General purpase chain size

[NC419N]

Been using 5/16 C70 transport chains for years and years. Can't say that I have had any problems with it

 

[N80]

I have seen a single axle dump truck buried in mud pulled out with my 5/16 G70 chain with no issues. I've used the same chain to pull an unloaded 18 wheeler out of slick mud using an offroad fork lift and an unloaded two axle dump truck using a large 4wd JD ag tractor. The chain is still in perfect condition.

So I can see no reason for me to use a larger chain. For my applications all that would do is add to the amount of weight I'd have to lift and haul around. The 20' 5/16 is unwieldy as it is.

 

[AxleHub]

I have two 20 ft g70 5/16ths chains and two 30 foot 3 inch (not 2 inch) synthetic tow straps. The tow straps are very heavy duty but very light weight compared to chain. And I keep them all in the truck not on my tractor. . . Until I need them.

 

[N80]

Yes, I have found my 3" extraction strap more handy than the chains when the chips are down.

 

[oosik]

A friend gave me three 35 foot long lengths of 3/8" grade 80 chain- grab hook on one end, slip hook on the other end. It was rusty so it spent some time in my electric cement mixer with a couple buckets of coarse sand. Came out sparkling clean. If I had to purchase chain - I'd go 5/16" grade 70 - that's plenty strong enough. Butttttt - - who looks a gift horse in the mouth. The tractor does the lifting/carrying with the chain in the bucket when I need it somewhere.

And yes, grade 80 - 3/8" chain is really pretty heavy stuff. I also have a 3" X 20' nylon cargo strap that is used a lot too.

 

[tcreeley]

I have an old nylon tow strap I picked up years ago. Unless I know I need to use chain, I grab the tow strap. Light weight makes it easy to handle. Very handy and it does not chip paint surfaces!

 

[Gary Fowler]

I pulled a link in two on a 3/8" grade 70 chain trying to pull a stump. I had my LS P7010 in 4 WD and LL gear just easing forward when the link snapped. When the drive train unwound from the tension it also snapped my front wheel driveshaft. It sheared cleanly.

 

[Michael Aos]

Just bought 10' of 1/4" G70. Seems relatively lightweight and should be strong enough for anything I can do with the BX2370.

 

[newbury]

I have a BX2370. FEL, beet juice in the tires, wheel weights, and a ~450lb Land Pride GS1548 on a Land Pride QH05. Maybe 2000lbs all-up?

I originally purchased some 5/16" G70 chain. 4700lb WLL.

Then I found some 3/8" G70 for about the same price. 6600lb WLL.

I needed to remove some stumps, so I purchased some 10Mg (megagram = 10,000kg) pulleys and 16,000lb synthetic rope. Used chain to anchor the pulleys.

Stumbled upon a some 1/2" G70, so I snagged it. 11,300lb WLL.

Wound up needing needing some shackles for various projects, so I purchased 3/4" (4.75 ton WLL) and 7/8" (6.5 ton WLL) versions.

As an aside, my 2003 Tundra with a full 7000lb Load Trail 5x10 dump trailer is over 12,000lbs.

Finally getting to my question....

All this big stuff is heavy. Neither the FEL nor the 3pt on the BX can even lift 1000lbs.

I'm starting think maybe I should just drop to something like 1/4" G30 chain (WLL 1250lbs) for general day-to-day stuff.

It's kind of a pain having a bunch of different sizes.

Kind of curious if folks have settled / standardized on a particular size?

"Standards" don't work if you pull a lot of different things.

For fastening down the tractors to a trailer I use 5/16 G70 HF bought w/ 25% off coupon. Several different lengths cut so I don't have to use four 20 foot lengths.

I've about 40' of 3/8 grade 70 for an occasional heavy pull.

For dragging logs I use 20' lengths of 5/16 G70 HF, again bought w/ 25% off coupon. I often have to drag across asphalt so these get roughed up and cut up.

For pulling trees down I had been using a 1" manila rope, but it was about 60 years old and broke. But I bought about 500 feet of 1/2" climbing rope (about 10K rating for $75) which works well, but I wouldn't tow it across the ground and it's heavy.

And I just got this in today - 100' of HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) 3/8" winch line with a breaking strength of 18,000 lbs.

This will probably be my favorite for pulling things, it's very lightweight, perhaps half the weight of the climbing ropes. And I've a HF 12K winch I plan on using it with.

 

[jenkinsph]

Lowes Home Improvement sells a grade 70 5/16" chain 20 ft long with grab hooks each end for $36.98 today. I bought 4 of these back in 2005 to tie down my 110tlb for transporting. At that time these were $29.99 each. No problems in 12 years of use.