Found a video on chain technique for compact tractors. They recommended 2 10 foot lengths to tie stuff to the loops on the front bucket and twenty feet for towing / dragging / lifting stuff. What size and grade should I get for a 100 hsp, 15000 pound Deere 310? I heard OSHA wants grade 80 for lifting.
If you think you're going to keep OSHA happy, might as well go back to bed right now. I use 5-7' of 1/4" grade 70 with a grab hook and a slip hook for 90% of the things I use a chain for, handiest thing since sliced bread. Obviously I'm not setting septic tanks with that chain. Anything you lift, you have to have a good idea of it's weight, and the weight rating of every piece that's lifting it. There's no way around that. You could get a chain you can barely carry, that will lift the 310 safely, and you can still get into trouble easily lifting things with a backhoe.
I use whatever chain I have nearby that I think will get the job done. I can't tell you the grade of a single one of them. 5/16" is the most common size around here and I use it for all kinds of lifting. I will warn you not to use straps lifting across the buckets edge. I cut two 10K lifting straps in half picking up a big milling machine. That didn't end too well.
I've acquired a pile of G70 5/16" chains in various lengths from 10' to 20'. Most have 2 grab hooks on them, but 2 of the 10' chains have a grab on one end and a slip hook on the other. They are very handy like Delmer said. I also have a couple of longer G70 3/8 chains with double grab hooks. I only use them for chaining down equipment on the trailer. I have used the 5/16" chains to lift and maneuver logs, stumps, tow equipment, drag a dead truck, square up a building during construction, and numerous other things I can't remember to list. As much as I use a chain for so many small things today, I wonder how I got by growing up. My dad only ever had one gnarly, rusted up chain for towing a stuck car out of the ditch and it never got used for anything else. A couple of moderate sized chains could have saved a lot of work when pulling a building into square on some jobs.
Can I buy these on Amazon or should I search out a reputable supplier?
I see em at the flea market all the time. Could pick some up at the tractor supply.
Emmett i would not give Amazon the business, and find a local truck supply shop or Tractor Supply or Wilco. One day they will all be gone and you won't be able to go to the corner store anymore. /rant off
Emmett since you mentioned OSHA is this a business or personal use? All our lifting chains and slings have to be rated. The best bang for the buck is US Cargo Control. I’ve bought several chain slings and bucket hooks from them. Pretty quick service too.
Don't let the price of chains dictate what you buy. Just like bolts they come in different strength grades. Grade 8 chain is not cheap and may not be sold by some stores in your immediate area.
Personal. I just don’t want to have accidents. I’ve seen chain snap, and it’s nasty business.
5/16 Load rated chain is more than you need and that is just right. I have never broken one, knock on wood.
What Tinkerer said. Grade 80 is not cheap. I've broke many a cheap chain pulling with it. All our slings are either grade 100 or 120.
I have used 1/4" chain to secure a sweetgum stump my backhoe loader couldn't safely lift more than a few inches off the ground and it held. Not saying you want to risk getting under anything like that but you shouldn't get under anything being held by chain unless it's grade 80 or on a chain hoist. I did break the 1/4" chain pretty much right in the middle one day trying to pull an oversize stump out of a hole. I ended up putting ends on the two links outside the broken one and making two chains out of it. Those are the same two chains I used on the above mentioned stump. I have several 5/16" and 3/8" chains and I honestly don't know the grade on any of them except one grade 70 chain I bought from HF on sale. I don't think I have ever used it.
Found this. https://blog.uscargocontrol.com/differences-grade-70-chain-grade-80-chain-grade-100-chain/
Looking at USCargo’s web site, they say that you should not use transport chains for lifting. Why if they are class 80 or above? How do you lift with chains?
While I definitely see @skyking1 's point on shopping local, or at least from USA, I bought this one from HF and it's been pretty much a cheap beast. I've not looked at ratings for them (about to check your link above!) I'm pretty sure the backhoe will flip before these chains aren't enough to handle something (well, maybe not, the HF site, I just read, said up to 4700lbs... not as much as I expected...).
I use either 5/16 or 3/8 grade 70 with a JD410C depending what I'm lifting. I do have a rig I use to lift my dirt trays with the hoe. 275 gallon oil tanks cut in half are equipped with four short chains welded to the corners. A rig I hang from the bucket hook is a 4' piece of 3/8 with no hooks. I hang a keyhole at bottom end. Two 10' 5/16 grade 30 run through the keyhole to leave four hooks hanging. I can hook to the corners of the half tanks to put dirt back in the ditch. I have 10 of these. Keeps the rest of a lawn at its grade with grass recovering quickly.
The difference is in cargo and lifting chains is there ability to stretch or not before they break.
Exactly, the working weight limit is the same percentage of minimum breaking strength as far as I know, but the 80 is tougher will stretch or deform before breaking and SHOW the damage, so that it will be rejected when it's inspected before every use. They were also talking about the hooks in that link. They sell grade 80 or 100 chain for transport purposes, because it's stronger for the weight, but they don't put lifting grade hooks on it, so it's still a transport only chain, or pulling logs etc. but NOT rated for lifting, because every piece has to be rated or the whole rig will be rated at the lowest weight rating.
I expect those 5/16" Grade 70 HF chains will probably pick up anything you want to move. It's not like you are going to get under it. Here are a couple of pics of the last stump I moved with a 1/4" chain. It was right about the same size as my hoe. I had to drive with it just a few inches off the ground and run in 4WD. The rear tires were bouncing off the ground and spinning with the hoe extended out so the front wheels were doing all the pulling. I didn't move it far but the 1/4" chains held while I picked it up and moved a ways.
