Proper way to connect chain

[Watercarving]

Am going to be a new tractor on Thursday. I've heard of using the drawbar and the bucket hooks with a chain. Is there a diagram or photo on how to do this correctly?

I'll have a Kubota B2920. What size chain would be appropriate without being overkill?

Thanks!

 

[k0ua]

Grade 70 5/16 chain is big enough for anything you would want to do with your tractor and have a good safety margin. Get a cleavis for your fixed drawbar and hook to that. I have a slip hook end on the chain with a spring loaded retainer so that I can easily snap onto the cleavis. the other end of the chain is a grab hook to easily grab another chains links. The hooks on the bucket are grab hooks welded on, and just drape chain links into them. a picture would be worth a thousand words, I know, but it is raining outside

James K0UA

 

[Short Game]

I like a big slide hook, centered on the top of the bucket, and grab hooks on the top corners. If you want to pull from the center, you can just flip the chain over the slide hook and drop it into one of the grab hooks. If the chain doesn't have enough slack to reach the grab hooks, then just hook back to the chain. I love this system.

This is a picture from when I was building my bucket forks. I used the same configuration as I have on my buckets.

These pics were to show my bucket receiver hitches, but they also show the slide hooks.

 

[Baby Grand]

A clevis with a grab link on your drawbar will allow you to grab just the right length of chain quickly and safely:

 

[Jerry/MT]

A clevis with a grab link on your drawbar will allow you to grab just the right length of chain quickly and safely:

View attachment 243361

I've never see one of those before. I'll have to get one! Thanks for posting the picture.

 

[Watercarving]

I'm not the handiest guy in the world. What's a grab link and how does it work?

 

[George2615]

I'm not the handiest guy in the world. What's a grab link and how does it work?

See babygrands pic. The chain goes through the large hole then slides down into the slotted area of the grab link grabbing the chain by a link of it.
Same would be true of a grab hook. the hook is built in a way that it grabs a link of the chain you put in it.
I've attached a pic of grab hooks I have mounted to the top of my fork frame.

 

[Watercarving]

Do I size it to my chain or is it one size fits all?

 

[George2615]

Do I size it to my chain or is it one size fits all?

Usually a grab hook or link will grab 5/16" or 3/8" chain. My grab hooks are listed as 3/8" but they hold 5/16" just as well.

 

[k0ua]

I know a 5/16 grab hook will work for 5/16 and 1/4, inch chain and I think 3/8 will fit in it as well, but not 100% sure.

James K0UA

 

[Short Game]

I use 3/8" grab hooks on my stuff, even though most of my chains are 5/16". No problem there. I go for larger on my slide hooks.

 

[easygo]

I have 3/8 grab hooks too. They hold 5/16 and 1/4 chain no problem. I went with the larger hooks so on lighter but bulky loads I can hook/tie a decent size rope into those hooks and keep stuff in the loader.

 

[roman]

Same setup as Short Game, grab hooks on ends amd slip hook in center. It's a very versatile setup but I imagine any hook is better than without!

I have four 3/8 chains but usually use my one 5/16. It is much easier to handle.

I like the drawbar clevis setup by Babygrand. Excellent idea...I will copy that one.

 

[fenix]

I also have the same setup as Short Game and it works well.
A few times of trying to wrap the chain around the bucket to
get the right length will convince anyone of the need for bucket
hooks. I love the chain saddles, I have three, one old one and
two newer ones. They are really nice when trying to adjust a
chain with cold muddy hands. I carry one on the tractor the same
way Baby Grand does.

 

[Short Game]

I like the drawbar clevis setup by Babygrand. Excellent idea...I will copy that one.

Same here, though most of my pulling is from a wrap around the trailer ball on my box blade to a grab hook at the top corners of that. I may add more hooks there too.

P.S., I love my chain box too. You can put a lot of chain in a small box.

 

[BethesdaEC]

Get yourself on of these from tractor supply. It is a draw bar grab hook.

Drawbar Hook - 0268080 | Tractor Supply Company

 

[Watercarving]

Will any size chain fit on these?

Also, where do you keep your leftover chain length so it doesn't drag?

 

[BethesdaEC]

Will any size chain fit on these?

Also, where do you keep your leftover chain length so it doesn't drag?

I use 3/8 inch grade 43 chain but a 3/8 grab hook will work with 1/4 inch chain no problem. I just let the excess chain drag on the ground, it won't hurt the chain.

I keep two 20' lengths of chain in a 40mm ammo box on the top of my ballast box. I have found it is always handy to have chain at the ready when working in the woods. I also have some of Ken's bolt on grab hooks on my bucket and my Artillian pallet forks even have some grab slots which are really handy too.

I have another 40' of chain I can also bring down into the woods if I want to pull down a hung tree from a safe distance.

 

[KennK]

I went to my local Ace Hardware to get chain and hooks because I wasn't sure what I was doing. Based upon their advice, for each chain I bought two different types of hooks.

The hardware is shown nicely at this web site:
Chain Hardware Wire Rope & Hardware Distributors Elite Sales

As mentioned above, I put a "screw pin anchor shackle" on my draw bar - it makes a nice connection point for pulling. I don't have hooks on my FEL, but hooking a wide-opening chain hook onto the lip of my FEL seems to do OK for my needs. The first time you lift with the FEL and find your underweighted rear rear rend come up (pivoting on the front axle) you'll be kind of surprised. THAT is why you want to have adequate rear weight, AND do all lifting slowly, so you don't get into trouble. Also, make sure you don't try to do running jerks with the chain - or else you're likely to damage something.

I put a "clevis slip hook" on one end of the chain. This hook has a larger opening that will hook around the clevis pin, the lip of my FEL, and other objects.

On the other end of the chain I put a "clevis grab hook". This hook has a smaller slot-shaped that is designed to slip securely over a link of the chain - creating a chain loop. Its important that the grab hook size is matched to the size of the chain, so you get a nice connection. I've found it works well to have two shorter chains (so I can hook both chains on an odd-shaped object - such as a rear blade and lift it with a FEL), and a single longer chain (for pulling SMALL stumps and such ... larger stumps need to be dug out first ... at least for me).

Having a different type of hook on each end gives nice flexibility.

 

[Zebrafive]

If the torque tube of your loader is open on each end you can slide a chain thru it and chain the loader down that way.