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Safety chain rating


harriw

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Got a question regarding safety chains. The local stores all carry Reese, and "5000 lbs tow chain" is plastered all over their boxes (their class III rated chains). That's that the chain is rated as a safety chain for a 5000 pound trailer, right? Not that the chain has a working load of 5000 pounds?

Reason I ask is that for years I've been using standard lowes/homedepot bulk chain as a safety chain for my boat trailer. I just went to get a new quick-link for it today, and noticed the working load of the 5/16" welded link chain and the 5/16" quick-link is only 1760 lbs. But the stuff in the Reese box that's labeled "5000 lbs" appears to be the same run-of-the-mill 5/16" welded-link chain...

I've always thought I was practicing extreme overkill with this 5/16" chain - this trailer is for a HobieCat (catamaran sailboat) - we're talking a GVWR of 500 lbs. And this is much, MUCH heavier stuff than the original safety chain that rusted away a few years back.

Thanks.

-Bill
 


Roadkill

Roadkill

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Ford
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Well,

1. The WL (Weight loading) of any cargo securement item is different from its breaking strength.
Your 5/16" chain, now you didn't state the grade of chain, should be fine for a 500# load.

2. As an example, we used 3/8" grade 70 chain with our flatbeds. Good for something like 5600# WL. Breaking strength was about 18,000# or so. If we used grade 30 then we would only have a WL of 4500# or so. Doesn't seem like much until you are trying to secure 47,000# of steel.

Just remember, you can have 1/2" grade 70 chain held on by a 5/16" link. It is only rated to handle the WL of the 5/16" link. The weakest part of the whole thing is the ONLY one that matters if you get pulled over and inspected.

I prefer to get my own chain when I can. Then I have more control over what I am really getting.
 
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