fully closed and secured.
• Re-check after the first miles. After loading and the first few miles of driving, stop and confirm chain tension, routing, and clearances are still correct.

Taken together, these steps reduce the risk of a catastrophic separation and align with both manufacturer guidance and typical enforcement expectations roadside.

Legal and Compliance Snapshot

Rules vary by state and by vehicle class (commercial vs. personal), but there are consistent patterns you can rely on when setting up a gooseneck.

• U.S. states (general trend): Ball‑and‑socket hitches—including goosenecks—generally must use two safety chains; fifth‑wheel/kingpin couplings are often exempt. Many states explicitly require the chains to be crossed.
• California: Vehicle Code requires two safety chains for ball hitches and specifies crossing under the tongue; fifth‑wheel (kingpin/plate) couplings are exempt from the chain requirement.
• Texas: State law requires safety chains for ball‑type hitches and exempts true fifth‑wheel couplings; state safety guidance and common practice call for crossing chains beneath the coupler.
• FMCSA (commercial interstate): Federal rules require a secondary means of attachment for certain trailer couplings and an automatic breakaway function on braked trailers. While not all provisions spell out “crossing,” crossed chains are a widely accepted way to meet the secondary-attachment intent for ball‑type hitches.

Because statutes and thresholds (weights, exemptions, hardware specs) differ by jurisdiction, verify details with your state DMV/DOT or a current commercial vehicle handbook if you operate commercially or cross state lines.

Common Questions

Do fifth‑wheel/kingpin trailers need safety chains?

Typically no. Most jurisdictions exempt true fifth‑wheel (kingpin and plate) couplings from chain requirements. If your trailer uses a ball coupler (even in the bed), it’s a gooseneck in the eyes of the law and chains are normally required.

What if my bed has only two inboard chain loops—how do I cross?

Most OEM gooseneck kits position loops so chains can be crossed. If your geometry prevents a clean cross without binding, consider rated aftermarket anchor points or different chain lengths to achieve proper crossing and slack.

Can I clip chains to the removable gooseneck ball?

No. Attach chains to frame‑tied anchors only. The ball and its latch are part of the primary coupling and are not a rated secondary attachment point.

Summary

For gooseneck trailers that use a ball-and-coupler hitch, cross two properly rated safety chains under the neck, attach them to frame‑rated anchors, set correct slack, and connect the breakaway cable independently. Fifth‑wheel/kingpin setups are generally exempt from chains. Because specific requirements vary by state and by commercial use, confirm local rules if you tow across jurisdictions.

Do gooseneck trailers require safety chains?

Chains are required for all gooseneck trailers and must be attached to the truck at all times when you are on public roads.

How to properly load a gooseneck trailer?

This is a good time to secure the jack handle now that the load is off the jacks. You can raise the jack foot into the upper position by releasing the pin.

Where to mount safety chains on a gooseneck trailer?

Or the one underneath your tailgate. Remember to close the tailgate. Check that all lights and signals are functioning normally.

Are you supposed to cross chains on a gooseneck trailer?

Cross the safety chains underneath the hitch, then connect them. The breakaway cable applies the brakes before the trailer disconnects, while the safety chains prevent the trailer from falling off the truck’s bed or ramming into the truck’s cabin.