Transpotation Chain-Domestic or Import?

[clemsonfor]

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.

I think the same about straps and chains, but just a few things i noticed. First does minor surface rust really change the ability to hold loads by that many lbs to make a difference. I run loggers for various places and i have rarely see them use shiny gold Chromate or whatever chains on anything. They have these black steel chains usually so oily from fluid/deisel you better have gloves on to touch them or so dry from just laying on the lowboy bed. These are guys that consistantly haul 20 ton tractors and cutters and D4-6 dozers, never hear them talking about busted chains. If your worried about this just keep a 5 gallon bucket with a top and pour thick oil on them and store them in this bucket, no way to rust then.

The other thing is why buy a USA made chain and buy China made hooks? Your only as strong as your weakes point and if your worried about the grd70 chain whay are you not woried about the grd 70 hooks?

Just curious. I personally use 10,000 straps and only have a 1800lb tractor, so i dont worry to much about chains.

 

[BSVLY]

First does minor surface rust really change the ability to hold loads by that many lbs to make a difference.

I don't think minor surface rust is going to ruin the chain. Now if it were poorly welded and the rust got inside some weld joint-it only takes one weak link to part a chain under load. But I'm not that worried about a little rust really.

The other thing is why buy a USA made chain and buy China made hooks? Your only as strong as your weakes point and if your worried about the grd70 chain whay are you not worried about the grad 70 hooks?Just curious.....

Well if I went the route of buying the USA made Grade 70 5/16" chains with hooks at Lowe's, and had them cut in half-to buy more hooks there you can only buy the G43 hooks..and I think they are import.

What I have decided to do is buy 4 domestic 3/8" Grade 70, 10 foot chain with grade 70 Grabe hooks on one end & Grade 70 Slip Hooks (for the D Rings on the Trailer. These I am picking up Local from Cable Moore.

I found a place to buy 3" ratchet straps pretty cheaply on-line. What I have not decided on yet is which brand of ratchet binder to get. Durabuilt import are getting recommended and I found USA made ones for around the same price.

 

[Ken45101]

Another place to look locally is a big tractor dealer. The local JD dealer (who deals mostly in BIG farm equipment) has the 3/8 chains in stock. I think the prices were competitive.

I've bought oneline from one of the towing equipment companies. Good service but I don't recall who it was.

I'm not really worried about rust. I store mine in a covered box. Yes, they all rust sooner or later, it's the nature of the beast the way the links bang and rub each other.

Ken

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have some suggestions for ratchet straps having hauled a good many piece of dressed lumber and pole barn "tin".

Absolutely, do not pull a strap tight over a sharp corner. Even if it is just a piece of rubber, put something between the strap and that edge. The ratchets are going to rust period. Rather than oil, I buy graphite spray lube. Goes on wet like paint but dries and will last quite some time.

As for binders, I have never liked the ratcheting style. I prefer the old school cantilevered type. Snug them with a short piece of pipe and give em' a whack to "seat" them and get on down the road.

 

[BSVLY]

I have some suggestions for ratchet straps having hauled a good many piece of dressed lumber and pole barn "tin".

Absolutely, do not pull a strap tight over a sharp corner. Even if it is just a piece of rubber, put something between the strap and that edge. The ratchets are going to rust period. Rather than oil, I buy graphite spray lube. Goes on wet like paint but dries and will last quite some time.

As for binders, I have never liked the ratcheting style. I prefer the old school cantilevered type. Snug them with a short piece of pipe and give em' a whack to "seat" them and get on down the road.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[CurlyDave]

I have chains both from HF and Lowes. I store them outside, lying on a piece of OSB between the two doors to my garage. They are covered, but still get pretty wet in winter. So far no rust problems in 4 years.

Now when a guy says that import chain will rust in the barrel and I have pieces of import chain lying around outside that have not rusted in 4 years, I won't disagree with him, but I won't buy anything from him either.

 

[doall]

I think Curly Dave is right. I have several chains from both foreign and domestic makers. It seems like my domestic chains rust way more that the imports. But my US made chains for some reason just seem or feel higher quality. A cheap Pakistan or China pocket knife won't rust, a good Case or Hen&Rooster will if not taken care of. But sharpen the cheap ones!

 

[crazyal]

I bought my four 3/8" grade 70 chain from a local rental company. They cut it to the size you want and they have the chain in the shipping container so you know who makes it and were it's made. I went with US made hooks and chain 20' long. I use shackles on all four corners so I can make a loop with each chain to double it up when I transport my 580k. I even use American made binders.

I do have several 5/16 70 chain from TSC that came with clevis hooks made in china. I use them for logging, pulling a drag on the driveway and to tie down the bucket to keep it from swinging while transporting. Maybe it's overkill, maybe not. But for the extra few hundred I feel more safe.

 

[some zilch]

i have about 20 16' 3/8" chains, and 8 16' 1/2" chains on my lowboy. they are stored in the chain wells, out in the weather, and every single one of them is rusty. it clearly does not effect their strength, and the DOT has never mentioned it as a concern. i cannot imagine being concerned with "weathered" chains.

 

[clemsonfor]

What Ziltch said is what i see on the low boys. Many of them have stopped up or partially stopped up drains in the chain wells, there oily from fluid many times and sit wet for days after a rain with all the mud and bark i see in them from the logging equiptment. If i used chains id have a bucket in my shop or shed that i put the chains in and spray lubed them after use with like PB blaseter or just poured some cheap oil or even used oil over them if i was at all worried about rust.