Choosing the Right Chains for Lifting and Transport

Choosing the Right Chains for Lifting and Transport Atlantic Coastal Equipment

When you’re moving heavy equipment, tools, supplies, or other materials from one jobsite to the next, it’s important to use appropriate transport chains to secure your load. A chain’s capacity depends on the material it’s made from and the amount of stress it can withstand before breaking. To help you select the best option for your particular situation, we’ve put together a guide that outlines that different chain grades and their proper applications.

What are chain grades?

Chain grades tell you the ultimate tensile strength or breaking strength of particular types of transport or heavy duty chains. The common chain grades used today are G30, G43, G70, G80, and G100. The numbers in each grade are newtons per square millimeter and one tenth of the actual mathematical grades. For example, G70 grade chains have a breaking strength of 700 N/mm2 (newtons per square millimeter).

• Grade 30 - This type of chain is a made from low strength carbon steel and is your best general purpose option. It is typically used for securing loads in the agricultural, logging, and light construction industries.
• Grade 43 - Made from stronger carbon steel than grade 30 chains, grade 43 chains are perfect for towing, logging, securing containers, and marine applications.
• Grade 70 - Grade 70 chains are generally around 20% stronger than grade 43 chains. They are made from heat treated carbon steel that provides strength and durability. They are usually the transport chains of choice for trucking and trailer tie downs, and heavy loads and towing.
• Grade 80 - Grade 80 chains are created using an alloy steel mixture that makes them extremely strong and suitable for overhead lifting. They can also be used for heavy duty towing, rigging, and tie downs.
• Grade 100 - With about 25% more strength than grade 80 chains, grade 100 are heavy duty chains that are primarily employed as a sling component for extremely heavy overhead lifting. They are also used for your heaviest rigging, towing, and construction applications.

What is the working load limit of your chains?

Just as important as understanding your chain grades is recognizing your chain’s working load limit. Working load limit is normally given in pounds and refers to the maximum amount of tension that can be applied to an undamaged chain. This limit varies within each chain grade, depending on the diameter and shape of your chain.
When determining the right chains for transporting or lifting equipment and materials, it’s critical to ensure that the working load limit is adequate to support the weight of the load plus any additional forces imposed by angles or hitch types. Usage, wear, twists, overloading, corrosion, alteration, and misuse all can negatively impact the working load limit of any chain. We recommend inspecting your chains before each use to make sure it is not damaged in any way.

Working load limits of different lifting and transport chain grades

Look at this chart when choosing the best chain for your load: