Industrial chains are the most used for overhead lifting, towing and tying downs applications, because they are extremely strong, super durable and flexible, in this article we will explain what and how to choose the chain grade for your rigging applications.
What is chain Grade?
In the past, people may use any type of chain, but in recent years, the ASTM (American Society of Testing & Materials), ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) have began to publish safety standards and regulations for the manufacturing, testing, use, inspection and repair of chain to differentiate between various materials and grades of chain and the specific applications they should be used for.
According to the Standards, the chain grade’s number or rating refers to the ultimate breaking strength it can handle per millimeter squared. There are five grades of chain: G30, G43, G70, G80, and G100. Grade 120 is a more stronger chain with a a bright, blue-coat finish and rectangular links, designed to fit the most extremely heavy duty application, but it is less common in the rigging industry. The higher the number, the stronger and the higher the WLL is, and the higher the strength-to-weight ratio.
You may heard “Grade 80 Alloy chain,” “Grade 70 chain”, “Grade 43 chain” or “Grade 30 chain” but don’t know what they meaning. It’s important to know the Grades of chain, for each Grade of chain is in several different strengths, and different applications, you can easily know which is better, for the higher numbers the grade is, generally there are six Grades of Chain and into three main steel materials: Grade 80 chain, Grade 100 chain, and Grade 120 chain for overhead lifting uses, Grade 70 chain for load securement and tie down applications, and Grade 43 chain and grade 30 chain for flatbed trucking industry .
Type of chain Grades
Grade 100 chain, and Grade 120 overhead lifting chain
They are both made of high strength, heat treated alloy chain.
but the Grade 120 chain is a high-performance alloy chain, with square links, as opposed to the Grade 100 chain rounded links. We don’t sell these chain grades on our website, you can always send us an email to order them.
Grade 80 alloy chain
In the majority of cases, either Grade 80 or Grade 100 chain can be used for a lifting application. However, there are some situations in which Grade 80 is the better choice.
Grade 80 chain is made of heat-treated alloy steel, in some situations the Grade 80 chain is the better choice than Grade 100 chain for it has a high strength to weight ratio.
You can easily identify Grade 80 chains for they are embossed with G8, or 80 marks, they can be used for overhead lifting and chain slings, Hilifting can supply EN818-2, EN818-4, and ASTM or NACM Grade 80 alloy chain, please click here for more details.
Grade 70 Transport Chain
Grade 70 transport chain is a binder chain for load securement, towing, logging and tie down applications. It is easy to identify for the golden chromate finish and embossed G7, or 70 marks.
It is not approved for overhead lifting, although it is manufactured by heat-treated making them high strength, the galvanization degrade its grade. If you need more details, please click here.
Grade 43 High Test Chain
They are both made with low carbon steel but Grade 43 high test chain has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than Grade 30 proof coil chain, both of them are used in the bundling, logging trucking, and tie down applications, but are not approved for overhead lifting.
Grade 30 Proof Coil Chain
Different Chain Grades’ Size & Working Load Limit Charts
| Grade 30 | Nominal Chain Size | Working Load Limit (MAX.) | Proof Test (Min.) | Breaking Force (Min.) | Inside Length (Max.) | Inside Width (Max.) | ||||||
| IN. | MM | LBS | KG | LBS | KN | LBS | KN | IN. | MM | IN. | MM | |
| hltG30018 | 1/8” | 4 | 400 | 180 | 800 | 3.6 | 1600 | 7.2 | 0.94 | 23.9 | 0.25 | 6.4 |
| hltG30316 | 3/16” | 5.5 | 800 | 365 | 1600 | 7.2 | 3200 | 14.4 | 0.98 | 24.8 | 0.3 | 7.7 |
| hltG30014 | 1/4” | 7 | 1300 | 580 | 2600 | 11.6 | 5200 | 23.2 | 1.24 | 31.5 | 0.38 | 9.8 |
| hltG30516 | 5/16” | 8 | 1900 | 860 | 3800 | 16.9 | 7600 | 33.8 | 1.29 | 32.8 | 0.44 | 11.2 |
