Transpotation Chain-Domestic or Import?

[BSVLY]

I am soon taking delivery on a 7X18 7,000Lb trailer to haul my CK30 HST with. Of course I don't want to loose it going down the road. So I did some reading here on TBN and learned a lot about securing loads to trailers. Thanks TBN community! I also know advise is worth what you pay for it-so I try to follow up on important issues before making a purchase etc.

Some posters contend: "Buy USA Made Chain". Others say "If it is rated at Grade 70, then it doesn't matter where it is made-even China". Also-chain size is debated and I personally feel the 3/8" chain is called for on a 5,000 LB load.

I poured over the links to various stores and then searched Google until it Puked. Still was a bit uncertain on what to use and where to buy it.

So today I called a professional rigging company in Los Angeles. Cable Moore. I learned about a big difference between the Domestic and Import chains. It is the Chromate coating. Chromate(USA) VS dichromate. Cable Moore has run some humidity exposure tests on the two types. Results indicate that the Import chain will begin to rust pretty durned quiclky and that the USA made chain does not rust. Apparently the import dichromate coating is thicker too and of coarse, a slightly different grade of chromate coating. Cable More is happy to sell you either type; in any size & length. Your choice- and the price difference is 30% higher for domestic.

Before you run off to find their website-they are not set up like that. Instead, the owner runs the company off of a roledex and taking hand written orders off the phone; as well as walk in orders. Says if the big one hits LA-he'll be the one still able to provide disaster rigging; while the on-line stores will be dead in the water..:laughing: I suppose he is right. Drives his young employees nuts!:confused2:

Anyway-I'll be using Domestic Chain 3/8" Grade 70 , maybe even Import Hooks-at all four corners of my rig, 2 each 3 Inch Wide ratchet straps for lashing down both the FEL and BH, and then some sort of ratcheting load binders (4)-probably Durabilt (which are import from what I can tell), or some other yet to be determined domestic load binders. I am getting a quote from Cable Moore (have to wait a few days to have it written up) and will compare that to Gemplers online and their $35/year shipping program.

What I do know: Harbor and Lowe's are not going to be making any chain sales to me... at least not for chains to bind the tractor to the trailer.

 

[gauthier]

How can you tell it made in america?

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I found when overloading my chain add on extension on FEL palet forks the imported hooks on a very cheap imported 5/16" chain was what spread and let the chain fail so am going to try again with new add on hooks.

 

[BSVLY]

How can you tell it made in america?

If you buy online-most sites will list the source . Lowe's does, Harbor does, Gempler's does, all the truck/tow sites do. If I can't tell, then I ask. You can call or e mail the customer service for the company.

 

[Skyco]

I think he meant how can you tell looking at the chain.
The seller can tell you anything....

Not to be a smart*** but if you are in the desert southwest, is rust an issue?:laughing:

 

[Diamondpilot]

We have had great luck with both the HF and Lowes chains.

Chris

 

[lostcause]

i've got a trailer i made years ago that i consider to have a capacity slightly under 4 tons, and i use it to haul around 4000lbs (jd770/70 loader/woods 7500 backhoe). i've always used 5/16 grade 70 chain and i'm pretty sure it's strong enough to handle any load that your trailer is rated for (when using two chains). biggest thing is that to me 3/8 chain is incredibly more bulky to work with and i have no need for the extra load capacity.

sorry for being off-track on that. the chains i have are cm and about 10 years old. i'm guessing they are american made, but i'm not positive. i've looked at the same place where i got mine, and the ones they carry now are foreign made, but i believe there is an american company name on the barrels. i'd probably be content with that, especially if it's a known name. they'd have too much to lose by marketing something that is total crap. to be honest, i can't say that i've ever seen chain that looked like total crap. more than likely anything that involves heavy weight and safety is probably looked at somewhat carefully, even when being produced in the cheapest locations possible.

 

[BSVLY]

I think he meant how can you tell looking at the chain.
The seller can tell you anything....

Not to be a smart*** but if you are in the desert southwest, is rust an issue?:laughing:

I don't know how to tell by looking..maybe look for the rust spots? My guy says the import stuff is rusty right in the barrel kept indoors a few months .

As to rust in the SW-Well my place is at 5000 feet and it gets down to -13F and we do get 1/2 dozen snow storms a year-so it can get sloppy. But generally you are correct- there is low humidity in the deserts.

 

[BSVLY]

We have had great luck with both the HF and Lowes chains.

Chris

I do not doubt that. With Lowes it appears that they only sell American Made 5/16" chain and I want to go with 3/8"..so not a source for that there. If they did-I'd buy the 20 footers and cut them down and add hooks to shave the cost like yoiu suggest.

HF seems to sell 3/8 in grade 43 or the like-and that is not what I am after. Therefore the comment.

 

[BSVLY]

biggest thing is that to me 3/8 chain is incredibly more bulky to work with and i have no need for the extra load capacity.

And I thought about that too. heck I even figured that if I dropped down to 5/16" grade 80 I'd have the best of both going-extra strong and small chain. The rigger talked me out of that approach..but I still may look into it. Hopefully with lengths cut short enough and good ratcheting binders-there will be a way to deal with the 3/8" chain's bulk?

The biggest issue I have using 5/16" chain is the shock loading if there is an incident. The forces multiply fast at a few G's. One poster on TBN citing a DOT guideline & posted that when binding seperately from all four corners-you have to de-rate the chain strength by 1/2. If you tie through the tractor side to side with one chain, then you can figure full rated strength on the chain. Most experienced haulers, according to what I have read here, tie-down seperately from all four corners using four load binders; then use straps for the implements. If I did that too on the 5,000 LB tractor, I think 5/16" chain grade 70 would be cutting it close. Especially if slack developed and there were sudden stops etc.

i can't say that i've ever seen chain that looked like total crap. more than likely anything that involves heavy weight and safety is probably looked at somewhat carefully, even when being produced in the cheapest locations possible.

Me either. And you are right- To be categorized as grade 70-there is some sort of certification testing done so that any grade 70 chain meets minimum strength standards. It is the coating at issue and the ONLY difference according to my rigger contract. So will a little rust on a chain make it unsafe? Probably not.

Would some shoddy manufacturer in CHINA falsify the grade 70 testing or counterfiet the Grade 70 labeling just to make a fast buck? Well it happens all of the time and this includes phony grade 8 bolts etc. Heck they have sold melamine-poisoned milk to their own babies to cut costs. Do I trust China to monitor their manufacturing sector? No. Do I buy China-made goods sometimes? Yes.

Do I want to by expensive chain that will start to rust if I pile it in a trailer box? No.