Logging Chains

[dboyd351]

A few years ago a local scrapyard was selling off brand new 1/4" surplus military anodized binding chains at scrap value by the pound. They had funky hooks meant to fit over round 1" rails. So I bought 8 twenty foot chains for something like $6-8 each, ordered transport hooks off Amazon and ended up with 20 foot chains for under $10 each!

Never know when or where a deal is going to turn up.

 

[user 122190]

What is WLL for real. I used the chains yesterday. We had to winch and drag trees on to the road that were separated by a deep and wide ditch. Buddy has a 12K winch on his trucks bumper and several attempts the winch would not move the logs.

12K pounds of force acting on a chain with a WLL of 6600 pounds. Almost 2 times the WLL and the chains are fine. Hows that possible?

 

[OM617YOTA]

What is WLL for real. I used the chains yesterday. We had to winch and drag trees on to the road that were separated by a deep and wide ditch. Buddy has a 12K winch on his trucks bumper and several attempts the winch would not move the logs.

12K pounds of force acting on a chain with a WLL of 6600 pounds. Almost 2 times the WLL and the chains are fine. Hows that possible?

WLL should be 1/3rd of breaking limit, or even smaller, depending on application.

Also, a 12k lb winch will only pull 12k lbs on the first wrap of the winch drum. To get that, you need 60+ feet of winch line out before you get there. If you were pulling 20ft from the truck, you might only be at 5k lbs.

Edit: Found this

 

[user 122190]

WLL should be 1/3rd of breaking limit, or even smaller, depending on application.

Also, a 12k lb winch will only pull 12k lbs on the first wrap of the winch drum. To get that, you need 60+ feet of winch line out before you get there. If you were pulling 20ft from the truck, you might only be at 5k lbs.

Thanks. Makes sense about the first wrap.

 

[Overlooker]

I like the milk crates, need something like that for my chains and wedges. Right now it's all just piled on the floor next to my steel and lumber rack, kind of a pain.

Today I needed 16 weights to secure the legs on 10x10ft canopies for an outdoor church function. That made it the perfect time for me to show how I store my various chains:



White vinegar jugs are my favorite. They are fairly strong and hold up better than something like a milk jug. If I'm on the ball, I hang the hooks over the edge of the jug, so I know at a glance what chain or chains are in the jug. It works for me. O

 

[northmanlogging]

What is WLL for real. I used the chains yesterday. We had to winch and drag trees on to the road that were separated by a deep and wide ditch. Buddy has a 12K winch on his trucks bumper and several attempts the winch would not move the logs.

12K pounds of force acting on a chain with a WLL of 6600 pounds. Almost 2 times the WLL and the chains are fine. Hows that possible?

wll as explained earlier 1/3 of AVERAGE breaking strength, for steel and metal rigging.
Fiberous rigging is something like 1/10 of breaking strength, hence truth in advertising

Electric winches and their ratings are largely to be taken with a grain of salt, and max pull is with the first layer, and it rapidly decreases from there, to sometimes less then 1/2 of rated strength.

Now I have used 5/16 grade 70 chains to lift some insane loads but its not something I would recomend (6500# rating lifting 14000# with just the one chain on a spread... chain is still in good shape, no elongation or broken links, that said as i stated earlier I've snapped similar "rated" chains pulling far less weight so... be careful?)

 

[pdqdl]

Expensive. $5.44/foot (no hooks), vs. Amazon at $2.50/foot. And Amazon is free shipping

Harbor Freight.
https://www.harborfreight.com/mater...in-x-20-ft-grade-70-truckers-chain-60667.html
Oddly enough, they don't list a 3/8ths chain in G-70.

https://www.harborfreight.com/mater...in-x-20-ft-grade-70-truckers-chain-63236.html
Some of their stuff is good; I've not broken any of the chains yet. That yellow-chromate finish doesn't last long, that's for sure.
Some of their stuff is pure junk, too.

 

[Mad Professor]

I will say that I like having the grab hook on one end and the slider on the other.

I've added a choker so on one of my chains it has both, one one end.

 

[JohntheTrucker]

i would recommend using the heavy duty chains like G70, G80 and G100, i think these are the best i have using them for over 5 years now and still working.

https://www.myteeproducts.com/general-cargo-control/g70-chains-binders/g70-transport-chains.html

https://www.myteeproducts.com/general-cargo-control/g70-chains-binders/g80-g100-g120-chains.html

 

[ZeroJunk]

There was an industrial supply business closing across from where I worked back in the 80's. I bought about 3/4 of a barrel of 3/8 proof coil and like dummy let them set it on the back of my 79 Chevy LUV.

Front almost came off the ground. My BIL cut it in 20 foot lengths and put ends on it and sold it all in a couple of weeks.
I still have about a 30 foot piece of it. If I use it I have to drag it, can't pick it up.

I have two 20 foot pieces of 5/16 transport grade I keep on my tractor. Break a hook every now and then, but tough chain.

 

[davidwyby]

Try choker cables

You’ll love them, almost never use chain any more. If you do, 1/4” grade 80/100 is real nice…