What's a good length for front end loader chains.

[Baby Grand]

I don't recall ever needing a 100' chain. I think that's when I would probably reach for a hank of heavy polyester double weave rope or get some wire rope. I'd say go ahead and cut that chain into useful lengths as others have suggested. You can't "cut it longer", but you can piece it back together if you find you need a single, long piece.

Either hook & tape it together, as RickB described, or next time you're at the hardware store, pick up 2 or 3 of these:

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-Jim

 

[roman]

I agree with Roy, RickB and Baby Grand but I wouldn't use Baby Grands first choice. It probably would be fine for light work but chains aren't really meant for light work!
His second and third links are good choices but nothing beats the ease of having hooks. Hooking up links takes time and they are meant for a more permanent set up.
Most of my chain set ups have a grab hook on one end and a slip hook on the other. My favorite slip hook is a choker chain hook. Once you slip ypou chain through it you don't need worry it may fall out.
I have 3 fourteen footers all 3/8", but the one I use most is a eight footer in 5/16" with a grab hook and a choker chain hook.

 

[kebo]

I have grab hooks on each side of the bucket and have found that keeping a short 5ft chain without hooks on it is very handy. Reason is I don't have a grab hook in the very middle of the bucket, but with this 5ft chain, I can attach it to the hooks on each side of the bucket. I then I have a place in the middle to hook the longer chain (with a hook of course) that I really want to attach to the bucket to do work with. This spreads the load to the sides of the bucket where it's the strongest, rather than having a single pull point in the very middle. Works for me, but your mileage may vary. There are MANY ways to hook up chains with all the various links and hooks you can buy (as shown in a previous post) and really none of them are wrong, as long as you observe the load limits and use common sense.

 

[ford528n]

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to answer my question. I appreciate it very much. My 100 feet of chain turns out to be 11mm (approx. 7/16") galvanized windlass anchor chain. It's very very strong. The working load limit is 7200 lbs. Looks like it's way to big for "Ken's Bolt on Grab Hooks" which I was going to put on the front end loader of my J.D. 2520. I'll probably use the chain for pulling and get some 5/16" chain to use with the front end loader. Thanks again.