| hltG30038 | 3/8” | 10 | 2650 | 1200 | 5300 | 23.6 | 10600 | 47.2 | 1.38 | 35 | 0.55 | 14 |
| hltG30716 | 7/16” | 11.9 | 3700 | 1680 | 7400 | 32.9 | 14800 | 65.8 | 1.64 | 41.6 | 0.65 | 16.6 |
| hltG30012 | 1/2” | 13 | 4500 | 2030 | 9000 | 40 | 18000 | 80 | 1.79 | 45.5 | 0.72 | 18.2 |
| hltG30058 | 5/8” | 16 | 6900 | 3130 | 13800 | 61.3 | 27600 | 122.6 | 2.2 | 56 | 0.79 | 20 |
| hltG30034 | 3/4” | 20 | 10600 | 4800 | 21200 | 94.3 | 42400 | 188.6 | 2.76 | 70 | 0.98 | 25 |
| hltG30078 | 7/8” | 22 | 12800 | 5810 | 25600 | 114.1 | 51200 | 228.2 | 3.03 | 77 | 1.08 | 27.5 |
| hltG30001 | 1” | 26 | 17900 | 8140 | 35800 | 159.1 | 71600 | 318.2 | 3.58 | 90.9 | 1.25 | 31.7 |
| Grade 43 | Nominal Chain Size | Working Load Limit (MAX.) | Proof Test (Min.) | Breaking Force (Min.) | Inside Length (Max.) | Inside Width (Max.) | ||||||
| IN. | MM | LBS | KG | LBS | KN | LBS | KN | IN. | MM | IN. | MM | |
| hltG43014 | 1/4” | 7 | 2600 | 1180 | 3900 | 17.3 | 7800 | 34.6 | 1.24 | 31.5 | 0.38 | 9.8 |
| hltG43516 | 5/16” | 8.7 | 3900 | 1770 | 5850 | 26 | 11700 | 52 | 1.29 | 32.8 | 0.44 | 11.2 |
| hltG43038 | 3/8” | 10 | 5400 | 2450 | 8100 | 36 | 16200 | 72 | 1.38 | 35 | 0.55 | 14 |
| hltG43716 | 7/16” | 11.9 | 7200 | 3270 | 10800 | 48 | 21600 | 96 | 1.64 | 41.6 | 0.65 | 16.6 |
| hltG43012 | 1/2” | 13 | 9200 | 4170 | 13800 | 61.3 | 27600 | 122.6 | 1.79 | 45.5 | 0.72 | 18.2 |
| hltG43058 | 5/8” | 16 | 13000 | 5910 | 19500 | 86.5 | 39000 | 173 | 2.2 | 56 | 0.79 | 20 |
| hltG43034 | 3/4” | 20 | 20200 | 9180 | 30300 | 134.7 | 60600 | 269.4 | 2.76 | 70 | 0.98 | 25 |
| hltG43078 | 7/8” | 22 | 24500 | 11140 | 36750 | 163.3 | 73500 | 326.6 | 3.03 | 77 | 1.08 | 27.5 |
| Grade 70 | Nominal Chain Size | Working Load Limit (MAX.) | Proof Test (Min.) | Breaking Force (Min.) | Inside Length (Max.) | Inside Width (Max.) | ||||||
| IN. | MM | LBS | KG | LBS | KN | LBS | KN | IN. | MM | IN. | MM | |
| hltG70014 | 1/4” | 7 | 3150 | 1430 | 6300 | 28 | 12600 | 56 | 1.24 | 31.5 | 0.38 | 9.8 |
| hltG70516 | 5/16” | 8.7 | 4700 | 2130 | 9400 | 41.8 | 18800 | 83.6 | 1.29 | 32.8 | 0.44 | 11.2 |
| hltG70038 | 3/8” | 10 | 6600 | 2990 | 13200 | 58.7 | 26400 | 117.4 | 1.38 | 35 | 0.55 | 14 |
| hltG70716 | 7/16” | 11.9 | 8750 | 3970 | 17500 | 77.8 | 35000 | 155.4 | 1.64 | 41.6 | 0.65 | 16.6 |
| hltG70012 | 1/2” | 13 | 11300 | 5130 | 22600 | 100.4 | 45200 | 200.8 | 1.79 | 45.5 | 0.72 | 18.2 |
| hltG70058 | 5/8” | 16 | 15800 | 7170 | 31600 | 140.4 | 63200 | 280.8 | 2.2 | 56 | 0.79 | 20 |
| hltG70034 | 3/4” | 20 | 24700 | 11200 | 49400 | 219.6 | 98800 | 439.2 | 2.76 | 70 | 0.98 | 25 |
| Part No. | Chain Dia. | Pitch | Inner Width | Outer Width | Approx Weight | W.L.L | P.L | M.B.L |
| d(mm) | p(mm) | a(mm) Min | b(mm) Max | kg/m | tons | tons | tons | |
| hlt800618 | 6±0.24 | 18±0.5 | 7.8 | 22.2 | 0.8 | 1.12 | 2.80 | 4.48 |
| hlt800721 | 7±0.28 | 21±0.6 | 9.1 | 25.9 | 1.1 | 1.50 | 3.75 | 6.00 |
| hlt800832 | 8±0.32 | 24±0.7 | 10.4 | 29.6 | 1.4 | 2.00 | 5.00 | 8.00 |
| hlt8001030 | 10±0.4 | 30±0.9 | 13 | 37 | 2.2 | 3.15 | 7.88 | 12.60 |
| hlt801339 | 13±0.52 | 39±1.2 | 16.9 | 48.1 | 3.8 | 5.30 | 13.25 | 21.20 |
| hlt801648 | 16±0.64 | 48±1.4 | 20.8 | 59.2 | 5.7 | 8.00 | 20.00 | 32.00 |
| hlt801854 | 18±0.9 | 54±1.6 | 23.4 | 66.6 | 8 | 11.20 | 28.00 | 44.80 |
| hlt802060 | 20±12.5 | 60±1.8 | 26 | 74 | 9 | 12.50 | 31.25 | 50.00 |
| hlt802266 | 22±1.1 | 66±2.0 | 28.6 | 81.4 | 10.8 | 15.00 | 37.50 | 60.00 |
| hlt802678 | 26±1.3 | 78±2.3 | 33.8 | 96.2 | 15.2 | 21.20 | 53.00 | 84.80 |
| hlt803296 | 32±1.6 | 96±2.9 | 41.6 | 118 | 23 | 31.50 | 78.75 | 126.00 |
Conclusion
The alloy steel chain Grade 80, 100, 120 are designed for overhead lifting, not for bundling, logging applications, while carbon steel Grade 70, 43, 30 chain are for load securement, tie downs, and bundling applications, not for overhead lifting purposes.
We hope that this article help you have a base level understanding of what chain grade and the differences of chain grades. We also carry a variety of galvanized, stainless steel chains, please contact us or leave your comment below and if you are interested in learning more about chains knowledge.
