Length of chain

[gordon]

The square link chain is like anything else that is costly per foot. You are sort of scared to spend that much but once you do you kick yourself for not doing it sooner!!!

The chain is a much better idea than the strap no doubt, alot tougher and you don't have to worry about snagging the strap when loading or when you have to push forward while you load.
Gordon

 

[MChalkley]

Gordon - And this sort of thing is the perfect application for those gift chains of questionable pedigree. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

 

[Billc]

Steve,

I've seen the straps with the big ratchets. I use those when holding loads in the bed of my pick up. I don't want chains scratching my bed...any more than it's already been scratched and dented. I like the chains for holding the tractor in place mainly 'cause I use the chains alot when working with the tractor.

Thanks for the info.

Bill Cook

 

[Billc]

McCallum,

I know what you mean about how we use different words down South.

A few years back a girl I had met need a good auto mechanic. She had just moved to the Atlanta area from Connecticut. This is back when Atlanta was still considered a Southern city and not a holding area for rude people from the northeast....you know, the same people who elected Hillary as their Senator! I'm still cracking up over this one. I was hoping New Yorkers would vote her in, but never thought they'd be stupid enough to do it. I consider this pay back for the Yankees beating the Braves in the World Series so many times. Now I can say, "Yep, your baseball team is better than ours...but y'all voted in Hillary!!!!! What can they say to that??? Their only come-back will probably be a "Your Mama" joke.

Back to the point. Anyway Robin and I go to a mechanic I know. The mechanic is looking under the hood, Robin is sitting in the driver's seat, and I'm standing at the front left fender. Robin is talking, the mechanic leans over and tells Robin "We'll need to crank the car up." Robin says, "O.k.", and keeps on talking. She gets done with her story, the mechanic leans over again and says, "Ma'am, we'll need to crank the car up." Robin says, "O.k." and just sits there. The mechanic looks at me, I look at Robin, and then I get it. I crack up laughing. Both looked at me like I was crazy. I finally looked at Robin and said, "He wants you to START your car Robin". She had thought he needed to put the car on the lift.

 

[Billc]

MarkC,

Might you just have had an idea for a new and better Binder? Will we soon see your tractor pulling your cup, pulling your binder?

Thanks for the info.

Bill Cook<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Billc on 11/16/00 07:54 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Billc]

ClayG,

Great sight, thanks.

Bill Cook

 

[TomG]

In Ontario the old style binders have to be tied down. If caught, transport drivers pay a $185 fine for each binder not secured. That seems like a pretty good idea. Grab hooks with bales across the mouths also are required for trailer safety chains.

Most people who've used the old style know they can be dangerous. The trucker who just brought my tractor said that his brother-in-law had one break his jaw and require a bunch of dental reconstructive surgery. He had cinched down one using a length of pipe on the handle for extra leverage. He had almost taken the pipe off the handle when the handle broke loose, which spun the pipe into his face. I've got two old style ones, and I'm looking to be more modern.

 

[Richard]

Well, the indecision was driving me nuts, so I just called up and ordered 25 feet of the blue, square link Gr.100 chain with choker hook on one end and grab hook on another. I figure, if it's too long, I'll have it cut down 5 feet or so and have TWO. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Does anyone know if it's a PRETTY blue?? I don't want it to clash with my green grass, brown dirt and yellow Brutus /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[uppermich]

ClayG thanks for the McMaster reminder. Brought back lots of memories as my dad always had a catalog around.

Another great site for lots of neat stuff is http://www.grainger.com


Pat (Techno-Tractor Mom)

 

[gerard]

Maybe I can explain it better. There's a lot of discussion of the merits of slip hooks vs grab hooks. It seems like many people have separate lengths of chain, some that end in a grab hook and some that end with a slip hook. I use a single length of chain and put BOTH a slip hook and a grab hook on one end. I put a grab hook through the very last link. Then I put a slip hook a few links back from that (in the same chain) That way depending on what I'm doing, I have both a slip hook AND a grab hook on the same chain. The "threaded link" I was talking about is in case there isn't enough room between the links to put the hook through. I think they're called "removable links" or something like that. It's basically a single chain link of the same size as the chain you're using but it has a break in the middle where it unscrews. It can be used to link two lengths of chain, attach a hook to etc. (I really have to get a digital camera. Could have done all this with a single picture instead of making it as clear as mud). The main thing is having both the grab hook ADN a slip hook on the same chain. Cuts down on the amount of chain you have to cart around.

 

[MChalkley]

Richard - I'd call it a cross between a sky blue and a medium blue. Not quite a pastel, but a very pretty blue, in a masculine sort of way. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

 

[Bird]

OK, Gerard, now I understand. I always called those "master links"; but don't know where I got that from. I was in Tractor Supply this morning, but never thought about seeing what they call them.

Incidentally, there has been talk about the Chinese hooks, and I picked up and looked at a lot of hooks in Tractor Supply today, and every one I found said "USA" on it. And I found G30, G43, and G70 hooks, and all tagged with the load capacity in pounds.

This new Tractor Supply Co. store in our area is even better than the two I've used in the past; chock full of stuff I'd like to have. But as usual, they had everything except what I was looking for today./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[gordon]

Just get it good and muddied up and chain is all the same color!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Boy Mark that was quite a color description. Just glad you put in the last part of that description I was begining to wonder!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Gordon

 

[gordon]

Bird thats why I hate to go shopping a hardware store can have 500,000 items in stock and bet you'll never guess what number item it seems that I always need. Number 500,001 or there will be bins full of every pipe fitting known to man except the one that I need. But sometimes my luck is good and I fill my entire shopping list. Seems those times are rare./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Northern sells a load binder that is a ratchet type with a spring.

Ken

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Misc thoughts:

The ratchet binders combined with a spring would be nice for chaining down loads w/o some give (ie a bulldozer or load of pipe), but they would increase the work required to tighten on a load such as a tracter with air filled tires. it also might eat up some of the play latter needed for tightening as you go down the road. The springs are sold by themselves

Another idea is to air down the tires (assuming they are not foam or water filled), chain it down, and then inflate the tires. If the tow vehicle already has air brakes or a compressor, it's not much effort.

AW Direct sells a fairly expensive (~$20) grab hook that includes a pin thet will keep the chain from falling out of the jaw of the hook. I wouldn't buy them for all my chains, but it does come in handy now and then. the hook is Grade 80 and the pin is replaceable and almost indestructable. They also have high end Johnson snatch blocks with HD latches.

BTW, Grade 43, is not the low end of chain. Chain is available much weaker than that, especially in 1/4" sizes. I wouldn't use less than Grade 43 for any significant load. Grade 70 is stronger, but more expensive for the same weight. it is generally cheaper to buy a bigger chain than a better grade if strength is the only concern.

Too keep from loosing a chain, you can paint it with daygo paint- it won't be pretty, but you can find it and won't be as likely to trip over it. Leave the hooks unpainted (or paint a different color) to make it easier to grab the end. The paint want last for long if the chain drags the ground a lot, unless the sam end is always hooked to the tractor. Good treatment for tools in the tractor tool box also.

Pat