That's a slick set up you've got going there @Willie B Are you talking about the steel caged plastic totes?
I'm with you @NH575E The HF chain I linked to has lifted everything I've tried easily, and the driving with very heavy stuff gets real sketchy, to the point of worrying about the hoe more than the chain. I really hate that back wheel bounce too! Our local roads tend to have a crack every 20 feet or so and trying to get anywhere beyond about a half mile away or so gets to be a test in my nerves and patience as I slow down.
I guess I'm old school I like the idea of the old barrels of chains. Nostalgia.
I've heard that before to, that tie down chains are not the same as a lift chain. NBCSA prefers us to use straps for lifting, or cables. I notice most of the pipe crews have chokers on their trucks for lifting pipe.
No, the 275 gallon oil tanks everybody uses for heating fuel, or diesel. I cut them in half to form a pan 5' long, 4' wide. Each corner gets 10" of chain. In a pan I'd estimate I can get 3/4 yard of dirt. I like to dig & install 10' of conduit at a step, then refill the ditch. With pans I have I can dig about 20 feet of 46" ditch. I've always believed the less you spread it, the faster you can restore it. It works best with a man on the ground to hitch. Line them up in double row on one side of the ditch
I think my hoe has an option that suppresses this motion. Not sure how it works.
You have to be careful, but if you curl your bucket and stick in tight, and swing the boom in tight to the low side of the road, like with your bucket touching your out rigger pad, it makes for a smoother ride. One of the Cat models allows you to shift the entire boom to one side like an excavator so it's not in your face, and you can do this without any or little overhang.
I use a 3/8 , grade 100 square link from Pewag (sp?) I've had it in some nasty conditions and I LOVE how the square links bite into a tree or log I can't recommend the square links high enough
A cat 924 will break a 3/8grade 70 trying to jurk a dumpster free ive learn
A Cat 321 will break a 1/2" grade 70 chain trying to pull a stuck dump truck.
I have done several price comparisons between US Cargo Control and Tulsa Chain and Tulsa has beat Cargo prices every time. Just bought a barrel of gr100 3/8" chain a month ago from them. They also build custom wire rope and chain slings to your specs and certify everything gr80 and above. Heard about them from a local heavy wrecker company. All I did. To find them was Google Tulsa chain
Cables a little less than Straps can be somewhat shock loaded, do Not Shock load a chain unless wish parts and pieces to dance with in the cab along with the broken glass. The prior two will give indication exceeded that value they were getting close, by broken strands or threads, tell tale thread in lifting straps, bridle eyes bird nesting or permanent impression of pins/hook eyes etc. Chains may not give a inkling ready to go and just toss the long end at you or the load, sheared hook pin, eye or clevis, broken weak link is hardest to detect.
I have not done extensive work around barges but the little bit I have been around I have not seen 1 chain used. It is always big ropes or cables. It is an eerie silence just before a 2" cable breaks. Rule of thumb they told me was you don't have to worry when the cable is talking they only break when they go quiet
Looking at Tulsa's web site, they list fittings as "fittings", and "yoke fittings". What's the difference?
I am not sure but all the people I have talked to there are very helpful. Might just have to call them Monday?
not 100% sure but I think this is what they mean This VS. This "yoke"
Show both styles under both categories Best to ask them.
Upper hook seems pretty bulky & expensive by the time you find a coupler to attach the end of a chain. Lower hook has that knob sticking out where it fits between chain links. This is problematic in joining to a smaller chain.
"Yoke" is the brand name in this case. look at the left side where they list "grade 100 fittings" they have "Cartec", "CM", "Yoke", "Pewag" just different brands.
Agreed...I see what you are saying...I just figured a yoke has a clevis Emmett518, Let us know what they say when you call.
@cuttin edge thanks for the back wheel bounce tip, I'll try it out. I've attempted raising the loader bucket a bit but I don't know if that did much other than reduce visibility. I haven't really considered the physics involved other than assuming the backhoe side is pretty heavy, so it wants to rock, like a boat.
We have New Holland backhoes, 2 675s an LB 95 and a 110. The 110, and the 95 had ride control. Someone stole the 95 last summer off a job site on a weekend, they sold the 110, and one 675. But bringing the weight ahead helps a lot. Just have be careful on a road with a lot of crown, cause she'll lean toward the direction of the boom, plus you have the bucket sticking out, not real far, but you just want to be aware of it.
Tire pressure and tire composition makes a huge difference as to when the bouncing starts.
Same thing with ag tractors on pavement. Wrong air pressure or composition and it can be a bouncing nightmare.
I'll check that too!
do you have any pictures of this in use? do I understand this correct, when trenching across a lawn you fill the trays then use them to backfill? edit: never mind I just read down farther and saw where you explain it.
I looked, but I'm a failure at taking pictures. The whole assembly involves a 275 gallon oval tank cut in half. Each corner of the cut edge gets a short chain welded to it, as does the bottom center at each end. To empty, set it beside the ditch, unhitch two of four chain hooks. lift slowly to dump. It won't all dump out, so I set it down & move the two hooks to the bottom chains. A 46" deep ditch is perhaps three feet wide at sod level. If I can limit my lawn repair & raking to a 3' wide strip, it saves a lot of raking, seeding, and mulching.
I got a bunch of lifting/rigger slings I bought at an auction. (Pretty heavy duty stuff) Most have the manufacturers weight/rating tag still attached. If you might be interested, send a PM