Have You Ever Seen a Chain Shortener?

[mars1952]

I picked up this Chain Shortener at a garage sale a long time ago. I didn’t know what it was when I bought it. I thought that it just an end hook that you didn’t have to pin on. One day I was helping my neighbor move a section of wood deck that he was turning into a floating dock and my chain was just too long. There didn’t seem to be a way to wrap the chain to take up the slack. I looked at the problem and a light turned on in my brain and I remembered that chain gizmo that I bought years ago and I realized that it was a chain shortener. Anyway I used it that day and many times since. I liked it so well that I made some more Home Made Chain Shorteners using grade 70 chains and hooks.
The store bought chain shortener only works with integrated hooks. Pin on hooks are too fat to fit the through the eye. The home made shortener is more convienent to use and will work with any chain.
Good Luck, Marshall

 

[JerryG]

I have never seen a fancy store bought one like that. I have made and used my own for years. I put three chain links on mine. Everyone that hauls equipment should have a few of those on hand.

 

[Egon]

The purchased hook is made to be put on the bare chain and the hooks added. This way it will not fall off.

Most times I'm looking for a chain strecher!

 

[tommu56]

I have 2 chains set up just for this.
A grab hook large ring another grab hook and then the chain then the other hook

tommu56

 

[TonyS]

I had never seen that - thanks for the info - off to make some now

 

[texasjohn]

Hmm... I thought of load binders.

 

[schmism]

ya ive never needed them because i use seperate load binders. but it looks like your pic the chain is directly attached to the end of a load binder so you need something like that as opposed to a stand alone binder...

 

[milkman]

There's been a thread here before about them so here's one I made. Folds up to fit in tool box.

 

[workinallthetime]

good idea i forgot about those, i had some from a old body shop frame puller. where do you get grade 70 chain and how much is it? i swear everytime i am at a store that sells 5/16's hooks i buy 2 of them,lol

 

[mars1952]

good idea i forgot about those, i had some from a old body shop frame puller. where do you get grade 70 chain and how much is it? i swear everytime i am at a store that sells 5/16's hooks i buy 2 of them,lol

I bought 20 feet of 3/8" grade 70 chain with removable hooks for about $60.00 at a local trailer store called Jim Campen Trailers in Fletcher NC. Around here they call it transport chain. It is the same type of chain they use on big flat bed trucks. For the chain shortener I bought 3/8" grade 70 chain at Northern Tool and made them cut it. The hooks I got at home Depot on clearance. I guess that grade 70 hooks were too fancy for the regular Home Depot customers. I always by grade 70 or better chain now. That way I never have to worry about the quality of any chain that I pick-up to use. I don't have to remember if it is good chain or cheap chain.
Good Luck, Marshall